Washington [US], May 20: Popular TV host and comedian Conan O’Brien has been officially cast in Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 5, voicing a new character named Smarty Pants, Variety reported.
The upcoming film, scheduled to hit theatres on June 19, 2026, will be the fifth installment in the beloved Toy Story franchise and a direct sequel to Toy Story 4 (2019). Directed by Oscar-winner Andrew Stanton and co-directed by McKenna Harris, the film promises to bring new life to the iconic series. Jessica Choi is producing the project.
Tom Hanks and Tim Allen will reprise their iconic roles as Woody and Buzz Lightyear, while new cast members include Anna Faris, Ernie Hudson, and Conan O’Brien.
Announcing the news on social media, O’Brien jokingly said he had initially hoped to voice Woody or Buzz, but later learned that his character Smarty Pants is “the best character of them all.”
The previous installment, Toy Story 4, released in 2019, earned rave reviews and grossed over USD 1 billion globally. It set a then-record for the biggest animated film launch with a global opening of USD 244.5 million.
Earlier this year, Tim Allen teased details about the new storyline, revealing that Toy Story 5 will largely center around Jessie, the beloved cowgirl character first introduced in Toy Story 2 and voiced by Joan Cusack.
“I can tell you that it’s a lot about Jessie,” Allen said. “Tom (Hanks) and I do — Woody and I — realign. And there’s an unbelievable opening scene with Buzz Lightyear. I can give you that, but I can’t give you much more.”
With a blend of returning fan-favorites and new characters, Toy Story 5 is set to reignite the magic of Pixar’s timeless saga.