Disney is looking to recoup recent losses, and one of the ways they intend to do so is by revisiting some of the studio's most successful animated franchises.
Toy Story, Frozen, and Zootopia sequels have all been announced, and current Disney CEO Bob Iger described that as a means of "leaning into our unrivaled brands." That's company jargon for the benefit of shareholders, 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 to pretty much confirm that he and Woody actor Tom Hanks will return for Toy Story 5.
At the end of Toy Story 4 - then believed 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 to reunite them, of course, 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 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 significantly 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.
Check out Allen's Tweet below.