As Toy Story 5 just hit theaters, Kenna Harris, the film’s co-writer and co-director, revealed that the ending could have been different.
Pixar’s winning formula isn’t reduced to a single ingredient, but the ability to spark moments of intense emotion is certainly one of the key elements. In that regard, one of the most powerful occurrences sits at the heart of the Toy Story saga, at the end of the third film, when all our heroes join hands in the face of a death that now seemed almost certain.
Indeed, that may be (in part) what the latest chapter in the franchise, Toy Story 5, directed by Andrew Stanton and Kenna Harris, lacks in order to measure up to its elders (especially the first three). Yet there are plenty of standout moments in this Jessie-centered movie. And one of them could have been even stronger, as recently recounted by co-writer and co-director Kenna Harris. SPOILER ALERT!
EVEN COWGIRLS GET THE BLUES
Toward the end of Toy Story 5, Jessie returns, through the film’s events, to the house where she lived with her first owner, Emily. While she believed she had been forgotten by the girl who meant so much to her, she discovers that the young woman, now grown, has named her daughter… Jessie. A beautiful tribute that proves to the cowgirl that, contrary to what she thought, she left a lasting mark on her first owner.
As reported by Slashfilm and the Pintradingapp Instagram account, in the artbook The Art of Toy Story 5, Kenna Harris explains how this ending could have been an even more explosive moment. According to the director, there was a time when Jessie and Emily would meet in the flesh (and in plastic). Emily, now an elderly woman, would introduce her very first toy to her descendants:
“In this version, Emily was now a grandmother and was presenting her beloved childhood doll to her granddaughter, then a baby, in a touching final scene. I drew a sketch to explore this moment, so special and nostalgic. Although the film ultimately took a different direction, we knew that the special bond between Jessie and Emily would be essential to Toy Story 5.”
This ending would have pursued emotion more directly. Some would say that’s what the film was missing. The current version leans more toward finesse and surprise. In any case, while we here at ScreenRant (and most others) enjoyed Toy Story 5, it’s not clear that this single change would have made it the equal of the franchise’s first three installments. Toy Story 5 has been in theaters since June 17, 2026.
