Toy Story 5 Will Win Me Over If It Is Brave Enough To Do What All Other Sequels Avoided

Although I’m a massive fan of the franchise, I can’t help but feel like Toy Story 5 is pretty unnecessary, but I would look forward to the fourth sequel much more if the overall arc were to take a specific and intriguing turn. With Toy Story 5‘s release date confirmed as June 19, 2026, there’s still a notable wait until the movie hits cinema screens. The story details so far are very sparse. While many characters could return in Toy Story 5, some comebacks would make far more sense than others.

The Toy Story 5 reveals as D23 prove that the core group of characters will play a role, but just how prominent they will be remains vague. The confirmation of Tom Hanks and Tim Allen reprising their respective roles as Woody and Buzz Lightyear is welcome news. However, the franchise’s potential future may depend on a character overhaul – and it should begin with Toy Story 5. Otherwise, other sequels could become even more stagnant. At this point, I have almost no doubt they’ll continue to make Pixar a lot of money, but the franchise’s long-term creativity must be considered.

Toy Story 5 Moving Away From Woody And Buzz Would Make The Sequel Worth It

Pixar needs to introduce new main characters to make sure the Toy Story franchise can move on

Buzz and Woody have long been the talismans of the Toy Story franchise – even if the fourth movie was essentially a Toy Story 3 epilogue focusing on Woody’s struggle to move on from Andy. Regardless, Buzz has also played a huge role in making the series a success. I grew up watching their dynamic evolve from bitter rivalry and turn into an unbreakable friendship. That being said, I really hope Toy Story 5 starts to move away from both characters for the sake of the franchise’s longevity.

Toy Story 4 already felt like a deviation from a solid, planned-out trilogy. So, the very fact that it was made at all suggests that Pixar isn’t averse to continuing to make these movies – even if the overall series has its legacy tarnished a little as a result. With Toy Story 5 on the way, I wouldn’t be surprised if more sequels materialized down the line. If so, the follow-ups surely can’t continue to thrust Buzz and Woody into the limelight when so much of their story has already been told.

At a certain point, new main characters need to replace the Space Ranger and the Cowboy. I think it would be a little too sudden for this process to happen within the runtime of Toy Story 5, but the upcoming sequel can certainly begin the process. That way, a speculative Toy Story 6, 7, or beyond wouldn’t need to rely so heavily on Buzz and Woody. While their farewell at the end of Toy Story 4 teases this change has already happened, their immediate reunion one movie later suggests the opposite.

Toy Story 4 Already Said Goodbye To Woody (So What Changed?)

The upcoming 2026 sequel is undoing Woody’s difficult exit

I’m sure I’m not alone in admitting to shedding a tear or two during Toy Story 3‘s ending. The characters may have been saying goodbye to Andy, but I also knew they were in safe hands with Bonnie. Toy Story 4‘s ending was also emotional but for a different reason. With Woody splintering off from the toys to live free from ownership, Tom Hank’s character was separating himself from the main cast. It was, in a lot of ways, sadder than the third movie’s ending. However, Pixar is already undoing the moment by bringing Woody back in Toy Story 5.

When another sequel was announced, I was immediately convinced that Woody would return. Although Toy Story 5 could (and probably should) have honored Woody’s departure, the thought of making a movie about Bonnie’s toys without his presence just doesn’t feel right. I’m sure that Pixar felt similarly because the dyad of Buzz and Woody is what the franchise lives and breathes by. So, the friends parting ways forever at the end of Toy Story 4 was always destined to be retconned as soon as Toy Story 5 was revealed to be happening.

Why Toy Story Will Probably Never Move Away From Woody, Buzz, And The Others

Replacing the faces of the Toy Story franchise could hurt the profitability of the movies

Despite my strong feelings about Pixar not continuing to wheel out Buzz and Woody over and over again, I’m also very aware that it’s unlikely to stop in future sequels. The characters are just too integral to the franchise’s success, and placing any other characters at the forefront after so many years would surely be a recipe for failure. The movies are so successful in large part due to the familiarity of the characters and the nostalgia they instill. That isn’t just true of Buzz and Woody, but also of Rex, Ham, Slinky, and all the other toys.

On the other hand, Pixar has already demonstrated a willingness to say farewell to established characters and swap them out for suitable replacements. Therefore, if the studio wanted to leave Buzz and Woody behind, I genuinely believe they’d do a great job of pulling it off. Some evidence for this can even be found within the Toy Story franchise itself, with Andy being replaced by Bonnie at the end of the third movie. So, Toy Story 5 starting Buzz and Woody’s gradual exit wouldn’t be entirely unprecedented.