Toy Story 5 Director Defends Continuing the Franchise: The Fifth Film Tackles an Existential Question
According to CinemaDrame News Agency, Andrew Stanton, director of Toy Story 5, has defended the decision to continue the franchise. Stanton—whose credits include Finding Nemo and Wall-E, and who developed the story concept for Toy Story 4—told Empire in a new interview that there is no limit to how far the series can go.
Stanton says: “The third film was an ending… for Andy’s era. No one has taken that trilogy away. People can keep those movies and never watch another sequel. But I’ve always been fascinated by how the world of these films lets us embrace time and change.”
Toy Story 5 follows the toys as they face competition from electronic devices that may now be more appealing to children. Tim Allen returns as Buzz Lightyear, Tom Hanks as Woody, Greta Lee as Lilypad, American comedian Conan O’Brien, Tony Hale as Forky, and Joan Cusack as Jessie.
Stanton explains that the new film is “not really about a battle, but about understanding an existential issue: that nobody plays with toys anymore. Technology has changed everyone’s lives, but we’re raising the question of what that means for us and for our kids. We can’t villainize technology to avoid facing responsibility.”
Toy Story 4, released in 2019, grossed over $1 billion and broke the opening-weekend record for animated films with a $244 million debut.
Disney will release Toy Story 5 on June 19, 2026.
