‘Toy Story’ Shifts Focus To Female Characters, and Fans Aren't Happy

Pixar’s Toy Story has never been afraid to evolve, but with Toy Story 5 (2026) officially on the way, some longtime fans are growing concerned the beloved series may be shifting too far in a direction they don’t recognize.

The reason? Comments made by Buzz Lightyear voice actor Tim Allen, who recently teased that the fifth installment will focus on Jessie, the spirited cowgirl voiced by Joan Cusack.

While Allen also confirmed that Buzz Lightyear and Woody (Tom Hanks) will reunite in the new sequel, some fans are worried that Jessie will take center stage.

“It’s a very, very clever story,” Allen said of the upcoming film. “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.”

But some fans aren’t happy that Jessie is finally going to get the attention she deserves.

On X (formerly Twitter), some have voiced frustration, accusing Disney and Pixar of steering the Toy Story franchise into “woke” territory. In response to a tweet shared by Collider announcing the news about Jessie, some fans have already started criticizing the film.

“Potential woke movie alert” one fan says. Another says, “Of course Disney would take away the focus on Woody and put it on a woman. This sh*t getting old, Disney.”

One fan thinks that “the woke DEI [Diversity Equity and Inclusion] agenda has taken over” and that “it will take decades to eliminate.”

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

But Toy Story 5‘s focus on Jessie is nothing new — Bo Peep (Annie Potts) was one of the leading characters in Toy Story 4 (2019). That film also introduced Gabby Gabby (Christina Hendricks), another female character who played a pivotal role in the story’s emotional arc.

While most Toy Story fans are happy to see Woody (Hanks) and Buzz (Allen) step aside to let some of the female characters get take the spotlight, others are clearly concerned that the series is becoming “agenda-driven,” which Disney has been accused of doing with a lot of its other IPs in recent years, such as Marvel and Star Wars.

Still, Pixar has long emphasized the emotional growth of all its characters — not just its leads. Jessie, who debuted in Toy Story 2 (1999), has remained a fan-favorite for decades, and her story arc remains one of the franchise’s most heartfelt. Giving her more space in the spotlight may simply be the next natural step.

Toy Story 5 is set to hit theaters in 2026.

What are your thoughts on Toy Story 5 focusing on Jessie more? Sound off in the comments below!