Tim Allen has offered fresh insight into Pixar’s upcoming Toy Story 5, confirming that the new film will not center on Buzz Lightyear or Woody — the duo that defined the franchise for nearly three decades. Instead, the story will shift its focus to Jessie, the energetic cowgirl voiced by Joan Cusack, who takes the lead in what Allen describes as a “reboot” of sorts for the beloved series.
The actor shared the update during a recent appearance promoting the film, explaining, “They reboot everything. It’s all about Jessie, which is really cool. She’s in trouble, and she needs help. We’re all over, so she has to gather everybody.” While Pixar and Disney have yet to release an official synopsis, Allen’s remarks align with early reports that Toy Story 5will explore how the toys adapt to an increasingly digital world.
The film’s premise follows Bonnie and her toys as they face competition from a new piece of technology — a tablet called the LilyPad. Preview footage shown earlier this year at the 2025 Annecy Animation Festival depicted Bonnie hiding under her bedsheets with the device, while the toys look on with uncertainty. The LilyPad, designed to be a smart companion, seemingly threatens the toys’ place in Bonnie’s life, setting up a story that blends generational themes with the franchise’s familiar humor and heart.
Allen also revealed details about the movie’s opening scene, which screened at Annecy. The sequence features a surreal setup: hundreds of Buzz Lightyear toys stranded on an island after a plane crash, riffing on Cast Away–style survival antics. The actor said he voiced all the Buzz figures himself, noting the comic tension among the stranded toys as they argue over leadership and direction. “There’s a plane crash — like that Tom Hanks movie — and a hundred Buzz dolls land and get lost,” Allen said. “They’re hysterical. They’re trying to find their way back. I hope they keep it in there. I ad-libbed some lines between them — two in the back arguing, one at the front giving orders. It’s chaos.”
While Pixar has remained tight-lipped about the broader plot, early reactions from Annecy suggest that Toy Story 5 will explore themes of obsolescence and self-worth in a world increasingly dominated by technology — echoing earlier franchise entries that tackled belonging and change.
The fifth installment comes nearly a decade after Toy Story 4 seemingly concluded Woody’s arc, leaving fans curious about how Pixar will continue the saga without relying on its most iconic duo. For now, Allen’s comments confirm a shift toward a new generation of storytelling within the Toy Story universe — one where Jessie steps into the spotlight as the emotional core of a story about resilience and rediscovery.
