After almost 7 years, Toy Story 5 will be released this June. It is a much-needed relief for fans who waited with bated breath for the fifth installment. The movie will have Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, and Joan Cusack reprise their roles, but there’s a catch. Director Andrew Stanton left Woody out of the story initially.
The Director recently revealed his original plans for the movie. This had to do with him writing the movie entirely without this main character, and here’s what he had to say about that!
Toy Story 5 Director Drops Major Revelation
In an interview with CinemaBlend, Director Andrew Stanton revealed he wrote the film without Woody, saying:
“I do admit that I didn’t know how to bring him back at first, and so I just, ’cause I know it’s gonna take so many drafts to get the movie right, I just wrote the first one without him just to see if I missed him.“
The Director left the character out of the first draft, and it is said that he did so because the character’s story concluded in Toy Story 4. The movie shows him sacrificing his sheriff’s badge.
As a result, he becomes a lost toy and helps other children find joy. He joins the rest of the toys and travels with Bo Peep, but Stanton couldn’t part ways with the character.
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He did bring him back, even if it meant going the extra mile, as he revealed in the same interview.
“And, I did. So I said, Alright, we’re gonna have to work a little harder and figure out how to make this not just a knee-jerk reaction and make it something that’s earned to make ’em come in. We finally figured it out, and now I can’t imagine it any other way.“
Honestly, it’s hard to imagine Toy Story without Woody, who isn’t just one of the lead characters but the essence and heart of the story!
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Woody Pride: The Core, The Essence, And The Heart Of The Story
Sheriff Woody Pride starts as a righteous cowboy toy who happens to be one of Andy’s favorite toys. He then shares a heated rivalry with Buzz Lightyear, only to realize his purpose: that he must integrate all the lost toys.
The haughty sheriff then transforms into a caring and empathetic cowboy who helps the toys find new owners. It also reflects a move from his deep-seated insecurity and jealousy towards a space of care and compassion.
Woody, in Toy Story 3, parts ways with Andy, eventually realizing that he has grown up and needs to move on. He and the other toys met Bonnie and started spending time with her with new toys.
In the 4th installment, at the end, we see Woody bid an emotional farewell to his old friends to stay with his long-lost love interest, Bo Peep, as a “lost toy,” helping other toys find homes while Bonnie creates a new friend for Forky, who went through an existential crisis.
Toy Story 5 will expand on the toys’ struggle against advanced toys, most specifically Lilypad. The film is slated for release on 19th June, 2026.
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