The much-loved animated stars of the successful Disney Pixar franchise have been voiced by Tom Hanks and Tim Allen since the first film was released in 1996.

Chief creative officer Pete Docter has since released an update on the future of the fictional sheriff and space ranger.

"We have another Toy Story, so Woody and Buzz are back," he told Variety.

"And we have a few other projects, but it's always a balance."

Since the movie's announcement, it was unclear whether Woody would return after he left his friends behind at the end of Toy Story 4.

Woody actor Hanks has yet to confirm his involvement but earlier this year, Allen, who voices Buzz, confirmed he would return.

The actor wrote on Twitter: "See ya soon Woody, you are a sad strange little man and you have my pity. And off we go to a number 5! To infinity and beyond!"

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The last Toy Story left many in shock, including Hanks.

In 2019, the US actor revealed Allen texted him before he had finished the script to warn that he was still "recovering" from the final recording.

"I actually had a transcendental moment of going back to 1991 when we started all of this. I was in the same room, with the same engineers, the same people and I had to take a moment to collect myself," Hanks said.

Producers Jonas Rivera and Mark Nielsen agreed that it was an "emotional" end, especially for the original cast who have a 24-year history with Toy Story.

Rivera said: "We knew we had to go pretty far to make this movie worthy of the first three.

Toy Story 5 was previously announced in February this year, but a release date has not yet been confirmed.