Summary
Toy Story 5is one of the most highly anticipated upcomingPixarmovies, and nowa beloved cast member’s return has been confirmed.
Toy Storywas released in 1995and quickly became a benchmark for animated storytelling. The inagural Pixar movie introduced kids, along with audiences of all ages, to friendly and likeable toys such as Woody (Tom Hanks) and their owner Andy Morris (John Morris). Thepopular franchise has funny quotes, charming storylines, and a cheerful tone. A few years afterToy Story 4came out in 2019,the fifth film was announced in 2023, so it’s been a long wait. Since fans had hoped thatfamiliar characters would be the focus ofToy Story 5, this latest casting news is exciting.
Joan Cuasck Is Playing Jessie Again In Toy Story 5 (And Fans Hoped She Would Be Given The Spotlight)
According toVariety, Pete Docter, the CCO of DisneyPixar, announced at the Annecy Animation Festival in France thatJoan Cusack will reprise her beloved role of Jessie inToy Story 5.He also shared thatTim Allen and Tom Hanks will be back as Buzz Lightyear and Woody.
This news comes a few months after, in April 2025, Allen toldWIVBthatJessie would be given a prominent storyline inToy Story 5. While he didn’t say exactly what she would be doing, it was still great news. Allen said:
“I can tell you that it’s a lot about Jessie. Tom [Hanks] and I do — Woody and I — do realign. And there’s an unbelievable opening scene with Buzz Lightyears. I can give you that, but I can’t give you much more.”
For a few years now, audiences have wonderedwhich characters could come back for the fifth movie, and for many, Jessie was at the top of their list. Fans were glad to Allen’s comments and discussed their thoughts onReddit. Redditor @CinephileCrystal wrote:
“I’m so happy about this because it did feel like Jessie got sidelined in the last movie.”
Redditor @Cjgraham3589 added,“Good, I thought she’d end up being a co-lead after Toy Story 2 and she wasn’t.“Redditor @mvallas1073 said Jessie is “my fave character.”
Docter previously said thatToy Story 5wouldfeature some shifts to “keep people surprised,” and it sounds like Jessie will be more of a major character than she was in past movies.The cowgirl toy was first introduced inToy Story 2and is likable and confident. It’s heartwarming watching Jessie and Woody’s friendship, which is one reason why it’s interesting to hear that Jessie will have a notable part in the upcoming sequel.
Docter’s Annecy presentation also includedthe opening scene ofToy Story 5and a brief description of the storyline. Docter called it"Toy meets Tech"and mentioned that the plot will revolve around Buzz, Woody, and Jessie who are dealing with their 8-year-old owner Bonnie Anderson and Lilypad, a tablet that makes things complicated. This isa more relevant and contemporary storylineand sounds compelling.
Toy Story 5will be released onJune 19th, 2026and willfeature new cast members Conan O’Brien as Smarty Pants, Ernie Hudson as Combat Carl, and Anna Faris as an unknown character. Franchise writer Andrew Stanton is back, and this time, he’s directing as well. From the first couple of minutes that were shared at Annecy,Toy Story 5looks as fun and heatwarming as the entire franchise, but it promises some new elements, too.
