One of the characters newer to the landmark animated franchise will be returning forToy Story 5, as previously speculated and recently confirmed by the voice actor.Toy Storyseemingly ended with both the third and fourth installments, but the franchise hasn’t seen a bad movie yet, and a new story has taken shape, which will release in theaters on June 23, 2025.
Toy Story 5’s castis expected to once again include Tom Hanks as Woody, Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear, and Joan Cusack as Jessie, alongside other actors who have voiced these characters across the series. It was also previously announced thatConan O’Brien would be playing a newToy Storycharacter, though details about this character are scarce.
Meanwhile, while promoting his new movieSketchonThe Discoursepodcast,Tony Hale confirmed that his character Forky will be returning forToy Story 5.Forky was introduced in the previous installment, having been made by a little girl out of a plastic spork and craft supplies and quickly gaining sentience when alone with the other toys.
Confirming that he is part of the cast of the fifthToy Story,Hale told The Discourse: “I recorded it a month ago […] It’s going to be really special.”
What Forky’s Return Means For Toy Story 5
Toy Story’s impressive cast just keeps getting bigger and bigger, leaving us unsure how the writers will manage so many characters in a single movie, especially when they are all voiced by significantly famous and talented people. However, based on theToy Story 3toToy Story 4transition,some of theToy Story 4characters will likely not be retained.
It makes sense to keep Forky; When we last saw him, he was still living in Bonnie’s room with many of the other main characters.Forky also catalyzes the story inToy Story 4and prompts significant reflection and development among the others,while undergoing his own transformation, and it will potentially add to the narrative to further this arc in the next movie.
Our Take On Forky’s Return In Toy Story 5
Forky’s introduction inToy Story 4is a bit existentially fraught,as it nods to unanswered questions about how the toys are “born” and what objects are able to attain sentience in this world, though the story is not too concerned with this. Though withToy Story 5reportedly delving into the toys' relationship with modern digital forms of entertainment, Forky’s backstory could be a boon.
ConcerningToy Story5’s quest to be original, I think it would be extremely entertaining if the next movie started to play with the philosophical implications. Of course, this will likely still be accompanied by themes of how childhood is impacted by computers — and Forky himself represented the wonder of children’s imagination in the last movie.
