Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear, Buzz Lightyear, and Woody from 'Toy Story 3.'

(L-R) Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear, Buzz Lightyear, and Woody from 'Toy Story 3.' ©Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

To infinity and beyond ... again!

A ‘Toy Story’ sequel was recently announced by Disney CEO Bob Iger during the Q1 earnings call, along with ‘Frozen’ and ‘Zootopia’. “We’ll have more to share about these productions soon, but this is a great example of how we’re leaning into our unrivaled brands and franchises”. This will mark the fifth installment for the Pixar franchise, the third for 'Frozen,' and the second for 'Zootopia.'

Shortly after the announcement, actor Tim Allen took to his personal Twitter account to express his excitement and hinted at the reunion with Tom Hanks:

“See ya soon Woody, you are a sad strange little man and you have my pity. And off we go to a number 5! To infinity and beyond!”

Allen originated the voice of the space commander action figure in 1995 alongside actor Tom Hanks, who plays Woody. Since then, Allen has been a part of every 'Toy Story' sequel except for ‘Lightyear’, the origin story of how the Buzz Lightyear toy came to be.

‘Lightyear’ cast Chris Evans to voice the title character, mainly because that Buzz isn’t exactly the same Buzz that we know in 'Toy Story.' Spoilers ahead, so you’ve been warned. ‘Lightyear’ is about space ranger Buzz Lightyear who is trying to find his way home after being lost in space travel and his adventure along the way. The “fictional” movie is the movie that Andy saw as a child, and that movie inspired the toy version of the Buzz Lightyear we see in 'Toy Story.'

The movie opened domestically at $50.5 million and has grossed $226.4 million worldwide. Many fans were disappointed that Allen was not cast as the voice for Buzz in ‘Lightyear’. The actor finally broke his silence on the topic in an interview with Extra:

“The short answer is I’ve stayed out of this ’cause it has nothing to do (with my Buzz Lightyear).”

Buzz Lightyear (voice of Chris Evans) in 'Lightyear.'

Buzz Lightyear (voice of Chris Evans) in Disney and Pixar’s 'Lightyear,' which opens in U.S. theaters on June 17, 2022. © 2021 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

Related Articles: ‘Frozen’ ‘Toy Story,’ and ‘Zootopia’ Sequels Are In The Works

A Look At Toy Story’s Success

The first 'Toy Story' opened in November 1995 to $223.2 million. It was the first feature film by Pixar, and also the first film to use computer animation entirely. The toys belonged to Andy, a boy who loved playing with his toys but especially Woody - a pull-string cowboy (voiced by Tom Hanks). When new toy Buzz Lightyear was introduced to the group, chaos ensued because Buzz did not believe he was a toy but in fact, a real Space Ranger. Being the new toy with all the bells and whistles, Buzz got a lot of attention from Andy and fellow toys making Woody jealous.

'Toy Story' received three Academy Award nominations including Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Song, and Best Original Score. The film was a hit across the board and today, it remains at a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The follow-up 'Toy Story' films continue to receive praise and win awards, including Academy Awards for 'Toy Story 3' (Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song).

No word yet on who else will return to 'Toy Story 5' or when the film will begin production.

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