‘Toy Story 6’ Is Looking More Likely Than Ever, and Here’s What We Know

With ‘Toy Story 5‘ officially landing in theaters, fans are already doing what they always do with this franchise: looking ahead. The question of whether Woody, Buzz, and the rest of the gang will return for a sixth adventure is no longer just idle speculation, because the people behind the films are openly talking about it.

Pixar has not officially confirmed ‘Toy Story 6′, but the creative team and most of the cast have expressed a genuine desire to come back for another chapter of the beloved toys’ story. Given what has already been said publicly and the staggering momentum building around the newest installment, the signs are hard to ignore.

What Andrew Stanton Has Said About More ‘Toy Story’ Movies

The most significant voice in this conversation belongs to director Andrew Stanton, the longtime creative force behind the franchise. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Stanton revealed that while many, including Woody voice actor Tom Hanks, believed ‘Toy Story 4’ was the actual perfect place to end the saga, he could see at least two more ‘Toy Story’ films in the future after brainstorming the various elements of a toy’s general life cycle during the development of the fifth installment.

Stanton shared his ideas for where the studio can go with a potential ‘Toy Story 6’ and ‘Toy Story 7′, specifically throwing out the idea of continuing the franchise without Buzz and Jessie’s current kid, Bonnie, and noting that with a couple of months of brainstorming the mundane elements of a children’s toy’s lifecycle, the studio would have two movies’ worth of material to explore. That level of creative optimism from one of the franchise’s architects is not something Pixar drops casually.

In a separate interview with Screen Rant, Stanton was asked whether ‘Toy Story 5’ will be the final film in the franchise and did not rule out future installments, saying simply that you can never say never. He also confirmed that he expects to remain connected to the franchise in an advisory capacity for years to come, even if he steps back from the director’s chair.

Stanton did indicate he may not direct another Pixar movie after finishing his work on ‘Toy Story 5’, while still noting he would be involved with the franchise in at least some capacity. Whether that means steering a new director toward the material or continuing to shape the story from the background, his presence in the franchise’s future seems assured.

The Bonnie Trilogy and the Franchise’s Bigger Blueprint

One of the most exciting ideas Stanton has floated is the concept of mirroring the structure of the original trilogy, but built around a new generation. “Toy Story 3 was the end of the Andy years and he can end it with Andy, but we’ve got another trilogy with Bonnie,” Stanton revealed on the red carpet. That framing suggests a deliberate, long-game approach to storytelling rather than a simple cash-grab sequel.

Since Bonnie is still quite young in ‘Toy Story 5’, continuing to follow the journey with her toys is very feasible, perhaps with her being more significantly aged up via a time jump in a sixth installment. The franchise has always drawn its emotional power from the bittersweet passage of time, and a grown-up Bonnie could mirror the tearful graduation from childhood that made ‘Toy Story 3’ such a cultural moment.

Stanton also shared that Pixar has always approached the franchise as if each movie could be its last, while still leaving open the possibility of future installments, adding “so hopefully, I think that’s the pattern, if it keeps going.” That philosophy has served the series well, producing films that feel conclusive but never truly closed.

It is worth noting that the Bonnie era of the franchise has plenty of runway. Future installments could move beyond Bonnie altogether and focus on a different character, keeping the broader toy universe alive and evolving. The mythology is rich enough to support entirely new human protagonists while retaining the beloved ensemble cast of plastic and plush.

How ‘Toy Story 5’ Box Office Could Seal the Deal

Nothing greenlights a sequel quite like box office performance, and ‘Toy Story 5’ is entering the marketplace with extraordinary momentum. The latest Disney and Pixar entry is targeting a debut of $145 million to $150 million from 4,400 North American theaters, with some industry watchers predicting a tally closer to $160 million to $175 million.

Disney’s recent animated sequels like ‘Inside Out 2’ and ‘Zootopia 2’ exploded at the box office with $1.6 billion and $1.8 billion respectively by the end of their runs, and ‘Toy Story’ remains the crown jewel of kid-friendly franchises. That comparison alone explains why studio executives would be watching opening weekend numbers very closely.

The Andrew Stanton-directed fifthquel is expected to deliver a record opening for the franchise, with worldwide estimates placing the debut at around $275 million, with $135 million of that coming from an 87% footprint abroad. That kind of global appetite is exactly the signal that makes future installments feel inevitable rather than hypothetical.

Early critical reception is also strong, with ‘Toy Story 5’ earning a 92% score on Rotten Tomatoes, which actually represents a franchise low when compared against the near-perfect scores of earlier entries, although critics have noted that a 92% being the worst score in a franchise is the biggest compliment a studio could ever get. Audiences and critics are aligned, and that combination is historically the most reliable predictor of sequel development.

The Pixar Franchise Future and What It All Means

The broader landscape at Pixar also points toward continued investment in beloved properties. The studio is still making original movies but is also focusing heavily on sequels, including the upcoming ‘Incredibles 3’ and ‘Coco 2’. Within that strategy, ‘Toy Story’ sits at the very top of the franchise hierarchy.

Disney CEO Bob Iger first confirmed that a fifth ‘Toy Story’ sequel was in the works back in February 2023, alongside new installments in the ‘Frozen’ and ‘Zootopia’ franchises. The fact that the studio was already planning multiple franchise continuations signals a calculated long-term approach to its most valuable animated IP.

If development on a sixth film begins shortly after ‘Toy Story 5’ concludes its theatrical run, a standard Pixar production cycle of four to five years would place the earliest possible release in late 2029 or early 2030. That timeline is consistent with how Pixar has historically paced the franchise, preserving the sense of occasion that comes with each new entry.

The pieces are clearly in place. A beloved creative team with two more films’ worth of ideas, a franchise that just opened to the best numbers in its three-decade history, and a studio that has bet heavily on the power of nostalgia-driven sequels. Do you think ‘Toy Story’ should follow Woody and Buzz all the way through a full Bonnie trilogy, or is there a point where even this franchise needs to put the toys back on the shelf for good?