“Toy Story 5” director Andrew Stanton has a message for Quentin Tarantino.
If you remember, Tarantino called the first three “Toy Story” movies the “perfect trilogy” and made some waves by swearing off ever watching “Toy Story 4,” pretending it never existed.
Stanton is now telling Empire Magazine, basically responding to the criticism, that Tarantino — or anyone — can absolutely keep seeing the first three films as their complete story if they want to. “Toy Story 3” was the end of the “Andy era,” and nothing about the later movies takes that away.
So 3 was the end. of the Andy years. Nobody’s being robbed of their trilogy. They can have that and never watch another if they don’t want to. But I’ve always loved how this world allows us to embrace time and change. There’s no promise that it stays in amber.
In a nutshell, Stanton believes the strength of the “Toy Story” world is that it can evolve with time. It was never meant to be frozen in place. So while fans can stop at the trilogy if they prefer, Stanton is free to explore new chapters with the characters.
The brilliance of “Toy Story 3,” with its resonant and emotionally satisfying ending, felt like the perfect conclusion to the trilogy. By every measure, it was the ideal send-off for Woody, Buzz, and the gang. That’s why I’m still frustrated by Pixar’s choice to make “Toy Story 4.” To me, it undercut the integrity of its predecessor. The film didn’t carry the same sense of relevance or necessity — it leaned on familiar theatrics and felt more like a move driven by commerce than by genuine artistic intent.
Stanton has hinted that Woody and Buzz’s adventures will continue after “Toy Story 5,” which is set for release next year. “Toy Story 4” was the first time in the franchise’s 24-year history where irrelevance had very much entered into the equation. It’s also not that puzzling to see Pixar/Disney milking this franchise for whatever it’s worth.
“Toy Story 5” arrives in U.S. theaters on June 19, 2026. Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, and Joan Cusack are all returning to voice Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and Jessie.