When Toy Story 5 was officially announced earlier this year, actor Tim Allen celebrated as it likely meant he'd return as the beloved space ranger. But this was never actually confirmed by Pixar as the studio offered no specific details at the time.
While we still don't know what the premise of Toy Story 5 will be, Pixar chief creative officer Pete Doctor did confirm at least one major detail about the film: Woody and Buzz will both be returning.
"We have another “Toy Story,” so Woody and Buzz are back," Doctor told Variety in a wide-ranging interview earlier this week.
We assume this also means Allen will officially be back. Pixar previously faced major backlash from fans when they recast the titular space ranger in last year's spin-off, Lightyear. Even though it made sense to replace Allen with Chris Evans as the voice of Buzz -- it's a story about the real-life version of the space ranger who inspired the boy -- many were still upset and (probably) just confused.
This hopefully also means that Tom Hanks will also return as the wild west's rootinest tootinest cowboy. Heading into Toy Story 5, I think most fans were unsure if Woody would be the one appearing in the film. If you recall, Toy Story 4 ended with Woody deciding to stay with Bo and the lost toys. It was an emotional sendoff and a perfect ending for Woody, but alas, he will be back for one more rodeo.
The news of Woody and Buzz returning for Toy Story 5 will hopefully inspire some confidence in Pixar which has struggled at the box office. Last year's Lightyear spin-off was a major flop for the studio and the recently released Elemental doesn't seem to be faring much better. After another dismal opening, Elemental -- the studio's 27th feature film -- runs the risk of having the lowest debut ever for a Pixar movie. It's projected to bring in between $28 million and $32 million in its opening weekend.
Given Pixar's recent box office struggles, perhaps a return to the studio's roots will reverse its fortunes. In addition to Toy Story 5, Pixar is also working on a sequel to Inside Out, which is set to release in theaters on June 14, 2024.