Toy Story 5 is one of the most anticipated films of the summer. Fans who have been with the franchise for the last three decades may be looking forward to introducing their own children to Buzz Lightyear and Woody. However, in a recent interview, writer and director Andrew Stanton revealed that Toy Story 5 will focus on Jessie.
The comment has sparked debate online. Additionally, the film’s marketing has heavily focused on Buzz and Woody, leading some fans to wonder if the beloved characters will be sidelined.
Jessie Takes Center Stage
Stanton, co-director Kenna Harris, and producer Lindsey Collins recently sat for an interview with Movieweb’s Joe Deckelmeier, who noted that Joan Cusack’s Jessie is the center of Toy Story 5. He asked the trio what made her the right choice.
Jesse in Toy Story 5 -IMAX, YouTube
“Well, we had gone to the well of Woody so much,” Stanton said, echoing earlier remarks that Woody was not even in the first draft of the script. “I just felt like he needs a break. Let him rest.” Stanton added that Woody will “still have stuff but it won’t have to be such high stakes.”
Shifting the conversation to Jessie, the director suggested that her character deserved more attention in the last Toy Story film. “She was so ready to be the next leader of the toys in the room and so it it was always on my mind from the minute I got brought on to [Toy Story 4] I made sure that we passed the badge on so it was official.”
Woody and Buzz in Toy Story 5 – IMAX, YouTube
Stanton framed the decision as a natural reflection of life, as people often find themselves in new positions of leadership. However, the idea that shifting the focus of Toy Story 5 to Jessie was set up in the last film may not matter to some fans.
Fans Question the Shift
Many of the online reactions to Jessie receiving more attention in Toy Story 5 have been positive. However, Stanton’s comments have also received some pushback. Some fans feel that Buzz and Woody are the heart of the franchise, arguing that the shift in focus is ideologically motivated.
Pixar is completely abandoning Woody and Buzz just to push a modern agenda. Toy Story has always been about them. First Lightyear, now this. They never learn,” one user wrote.
Unbelievable. Pixar is completely abandoning Woody and Buzz just to push a modern agenda. Toy Story has always been about them. First Lightyear, now this. They never learn
— Godsty Godstime (@Godstyjnr) June 6, 2026
Notably, while Tim Allen and Tom Hanks’ characters have featured prominently in the trailers, many of the jokes have come at Woody’s expense. The paint has worn off the back of his head, giving him a bald spot. His stuffing has also shifted, giving him a gut. Some of the other toys point this out, with the antagonist asking Woody if he is “some sort of old man toy.”
Another Legacy Franchise Debate
Taken together, Stanton’s comments about Jessie and the jokes about Woody’s age suggest that Toy Story 5 may be following a recent pattern. For some viewers, Woody appears positioned to follow the same trajectory as Han Solo in The Force Awakens and Indiana Jones in The Dial of Destiny—legacy heroes who are diminished by age and ultimately give way to younger women.
Woody looking at his gut in Toy Story 5 – Pixar YouTube
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The debate is especially notable because Pixar’s marketing has largely emphasized Woody and Buzz. Posters, trailers, and promotional images have featured the pair prominently, despite Stanton’s comments suggesting Jessie is the film’s true focal point. For critics of the decision, that disconnect is fueling concerns that audiences are being sold one movie while receiving another.
How much of the film turns out to be Jessie’s story, and how Woody’s character is handled, remains to be seen. Yet if Stanton and the other filmmakers fail to deliver what fans want, Toy Story 5 may go from one of the summer’s most anticipated films to one of its most divisive.
How do you feel about Jessie taking a bigger role in Toy Story 5? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
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