More than 30 years after the first Toy Story movie hit theaters and transformed the way we look at animation, we’re now gearing up for Toy Story 5. The movie is set to hit theaters in June 2026, but until quite recently, we didn’t know much about the plot specifics around the film.
In a recent interview with WIVB, Tim Allen offered some of the first details we’ve gotten about the fifth installment, which he’s already clarified is more than just a cash grab. “I can tell you that it’s a lot about Jessie,” Allen said of the film. “Tom [Hanks] and I do — Woody and I — do realign. And there’s an unbelievable opening scene with Buzz Lightyears. I can give you that, but I can’t give you much more.”
Allen had previously said that it was “weird” to return to the recording studio for Buzz five years after making Toy Story 4, but said that the story for this fifth installment was worth it.
“It’s a very, very clever story,” Allen said. “Do you wanna do five of these? I don’t really believe it’s about the money. I’m sure they want it to be a success, but that’s not why they did it. Had they not come up with a brilliant script, they wouldn’t have done it and they wouldn’t have called me and Tom [Hanks]. It’s really clever.”
Andrew Stanton is set to direct Toy Story 5, and the movie will reportedly follow Buzz, Woody and the gang as they take on the electronics that now dominate children’s attention. Stanton is himself a Pixar veteran, having directed Finding Nemo and Wall-E for the studio.