The ending of Toy Story 3 was one of those all-time, unforgettable moments. Everyone felt like Andy, the owner of the toys, leaving for college and passing those toys to a new child was a perfect way to go out. Then, that movie made over $1 billion, and wouldn’t you know it? Toy Story 4 arrived about a decade later.
That too felt like a suitable ending, with Woody finally breaking off from the group to be with the toy he loves. Tom Hanks himself, the voice of Woody, apparently called that “the actual perfect place to end the saga.” But now seven years have passed, and Toy Story 5 is on the way. All the toys are back, but this time, it seems it might not be as definitive an ending.
Entertainment Weekly has an extensive story on the highly anticipated Pixar sequel, out on June 19. In it, the magazine reveals that director Andrew Stanton believes, “With just two months of brainstorming the mundane elements of the lifecycle of a toy, there would be two movies’ worth of Toy Story material to explore next. Maybe not with Bonnie, but a different character as a focal point,” the article states. “That’s why I feel like it can keep going,” Stanton added.
That basically makes it sound like Pixar already has a few broad ideas for Toy Story 6 and Toy Story 7. Whether or not those ideas actually come to fruition, though, is another story. First, Toy Story 5 has to be a hit, though we don’t think that’ll be an issue. Second, Pixar will have to fully commit to an idea it believes doesn’t undercut the franchise, lives up to its predecessor, and is worth spending a lot of time and money on. Finally, it’ll have to do it without Stanton, who says that Toy Story 5 will be the last Pixar movie he ever directs.
“I really thought [Finding] Dory was it. So I’ve got a lot of egg on my face. I’m not saying never, but the math doesn’t add up,” Stanton said, inferring that at age 60, he doesn’t want to spend as much time working as he does just living. “Four years goes so much faster the older you get, and I want my four years to last so long,” he said. “I don’t wanna blink one more movie and be close to 70.”
Sounds like the toys in Toy Story, some of whom have now been around for that long in the story, too. Toy Story 5 sees them fighting with technology for the attention of their owner, Bonnie. But what happens to a toy after that? Will Toy Story 6 just be all the toys stuffed in a box in the attic for 90 minutes? Will Toy Story 7 see them sold or donated? (Wait, they already did those in Toy Story 2 and Toy Story 3.) Whatever the case, if Pixar wants to keep bringing its signature franchise back, we’ll be there.
Toy Story 5 opens on June 19. Read more about it in the excellent EW story.
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