Tim Allen opened up about the Toy Story franchise's unexpected staying power, admitting he never saw it coming when he joined as Buzz Lightyear back in 1995. The 72-year-old actor reunited with Tom Hanks for the upcoming fifth film and praised its bold take on technology. He also shared fond memories of the characters' impact on kids.
Allen told Us Weekly he was shocked by the original film's reception. "When we first saw Toy Story, everybody was in the room going, 'I don’t know what to make of this,'" he recalled, noting studio doubts that it might skip theaters for DVD.
He called the new movie's plot pitting toys against tech "courageous," especially a scene showing kids glued to phones. Pixar tackling its own world head-on left the screening room quiet, he said.
The actor thought the series ended after Toy Story 3 in 2010. He pushed for a short reunion moment between Buzz and Woody in the new script, cherishing the chance to work with Hanks again. Allen also described the thrill of kids reacting to the iconic "To infinity … and beyond!" line.
