Why Tom Hanks Couldn't Say No to Toy Story 5
Tom Hanks is saddling up as Woody again in Toy Story 5 — and he says it was an easy yes, driven by the enduring Woody-and-Buzz chemistry with Tim Allen and one more ride through Pixar’s favorite toy box.
Well then, guess who's not done with plastic spurs and cowboy hats just yet? Tom Hanks is saddling up again as Sheriff Woody for Toy Story 5, and he's brought his unlikely space ranger sidekick along for the ride, thanks to one hell of a phone call.
Why Hanks Is Still Woody (And Why Tim Allen's Buzz Is Back Too)
So, here's the bit most people don't get about these Toy Story sequels: you'd think after four massive films, Tom Hanks and Tim Allen would just turn up, say a few lines, and collect the paycheque. Not quite. According to Hanks himself, they don't actually have to do these films at all unless the pitch gets them interested.
Hanks went on Jimmy Kimmel Live the other night and spelled it out in the sort of blunt, slightly exasperated honesty you've got to respect:
"We take this very seriously. We don't have to do these if we don't want to. We only do it because these guys at Pixar come back and say, 'We have another idea.' We say, 'Do you? Do you really?'"
This time, Andrew Stanton—one of Pixar's founding creative heavyweights—is in charge, and he didn't exactly face a tough boardroom. According to Hanks, Stanton basically got free rein at Pixar, with bosses saying, 'You can do whatever you want to do.' After giving it some thought, he apparently came back and said, 'I think I have another Toy Story movie.'
How The Conversation Went Down
Before you start picturing Hollywood types skulking around meeting rooms, the actual decision-making sounds more like a chat between a couple of old mates at the pub. Tom says, as soon as the idea was floated, he was straight on the phone to Tim Allen:
- Hanks: 'You hear this?'
- Allen: 'Yes, I heard that.'
- Hanks: 'What do you make of it?'
- Allen: 'I'm not so sure it's going to live up to the other four.'
- Hanks: 'Well, let's give them a shot. Let's see what they might have to say.'
- Allen (classic Buzz): 'Well, you can go ahead and do it, but I'm going to tell you right now, I have demands.'
For anyone wondering how the sausage actually gets made, that's about as behind-the-scenes as it gets: Two lads on the phone, making sure it's not just a quick cash-in.
Release Date Set
Toy Story 5 is officially landing in cinemas across the UK and US on 19 June, 2026. They haven't revealed any sensible plot details yet—just that Hanks and Allen are back because Pixar had to sell them on the whole thing, and apparently pulled it off.