Toy Story 4: Trailer sees Buzz and Woody on a new mission
Tim Allen has issued a message to Toy Story fans after admitting that he's already been in the recording booth for the anticipated sequel.
The actor, who famously voices Buzz Lightyear and has done so since the franchise's inception in 1995, has confirmed that he is back on board for the fifth chapter.
He also assured fans that Tom Hanks will be donning his cowboy hat once again as the voice of Woody in the much-loved Pixar creation.
Allen, also known for hits like Home Improvement and The Santa Clause, is gearing up to appear alongside Kat Dennings in a fresh sitcom titled Shifting Gears.
Set to hit screens in 2025, the show will cast him as the widowed proprietor of a car restoration business, airing on ABC and Hulu stateside, with UK Disney+ distribution still hanging in the balance.
During a promotional interview for his new series, Allen let slip to Collider about his involvement in the latest Toy Story installment: "Well, I don't know what I'm supposed to say. Yes, I just did the first five-hour session for Buzz, probably a week ago."
Toy Story's enduring charm isn't lost on critics, with none of the four films scoring under 97% on Rotten Tomatoestwo of which achieved a coveted perfect rating. Pixar aspires to have the fifth movie out by 2026, and judging by Allen's update, things are progressing apace in the animation studio, reports the Daily Record.
The star also seemed to make a reassuring vow to the loyal following that Toy Story's legacy is in good hands, saying: "It's a very, very clever story. Do you wanna do five of these? I don't really believe it's about the money. I'm sure they want it to be a success, but that's not why they did it. Had they not come up with a brilliant script, they wouldn't have done it and they wouldn't have called me and Tom (Hanks)."
Continuing with excitement, he shared insights into the recording process: "It's really clever. It was really a struggle to get, and then maybe two hours in, I was doing Buzz. I'm so blessed to be Buzz Lightyear, to be honest.
"It's gonna be fun. I think we're a year out. I've gotten up to the third act. We'll do the third act. And then, we'll go back and clean it. And then, I'll do it about five more times. It's a really good story, guys. It's really good."
While details on the storyline are scant, the studio has hinted that the treasured characters, including Buzz, Woody, Jessie and the rest of the crew, will face challenges from new technology encroaching on their world. Andrew Stanton, of Toy Story 1 and 4 fame as well as Finding Nemo and WALL-E, is set to pen and helm the project.
Toy Story 1-4 is streaming on Disney+.
