Conan O'Brien joins cast of 'Toy Story 5'
Conan O'Brien announced that he has joined the cast of Pixar film Toy Story 5.
"Isn't that crazy? Legendary franchise. These films are amazing! I can't believe this!" he said in an Instagram video on May 20.
The TV host quipped he initially wanted to play Woody in the film series but was told the role was promised to Tom Hanks. "I was like, 'Uh, you kinda been there, done that, you know? You're in a bit of a rut, don't you think?' And they said, 'No, it's Tom Hanks. It's his role.'"
He then joked about gunning for Tim Allen's job of voicing Buzz Lightyear.
"Anyway, they showed me this new character, Smarty Pants. It's the best character of them all. I far prefer this character. I don't even want to play Woody or Buzz anymore, even if they beg me. I'm Smarty Pants. I love this!" the late-night host said.
No further details about the comedian's character have been shared yet.
Disney CEO Bob Iger confirmed in February 2023 that Toy Story 5 is in the works. The upcoming film's director Andrew Stanton said at D23 in August 2024 that the sequel will revolve around Woody, Buzz, Jessie, and the rest of the gang going head-to-head with a new threat against playtime: technology.
On The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon in November 2023, Allen confirmed that Disney reached out to him and Hanks for Toy Story 5.
The flick is slated for a June 2026 release.
The first Toy Story film was released in 1995, followed by Toy Story 2 in 1999, Toy Story 3 in 2010, and Toy Story 4 in 2019. A spin-off, Lightyear, hit theaters in 2022. The movies follow a gang of toys that are secretly alive and sentient, unknown to humans.
O'Brien hosted the 2025 Oscars in March and has been tapped again to host the 2026 edition.
