Toy Story legends Tom Hanks and Tim Allen have dismissed the idea of Disney ever adapting the franchise to live-action. In an interview with Jake's Takes (via Toonado.com), the actors explained why they believe translating Woody and Buzz Lightyear into the real world would be easier said than done.
During the interview, Allen pointed to 2022's Lightyear as an example of the challenges involved in making the franchise's characters appear more human.
"They did that version [of] Lightyear where it looked like a human form, but it just didn’t translate well," Allen explained. "He’d have to get out of the suit, and he’s got clothes on and Buzz’s hair. I don’t know how you’d ever do that."
Hanks was also unconvinced, wondering whether animatronics would even be an option before ultimately concluding, "It's a conundrum. It cannot be done."
While Disney has enjoyed enormous box office success with live-action reimaginings of animated classics like Aladdin, The Lion King, and Lilo & Stitch, Pixar's library has remained untouched. That doesn't appear to be a coincidence.
Lightyear, which served as an origin story for the fictional astronaut who inspired the Buzz Lightyear toy line, came closest to presenting a more realistic take on the character (it was essentially supposed to be the movie that Andy saw as a kid, explaining why he wanted a Buzz toy so much).
However, the movie underperformed in theaters, earning roughly $226 million worldwide against a reported budget of over $200 million. Despite mostly positive reviews, the film failed to connect with audiences in the same way as the Toy Story movies and ultimately became one of Pixar's biggest box office disappointments.
More importantly, the studio's films don't lend themselves to live-action in the same way Disney's animated offerings do. Toy Story presents a particularly difficult challenge, as casting human actors as Woody and Buzz would mean abandoning the premise that made the franchise special. Relying on CG toys interacting with real people would similarly raise complex creative hurdles.
Unlike The Lion King, where audiences were watching animals, Toy Story's emotional core comes from the personalities of its toys. Seeing flesh-and-blood actors portray plastic playthings would likely feel strange, while photorealistic CG toys sharing scenes with human performers feels pointless, especially when human characters play such a small role in the narrative compared to the toys.
Pixar has always prided itself on pushing the boundaries of animation, and that's probably one reason why the studio has never shown any interest in revisiting its greatest hits in live-action. Based on Hanks and Allen's comments, the stars most closely associated with Toy Story don't think it would work either.
The toys are back in Disney and Pixar's Toy Story 5, and this time it’s Toy meets Tech. Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), Jessie (Joan Cusack) and the rest of the gang's jobs are challenged when they come face-to-face with Lilypad (Greta Lee), a brand-new tablet device that arrives with her own disruptive ideas about what is best for their kid, Bonnie. Will playtime ever be the same?
The movie is directed by Academy Award winner Andrew Stanton, co-directed by Kenna Harris, produced by Lindsey Collins, p.g.a., and written by Stanton and Harris from a story by Stanton.
The film features an original score by Oscar-winning Randy Newman, who returns to the franchise with Toy Story 5. The movie arrives in theaters on June 19.