With widespread shareholder unhappiness, Disney is looking to very rapidly recoup recent losses, and one of the ways they intend to do so is by bringing back some of its most successful animated franchises.
Toy Story, Frozen, and Zootopia sequels have all been announced, and current Disney CEO Bob Iger recently described that as a means of "leaning into our unrivaled brands." That's company jargon for the benefit of investors, of course, and as of right now, no details have been revealed about any of these projects or how far along they are.
It seems Toy Story veteran Tim Allen (Buzz Lightyear) may have an idea of what's happening, though, as he's taken to social media (via Toonado.com) to pretty much confirm that he and Woody actor Tom Hanks will be part of Toy Story 5.
At the end of Toy Story 4 - then thought to be the final chapter in the long-running series - Woody chose to become a "Lost Toy" with Bo Peep and bid farewell to his old friends, including Buzz. It would be easy enough for them to reunite, and Allen certainly sounds confident about that possibility.
While there are those who have understandably rolled their eyes that Disney is returning to the Toy Story well, it makes sense when you consider the fourth movie earned over $1 billion back in 2019.
In comparison, last year's spin-off Lightyear was considered a box office disappointment, suggesting that moviegoers wish to spend time with the toys and not the people or fictional characters they're based on. It's a shame because Chris Evans was a great Buzz and the movie was a lot of fun, but Toy Story 5 makes more sense than a realistic Woody outing!
We're guessing all these sequels are a long way from happening, but after a few years of having movies relegated to Disney+ by former Disney CEO Bob Chapek (which massively hurt the brand), Pixar is no doubt excited to get the chance to prove it can still deliver a mega-hit with a release like Toy Story 5.
Take a look at Allen's Tweet below.