After four blockbuster installments of Toy Story, the makers are gearing up for a fifth film. While they already had a basic storyline in place, director Andrew Stanton revealed that he immediately knew which character to centre the story around when the idea first came to them. Surprisingly, the focus wasn’t on Woody or Buzz, but on Jessie.
"I wanted to write whatever I wanted Toy Story 5 to be and see where I wanted to explore. And right away I was like, I want to explore Jessie. I want to put her in the main driver's seat."
It is a creative instinct that co-director and co-writer Mckenna Harris wholeheartedly shares. "I think a lot of us felt it was kind of overdue," she says. "Jessie is just a great character and she deserves the spotlight. It's why she got the badge in Four."
Producer Lindsey Collins points to something the franchise has quietly been sitting on for years. "She has more backstory than any of them. We know the most about her of any of the characters, including Buzz and Woody. She has her own past in a way no other character does and so it felt like it's just sitting there."
Toy Story 5 marks a new chapter for the beloved franchise. Directed by Andrew Stanton (WALL-E, Finding Nemo) with co-direction from McKenna Harris, the film explores a modern theme: the clash between classic toys and the digital age. The storyline sees Woody, Buzz, Jessie, and the gang confronted by Lilypad aka Lily, a smart tablet, signalling a major shift in kids' interests.
Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Tony Hale, John Ratzenberger, Wallace Shawn, Blake Clark, Annie Potts, Bonnie Hunt, Melissa Villaseñor, Kristen Schaal, and Keanu Reeves reprise their roles from the previous films, and are joined by new additions Greta Lee, Conan O'Brien, Bad Bunny, Craig Robinson, Shelby Rabara, Scarlett Spears, Mykal-Michelle Harris, Matty Matheson, Jeff Bergman, Anna Vocino, John Hopkins, Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, Ernie Hudson, and Alan Cumming.
Toy Story 5 is produced by Jessica Choi and executive produced by Pete Docter and is set to hit theatres on June 19.
