Pixar’s ‘Lightyear’ Could Still Lead to a ‘Woody’ Spin-off

While Disney and Pixar’s CG-animated solo spinoff film Lightyear (2022) was a commercial failure ($226.4 million worldwide against its $200 million budget), what could it mean for the wider Toy Story franchise in the long run? As unlikely as it seems, it may be the first of many solo spinoff movies featuring other Toy Story characters.

But, should that happen, we think it goes without saying that there’s only one more character, if any, who deserves his own adventure.

Lightyear Could Have Been a Huge Success

Unfortunately, despite its promising trailers and concept, Lightyear was a box office disaster. Whether it was due to all the review-bombing (with many toxic fans being up in arms due to a scene involving a same-sex kiss) or the fact that the film simply didn’t go “to infinity and beyond”, we may never know.

But given that the Toy Story film series alone has grossed billions worldwide so far, we may still see another solo outing featuring one of its characters. While a Woody spinoff isn’t necessarily going to happen, it’s possible Disney and Pixar will consider one down the line. 

In fact, it’s odd to think that Buzz got his own spinoff first. Sure, he’s a lot more “franchise-able” for lack of a better word (he’s a cosmos-spanning space ranger), but he isn’t even the hero of the Toy Story films–he’s a side character. The title of hero goes to Woody (Tom Hanks). But then again, Buzz is the co-star (even if he does get sidelined in Toy Story 4). 

Related: Bizarre ‘Toy Story’ Fan Theory: Does Woody Know He’s in a Movie?

Buzz and Woody Go Hand in Hand

It’s no stretch to suggest that Buzz and Woody go hand in hand. They’re both law enforcers who have sworn to protect all that is good, and also occupy the same spectrum – they just happen to be at opposite ends. Space Ranger Buzz (Tim Allen in the Toy Story films) is a character who operates out in the cosmos, and Sheriff Woody is from the Old West.

Both characters also have backgrounds in the Toy Story films, which makes it a lot easier for the studio to produce spinoff movies. Buzz is a space ranger who hails from the Gamma Quadrant, a star system teeming with Little Green Men and under constant threat from Emperor Zurg, while Woody once had his own show in the form of Woody’s Roundup.

While the film Lightyear doesn’t actually star Buzz as we know him (in other words, a “child’s play-thing”), it does revolve around the “real” Buzz — or at least Toy Story‘s in-universe movie character version. And a Woody movie needn’t be any different – it could follow an up-and-coming sheriff who has many similarities to the loyal cowboy doll we fell in love with back in 1995. But, of course, he wouldn’t be a toy — he’d be entirely human.

Related: New Buzz Lightyear Design Replaces Original in Latest ‘Toy Story’ Trailer

Woody Could Include Other Toy Story Characters

When it comes to introducing other Toy Story characters, Lightyear didn’t exactly “reach for the sky”. Sure, we got Zurg (James Brolin), but that was it. No Little Green Men, nothing. 

A Woody movie, however, could easily incorporate other characters from the Toy Story movies without feeling like they’ve been shoehorned in for the sake of cameos. For starters, the three most obvious ones would be Woody’s roundup – cowgirl Jessie (Joan Cusack), Stinky Pete (Kelsey Grammer), and Woody’s trusted horse, Bullseye.

But there are a few more characters who could fit into Woody’s world. Any respectable sheriff would need a loyal dog, and who better than Slinky (the late Jim Varney and Blake Clark). And Woody would probably live on a farm, so Hamm too (John Ratzenberger). As for a love interest, anyone other than Bo Peep (Annie Potts) just wouldn’t feel right.

We Don’t Need Any More Toy Story Movies

When Toy Story was released in 1995, no one could have predicted that it would become a global phenomenon. And 30 years later, it’s as huge as ever, with three sequels under its belt, a new one on the way, waves of merchandise, and a huge presence in Disney Parks.

But despite how much we love the franchise, it was best left alone. The third movie was an emotional farewell to Woody and his pals, which is why the most recent entry felt unwarranted. Now, there’s a fifth film in the works, set for release next year.

We’ll just have to wait and see if we ever get a Woody spinoff. Disney and Pixar are very unlikely to take the risk after Lightyear‘s failure, but we’ve already thought up a movie poster: an unshaven Woody looking out onto his local town at sunset, above a tagline that reads “You’ve got a friend in him.” Pure genius.

Toy Story 5 is set for release on June 19, 2026.

“The toys are back in Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 5,” Disney’s official synopsis for the upcoming film reads, “and this time around it’s Toy meets Tech. Buzz, Woody, Jessie and the rest of the gang’s jobs get exponentially harder when they go head to head with this all-new threat to playtime. Directed by Andrew Stanton, co-directed by McKenna Harris and produced by Jessica Choi, Toy Story 5 opens only in theaters on June 19, 2026.”

Do you think there will be a solo Woody movie? Let us know in the comments!