After more than three decades since the original, Pixar’s beloved franchise Toy Story is returning with Toy Story 5, slated for release next year. The upcoming film arrives six years after Toy Story 4 and promises to explore how children’s play has evolved in the digital age.
Director Andrew Stanton, a veteran of the franchise who co-wrote the scripts for the first three films and penned the story for the fourth, will make his directorial debut for Toy Story 5. Stanton, known for classics such as Finding Nemo, WALL-E, and Finding Dory, told Empire that the new movie marks a major departure from previous installments.
“Honestly, it’s not even really about a battle so much as the realization of an existential problem: that nobody’s really playing with toys anymore,” Stanton said. “Technology has changed everybody’s lives, but we’re asking what that means for us — and to our kids. We can’t just get away with making tech the villain.”
The film will bring back the franchise’s original toys, including fan favorites Woody, Buzz, Jessie, Forky, Slinky Dog, and Hamm, with Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Tony Hale, Blake Clark, and John Ratzenberger reprising their iconic roles. They will be joined by newcomers Anna Faris, Ernie Hudson, Conan O’Brien, and Greta Lee. Faris is set to voice Combat Carl, O’Brien plays Smarty Pants, and Lee will portray Lilypad, a high-tech tablet.
Pixar has described the film as “toy meets tech,” highlighting a central theme where beloved toys face the challenges posed by electronics and the digital era. Stanton explained that while the story picks up after the conclusion of Andy’s journey in Toy Story 3, it “allows us to embrace time and change” while offering fans a new perspective on the lives of their favorite characters.
Toy Story 5 promises to blend nostalgia with contemporary themes, examining how technology shapes childhood play and the future of imagination.
