When Disney announced the return of “Toy Story” with a third film after a decade-long hiatus, fans were extremely irritated. Fortunately, “Toy Story 3” not only met but exceeded expectations, considered by many as the best in the franchise. However, “Toy Story 4” and “Lightyear” didn’t enjoy the same success, leaving the public skeptical about any further additions to the universe.
Despite this, Disney continued to expand the toy world. In February 2023, Disney CEO Bob Iger confirmed a fifth installment, slated for release in June 19 2026.
Naturally, those who grew up with the “Toy Story” franchise were, again, infuriated by the announcement. However, recent news about who will be the director of the upcoming film might just change their minds.
Who will be the director of ‘Toy Story 5’?
According to Screen Rant, The MonthyVerse reported that during the latest advanced screenings for “Inside Out 2,” Pixar CCO Pete Docter revealed that Andrew Stanton is set to direct the fifth “Toy Story” film.
Ellen DeGeneres and Andrew Stanton in “Finding Nemo”. (Source: IMDb)
Is this good news? More than you could imagine. Not only is Stanton a great choice to helm the future of the Disney franchise, but he is also the best option. Apart from being part of the golden era of the corporation, Stanton wrote the screenplays for the first two movies.
You might be concerned that he wasn’t the original director of the Woody and Buzz world, but his filmography speaks for itself. Stanton brought us “A Bug’s Life,” “Finding Nemo,” and “Wall-E.” With his influence from Disney’s best years, we can definitely trust him.
However, it’s worth noting that even if Stanton wants to bring back those 2000s influences, producers have stated that this fifth installment will be absolutely surprising, featuring a plot that can’t be predicted even by the most dedicated fan. So, although the filmmaker returns, he probably won’t be directing the same plot he created decades ago.
