&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Can AI replace Tom Hanks from Toy Story films? Actor reveals")
It has been over three decades since Tom Hanks brought Woody to life for the first time. But now the Oscar-winning actor believes that AI might replace him from the franchise. Hanks recently reprised his role as the beloved cowboy in Toy Story 5, which releases worldwide on June 19.
Tom Hanks on being replaced
During an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the actor spoke candidly about the future of the franchise and the growing influence of AI. Toy Story 5 is currently enjoying a record-breaking theatrical run across the globe, opening the door for a potential sixth film.
Opening up about another sequel, he said, "If you’re gonna do another ‘Toy Story,’ it better be worthwhile." But he believes that any future chapter would need a compelling reason to exist. "It better be great. You better be examining some theme that is not just dragging it out because people like the title. I mean, it is a huge corporate business without a doubt, I’m not gonna discount that. But unless it’s good, new, fresh, there’s no reason to do it at all."
However, the actor suggested that Disney may not necessarily require him to return, as AI can easily replace him. "Time is undefeated. The question would be whether or not we could cobble together some version of me. Every word we have ever recorded in time in ‘Toy Story’ is on digital media somewhere, so they could put together anything they would want," he added.
The prospect is one that Hanks and his longtime co-star Tim Allen, who voices Buzz Lightyear, find unsettling. Both actors feel that AI-generated performances is "a scary thought."
Hanks' remarks come at a time when the franchise's original cast is getting older, and several key voice actors associated with the series have passed away over the years, including Don Rickles and Jim Varney.
Hanks on the impact of AI
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This is not the first time he has spoken about the impact of AI in the entertainment industry. During a 2023 appearance on The Adam Buxton Podcast, he recalled "The first time we did a movie that had a huge amount of our own data locked in a computer — literally what we looked like — was a movie called ‘The Polar Express,’” Hanks said. “We saw this coming, we saw that there was going to be this ability to take zeros and ones from inside a computer and turn it into a face and a character. That has only grown a billion-fold since then and we see it everywhere."
The actor also noted that "Anybody can now recreate themselves at any age they are by way of AI or deep fake technology. I could be hit by a bus tomorrow and that’s it, but performances can go on and on and on and on. It’s going to have some degree of lifelike quality. That’s certainly an artistic challenge, but it’s also a legal one."
