The Toy Story franchise will look much different in Toy Story 6 and 7, according to one of Pixar's top executives. Coming back to theaters this summer with Toy Story 5, Disney and Pixar will add another chapter to this saga after it first started more than 30 years ago. Additionally, looking ahead to future stories, the studios seem to already have ideas for how to shake things up for this story's toys.
Pixar Vice President, Creative, Andrew Stanton shared his ideas for where the studio can go with a potential Toy Story 6 and Toy Story 7, specifically, he threw out the idea of continuing the franchise without Buzz and Jessie's current kid, Bonnie. Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, he feels that with a couple of months of brainstorming the mundane elements of a children's toy's lifecycle, the studio would have two movies' worth of material to explore in this universe in Toy Story 6 and 7.
"That's why I feel like it can keep going," Stanton noted, while also indicating he may not direct another Pixar movie after finishing his work on Toy Story 5.
After using Andy in the first three movies and Bonnie in the two most recent films, Stanton feels Toy Story 6 and Toy Story 7 could use a new kid or toy owner alongside the main cast of toys. This could give the toys a new, young personality to learn about, even after so many years of entertaining other kids. More than one child could even be introduced, which would make each movie feel fresh and different from its predecessors.
While Toy Story was originally thought to end after the third movie in 2010, Disney and Pixar shocked fans with the release of Toy Story 4 in 2019, which centers on Woody struggling with his own purpose while meeting a handmade toy named Forky. Forky then has his own existential crisis on a journey with Woody, which reunites him with Bo Peep before he decides to leave his gang behind.
Thankfully for Pixar, Toy Story 5 is already being hailed as another success for the franchise, which has already grossed more than $3 billion combined at the global box office. Those in attendance reportedly loved the movie, which was described as "another heartfelt film in this franchise" and seemed to live up to the standard set by the first four movies.
Toy Story 5 is directed by Pixar veteran Andrew Stanton and written by Stanton and Kenna Harris. Bringing back Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, and the rest of the franchise's toy cast (with a few notable recast actors), this film will explore a new reality for the toys, as technology takes a bigger presence in young Bonnie's life and threatens to make them irrelevant. Toy Story 5 will debut in theaters on June 19, 2026.
What Could Happen in Toy Story 6 & 7?
Looking ahead, Pixar proved it has multiple avenues for more Toy Story movies after the switch from Andy to Bonnie between Toy Story 3 and Toy Story 5. The big difference here is that Bonnie does not seem to have aged much between her first appearance and her return in Toy Story 5, meaning Pixar could still explore more stories with her before she maybe gets to a point where she wants to move on from Woody, Buzz, Jessie, and the rest of the classic crew.
This new film's marketing has already teased a kind of aging process for some of the central toys, especially with fans seeing Woody dealing with a "bald spot" in his hair.
This core group has already been through potentially two decades of adventures with each other, and another pair of movies could dive into how they deal with their collective mental state, having dealt with so many crises and life-threatening situations over the years.
That would certainly be compounded with the inclusion of new kids after Andy and Bonnie, especially with the world changing and making childhood such a different experience.
The toys' existential crisis situation could be further explored after the influx of tech in Toy Story 5, showing how they handle new generations of kids with different backgrounds than what they are used to.
Financially, it only makes sense for Pixar to continue making Toy Story movies, even with so many other original movies and sequels coming in the next few years. Considering the last two movies have both been billion-dollar hits, bringing Woody and Buzz back for more stories appears to be a no-brainer, especially if stars Tom Hanks and Tim Allen are still passionate about bringing them to life.
Richard Nebens joined The Direct in March 2020, now serving as the site's Senior Writer and also working as an assistant editor and content creator. He started his journalism career as a hobby in 2019 and is passionate about sharing news and stories from the entertainment industry, especially comic book movies, comedy, and sci-fi. Richard looks to expand his knowledge about movies and TV every day, and he is eager to stay locked into the latest releases and breaking news at every opportunity.
