American actor Tom Hanks said the latest Toy Story film raises the issue of children's screen addiction, which he said strikes "horror into the heart.".
In the fifth installment of the animated franchise, Woody, Buzz, and Jessie face a threat from a new frog sign known as Lilypad, which captivates children in the film.
Hanks said the actors connected with the story because they had all "experienced this indifference" of young people who "look at their phone, then look up, then look down, then look up again.".
«"It's a generational issue," he told the BBC's David Sillitoe, "where one generation has something that defines their technological position in society, and they put all their energy into it.".
The actor particularly highlighted "a moment in the film where we're looking at the cityscape and we see this blue glow of the phone in the bedrooms and things like that, and it really strikes a dread into your heart.".
In Toy Story 5, out later this month, Hanks, Tim Allen, and Joan Cusack return to voice Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and Jessie, while Past Lives star Greta Lee joins the cast to voice Lilypad.
Left to right: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack and Greta Lee at the film's London premiere last week [PA Media]
In previous Toy Story films, the villains included a large purple teddy bear named Lotso, a troublesome neighbor named Sid, a ruthless toy collector named Al, and a creepy vintage doll named Gabby Gabby.
But the new enemy of technology in Toy Story 5 is a different beast entirely.
It's a battleground familiar to parents around the world, and the film comes at a time of wider discussion about the potential harm of excessive screen time, particularly on social media.
Allen, who voices Buzz Lightyear, recalled recently taking his teenage daughter to the movies, but she had a hard time focusing throughout the film because kids are "so used to seven-second Instagram movies," he said.
Allen explained that his daughter immediately dismissed the movie they were watching because she had already guessed what would happen next.
«"She saw the movie and thought, 'I get it! He's going to be the villain, and they're going to do this,'" he recalled.
«"We had a little argument, and I said, 'From now on, if we go to the cinema, we'll watch the movie and then you can [complain].' But she was right.".
Allen said young people are "so used to having a beginning, middle, and end to a movie in seven seconds" that they have a hard time watching a two-hour film, "except for Avatar," he added, "which is an entire event.".
The film shows how children begin to show more interest in technology than their traditional [Disney] toys.
Taylor Swift's new song, "I Knew It, I Knew You," will be featured on the soundtrack. The singer said she "always dreamed of writing songs for these characters, who I've adored since I was five and watched the first Toy Story movie.".
Before its release in 1995, critics didn't expect much from the original film, which was seen as a kids' movie with the added bonus of being the first film ever made entirely with computer animation.
But Toy Story had a gripping plot and witty script to match its impressive visuals. Children naturally loved the idea of toys coming to life, and there were a few funny jokes thrown in for parents.
Allen said it was "really a surprise" for him and the crew when they first saw what the film would look like, adding that the aesthetic took a little getting used to.
«"Anyone who saw the first film thought it was weird compared to stop-motion animation. It felt like we were watching something completely different. But the story was really clever, and it was something we worked on together," he said, referring to himself and Hanks.
Early versions of the film looked promising, but Allen noted that it took the creative team some time to find the humor and develop the characters of Woody and Buzz.
«"They fired one shot that wasn't very successful," he said. "They fired one that was a little too caustic.".
«"These two characters were always fighting, and it wasn't very interesting. But then they made Woody a little more understanding and Buzz a little, pardon the expression, dumber.".
«"He was deluding himself, not realizing he was just a toy. And it was actually quite interesting. And it was new. They'd never done that before.".
Kasak, who voices Jessie, said she thinks the new storyline will "resonate" with [Disney] parents.
The success of Toy Story has led to several sequels, as well as a Buzz Lightyear spin-off in 2022, and has generated huge sales of toys featured in the film.
But while the previous films in the series largely remained in the world of toys, the fifth film tackles the issue of technology for the first time, emphasizing both its benefits and risks.
Critics are still divided on the new film and how effectively it addresses the issue of children's relationships with technology.
Kusak said she believes the issue will resonate with parents facing restrictions on screen time.
However, Allen acknowledged that every generation has its own debates about certain technologies, and his parents had similar concerns when he was young.
«As soon as I said, „Put the phone down,“ I remember my parents said, „Turn off the music,“» he laughed.
«"When FM radio came out in the United States and rock 'n' roll started playing, we were constantly listening to music. My parents would say, 'Turn it off,' and everywhere we went, there had to be music playing.".
«"So some memories of it remained, and then, when we got television, we wanted to watch television all the time. So it's always been there, and the phenomenon has evolved.".
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