If there’s one thing you can count on when you watch the 1995 classic Toy Story or one of its sequels, it’s that all your heartstrings will be pulled. And a big reason this franchise packs such an emotional wallop is because it speaks to the big issues and milestone moments parents face as their kids grow up. Hitting on that very successful formula, Disney just revealed the focus of its previously announced Toy Story 5: toys vs. technology.
This hint about the highly anticipated follow-up film is the first major update since Bob Iger announced several sequels in February (Zootopia 2, Frozen 3, and Frozen 4, in addition to the new Toy Story), and it came by way of Disney’s annual fan expo, D23. During a D23 panel, Pixar head Pete Docter took the stage to confirm studio legend Andrew Stanton will be directing the film. He also unveiled the first piece of concept art and clued fans into the movie’s big gist (more on that in a minute).
Of course, Toy Story remains one of the most beloved Disney brands — a generation of kids watched Andy grow up and grew up with him, and some of us who were kids when the first film hit theaters have now moved on to sharing pals Woody and Buzz with our own kids. Why not keep the tradition going?
While all fine details haven’t been released yet, here’s what we know about Toy Story 5.
What’s Toy Story 5 about?
If you remember anything about 2019’s Toy Story 4 ending, it’s that it saw the separation of Buzz and Woody. Woody and Bo Peep saw that Bonnie no longer needed them, so they decided to stay behind with their new “lost toys” gang at the carnival. Meanwhile, Buzz and the rest of Bonnie’s toys returned to the RV to continue on with Bonnie, literally rolling off into the sunset without their fearless leader, Woody.
How do you have a Toy Story movie without Woody? Well, they did it just last year with 2022’s release of Lightyear. Who says they can’t do it again? Fortunately, it doesn’t seem as though fans will have to find out — the concept art unveiled at D23 clearly shows both Woody and Buzz, along with Slinky, Rex, Hamm, Jessie, Bullseye, and Forky, all looking anxiously at a child transfixed by a tablet.
And on the D23 stage, Stanton teased that this sequel will tackle “what kids are obsessed with today: electronics.” But don’t worry; knowing Disney/Pixar, this won’t just be an excuse to give the garden-variety “screens are bad” lecture. It will be beautiful and nuanced and make you ugly cry while pulling your kiddo closer to you on the couch.
Who’s on board for Toy Story 5?
Who’s in and who’s out for Toy Story 5 is a bit of a loaded question right now. Right off the bat, you probably know not to expect Mr. Potato Head, as the man behind his iconic voice, Don Rickles, passed away in 2017. Beyond that, there’s no reason to assume Woody and Buzz’s friends won’t all return. But what most people want to know is whether we can expect the return of Tom Hanks as Woody and Tim Allen as Buzz.
The concept art certainly seems to confirm we’ll get both of the iconic voice actors back, which Allen has been hinting at for months now. Following the original Toy Story 5 announcement from Iger, Allen was quick to announce his return in a tweet. The actor wrote, “See ya soon, Woody, you are a strange little man, and you have my pity. And off we go to number 5! To infinity and beyond!”
Then, on Nov. 22, 2023, Allen really spilled the beans on The Tonight Show when host Jimmy Fallon asked for an update. Allen confirmed that both he and Hanks have been looped into the upcoming Toy Story 5 project.
“Bob Iger, head of Disney, said it was on and he actually said it was going to happen,” Allen responded. “They have reached out to Tom and I to reprise the roles. They’re not saying anything about it.”
So, looking at the fine print, you might say that Disney has “reached out” to Allen and Tom, not that they have accepted their roles (that we know of).
As previously mentioned, Toy Story 4 did seem to write out Woody and Bo Peep. Plus, Hanks is no stranger to social media, and as of yet, he hasn’t posted about a commitment to Toy Story 5.
On the other hand, Hanks did an interview with Graham Norton several years ago, where he shared with fans that his brother actually does Woody’s voice for all the toys and extra merchandise. Maybe if Tom is too busy, Disney can swoop up Jim to voice the part of Woody. They sound so similar; it’s the only replacement that could ever truly work.
When will Toy Story 5 be released?
Now calling for best guesses! While some things about Toy Story 5 seem easy to speculate, a release date is a little harder to pin down. Pixar has three “untitled” movies slated for release in June 2025, March 2026, and June 2026.
Thanks to D23, we now know that Toy Story 5 will be coming to theaters in 2026… so, for now, our best guess is Woody and friends will be arriving in June 2026.
Whenever it releases, though, Toy Story 5 is sure to be a massive, well-loved hit.
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