Credit: DisneyPixar has officially confirmed its replacement voice actor for the Combat Carl character in Toy Story 5 (2026). The role was originally played by Carl Weathers, a former pro football player and actor who died last year.
Weathers, also known for his roles in Rocky (1976) and Lucasfilm’s The Mandalorian, first appeared as Combat Carl in the 2013 Toy Story of Terror! special. He reprised his role in Toy Story 4 (2019) before passing away on February 1, 2024, due to atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
According to a report from Deadline, Pixar plans to bring Combat Carl back for Toy Story 5 with a new voice actor: Ernie Hudson. Hudson is best known for his role in the Ghostbusters franchise, but has also appeared in an episode of Star Wars: The Bad Batch and as a recurring guest on ABC’s Modern Family.
Most of the Toy Story 5 plot remains under wraps, but Tim Allen (Buzz Lightyear) recently confirmed that he and Tom Hanks (Woody) were returning for the film. The actor also said much of the fifth installment in the iconic Disney/Pixar franchise will focus on Jessie (Joan Cusack).
“I can tell you that it’s a lot about Jessie,” Allen said. “Tom [Hanks] and I do — Woody and I — do realign. And there’s an unbelievable opening scene with Buzz Lightyears. I can give you that, but I can’t give you much more.”
Pixar has also teased that Buzz and Woody will team up with their friends to fight electronic toys in the film. Anna Faris, known for her roles in the Scary Movie franchise, joins the cast in an undisclosed role.
In another interview with Collider, Allen said Toy Story 5 is a “very, very clever” story with a “brilliant script.” After completing his first voice-recording session for the film, he said: “It’s a really good story, guys. It’s really good.”
Toy Story 5 premieres on June 19, 2026. The film is written and directed by Andrew Stanton of WALL-E (2008) and Finding Nemo (2003), produced by Jessica Choi, and executive produced by Pete Docter.
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