Toy Story 5 director Andrew Stanton recently defended the making of the upcoming installment and explained why they decided to extend the franchise.
While there has been excitement for the release of the fifth movie, fans are also wondering why Pixar is still doing another installment. Given the high quality of the previous movies, there are concerns that the streak might break in the upcoming film, and it could end up being a rehash of earlier entries, rather than a fresh story.
Why Pixar Decided to Make Toy Story 5
In an interview with Empire magazine, Stanton explained why he and Pixar decided to make a fifth Toy Story movie, despite the fears that the franchise might stretch too thin.
He explained that the upcoming movie is meant to reflect the current times, especially with the rise of technology, and they felt that it was a great opportunity for them to tell another Toy Story tale.
"Honestly, it’s not even really about a battle so much as the realisation of an existential problem: that nobody’s really playing with toys anymore," the director 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."
While he acknowledged that Andy's story was already told in the first three films, Stanton also felt that there were more things to explore in the world of Toy Story, and he wanted to embrace the changes that were happening in this world.
"So 3 was the end... of the Andy years. Nobody’s being robbed of their trilogy. They can have that and never watch another if they don’t want to. But I’ve always loved how this world allows us to embrace time and change. There’s no promise that it stays in amber," he said.
What to Expect in Toy Story 5
Toy Story 5 will see our favorite characters face off against Lilypad, a high-tech frog-shaped smart tablet that makes Buzz, Woody, Jessie, and the rest of the gang’s jobs exponentially harder when they have to go head-to-head with the all-new threat to playtime.
The confirmed cast members include Tom Hanks (Woody), Tim Allen (Buzz Lightyear), Joan Cusack (Jessie), Blake Clark (Slinky), Tony Hale (Forky), Ernie Hudson (Combat Carl), Greta Lee (Lilypad), and Conan O'Brien (Smarty Pants).
The film is currently scheduled for release in theaters on June 19, 2026, as part of that year's summer movie season slate.
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