Toy Story 5 and Children's Screen Addiction
Thursday, 2026/06/04208 words3 minutes1294 reads
Tom Hanks, who voices Woody in the Toy Story films, says the new movie tackles an important modern issue: children's addiction to screens. The fifth film in the popular animated series will be released later this month.
In Toy Story 5, Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and Jessie face a new kind of threat. A tablet device called Lilypad captivates the children in the film, leaving the traditional toys feeling forgotten. Hanks explained that the cast could relate to this storyline because they have all experienced young people's disinterest as they constantly look down at their phones.
The actor described a powerful scene in the movie where the toys look out over a city at night. They see the blue glow of phone screens in bedroom windows everywhere. Hanks said this image "strikes terror into the heart." He believes this represents a generational shift, where technology defines how young people interact with the world.
Tim Allen, who voices Buzz Lightyear, shared his own experience taking his teenage daughter to the cinema. She struggled to focus on the entire film because she was used to watching seven-second videos on Instagram. The film raises questions about how screen time affects children's attention spans and their ability to enjoy longer forms of entertainment.
