In 3 Weeks, Toy Story Officially Switches Its Main Character After 31 Years

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Pixar is planning a significant change for the Toy Story series with the upcoming Toy Story 5. The movie will focus on a new character while bringing back beloved favorites like Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Jessie, and the rest of the toy gang for another adventure. The story will involve Bonnie growing older and becoming less interested in her toys after receiving a tablet named Lilypad.

Although Toy Story 3 introduced new toys, the films have largely continued to center around Andy’s original group. Even with a new child character in Toy Story 4 and Toy Story 5, the focus has remained on the same core group of toys.

Since the very first movie, the Toy Story series has always been about Woody. He’s been the main character, with Buzz Lightyear as a key supporting role. In fact, Buzz inspired Pixar’s new movie, Lightyear. Their friendship is central to the whole series, making a reunion between Woody and Buzz in Toy Story 5 particularly meaningful.

Woody and Buzz Lightyear will be important characters in the upcoming Toy Story 5, but the movie will center around Jessie. Pixar has confirmed that Jessie, now a sheriff, will be the main character, marking the first time in the Toy Story series that Woody and Buzz aren’t the primary focus. The film is scheduled for release on June 12th.

Why Jessie Is Toy Story 5’s Main Character, Not Woody Or Buzz

With four films and over twenty years of adventures featuring Woody and Buzz, the team behind Toy Story felt a new direction was needed for the fifth movie. While the franchise isn’t quite ready to say goodbye to its most famous characters, they recognize the need to expand beyond them. Luckily, the series has already introduced a fantastic group of supporting toys, like Jessie, which makes this transition possible.

As a huge Toy Story fan, I totally get why Pixar is making Jessie the lead in the next film. It makes perfect sense when you think about how Toy Story 4 ended – Woody literally passed the torch to her, giving her his sheriff badge! They cleverly set her up to take on that leadership role years ago, and it’s brilliant that they’re finally building a story around her taking care of Bonnie’s toys.

Director and writer Andrew Stanton initially drafted Toy Story 5 without including Woody. Although he later decided Woody was essential, this didn’t diminish Jessie’s importance, which is why those involved with the film have hinted at her major part for years.

It’s still unclear how the next Toy Story movie will center on Jessie while avoiding making Woody the main focus again. However, by revisiting the story of Jessie’s original owner, Emily, the film seems to be making Jessie’s personal story its most important part.

Will Jessie Be The Lead Of Future Toy Story Movies?

It’s uncertain if Jessie will continue in her current role in future films. A potential Toy Story 5 could focus less on Woody, allowing the series to revisit his story in a later movie.

While there’s been some talk about future installments, a sixth Toy Story movie hasn’t been officially announced. Though director Pete Docter has shared some ideas for a potential Toy Story 6, Pixar and Disney are waiting to see how audiences react to the fifth film and how the story concludes for Woody, Buzz, Jessie, and the other toys before making any decisions.

If Jessie is going to become the main character in future Toy Story movies, Pixar needs to make that shift obvious. While Woody and Buzz remain in the stories, most people will still see them as the leads. Instead of just including them like they did in Toy Story 5, Jessie might need Woody or Buzz to leave the series permanently so she can truly take center stage.

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2026-05-29 15:12