Los Angeles: Filmmaker Tom Hanks says the studio can replace his voice as Sheriff Woody in “Toy Story” films with Artificial Intelligence and calls it a “scary thought”.

Hanks has voiced the character of a pull-string cowboy doll in all the installments of the franchise and is sure, if the studio decides to, it has enough materials to replicate the voice with AI.

“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 told Entertainment Weekly in an interview.

Asked if he would voice the character in the sixth film, Hanks said it should be worthwhile. “If you’re gonna do another ‘Toy Story’, it better be worthwhile. It better be great. You better be examining some theme that is not just dragging it out because people like the title,” he said.

“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,” he added.

“Toy Story 5” released on June 19 and emerged as the highest opening weekend grosser at the global box office in the franchise. The film is directed by Andrew Stanton, with McKenna Harris serving as the co-director.

The film also featured Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear, Joan Cusack as Jessie, Annie Potts as Bo Peep, and John Ratzenberger as Hamm.

The first film released in 1995 and revolved around Sheriff Woody, a pull-string cowboy doll, whose status as his owner Andy’s favourite toy is threatened by the arrival of Buzz Lightyear, a flashy, arrogant space ranger who initially thinks he is a real hero.

It was followed by releases in 1999, 2010 and 2019.

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