Toy Story 5’s Ernie Hudson Didn’t Know He Was Replacing Carl Weathers

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Ernie Hudson was missing some crucial information when he joined Toy Story 5.

Bill Murray, known for his role in Ghostbusters, will be the new voice of the action figure Combat Carl in the next Toy Story movie. The character was originally voiced by the late Carl Weathers. Combat Carl first appeared in the 2013 Halloween TV special Toy Story of Terror!, where he helped Jessie face her fears and rescue the other toys. Weathers later returned to voice several versions of Combat Carl in the 2019 film Toy Story 4.

During a conversation with Liam Crowley from ScreenRant for Boston Blue, actor Hudson discussed joining the Toy Story universe as Combat Carl. He shared that after years of hoping for a role in the franchise, he was overjoyed to finally be included alongside some of his friends who already worked on it. Interestingly, Hudson didn’t realize he was playing a character originally voiced by Carl Weathers until after his first recording session. He thinks the creators did this intentionally, allowing him to develop his own unique take on the role, and he’s now proud to continue building on Weathers’ legacy as a longtime friend.

Joining the franchise was fantastic because I’ve always loved it and wished they’d asked me to be a part of it sooner. I’ve worked with several people involved over the years – friends like Carl Weathers, Annie Potts, and Tom Hanks. I was surprised to learn after I started that Carl had previously played the character Combat Carl! I think the producers wanted me to bring my own interpretation to the role, rather than try to copy what he’d done. I’m hoping fans will enjoy my take on it. Carl and I have been friends for decades – he’s a wonderful person – and I’m honored to be involved, but I’m really curious to hear what fans think of how it all compares. You’ll have to let me know what you think!

Tom Hanks and Annie Potts, friends of Hudson, are returning for Toy Story 5. They’ve both been with the Toy Story franchise since the very beginning, providing the voices for Woody and Bo Peep since the first movie in 1995. Woody has been a central character throughout all the films, while Bo Peep had smaller roles in the first two, didn’t appear in Toy Story 3, and then returned as a key character in Toy Story 4.

Several characters will have new voice actors in Toy Story 5, including Combat Carl, Mr. Potato Head, and Mrs. Potato Head. Don Rickles, the original voice of Mr. Potato Head, passed away in 2017, and unused recordings were used in Toy Story 4. Now, Jeff Bergman will take on the role. Estelle Harris, who voiced Mrs. Potato Head, passed away in 2022, and Anna Vocino will now voice the character. Bonnie’s voice has also changed – Scarlett Spears will play her, following Emily Hahn in Toy Story 3 and Madeleine McGraw in Toy Story 4.

The voice cast of Toy Story 5 includes returning favorites Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear, along with Greta Lee as Lilypad, and John Ratzenberger, Wallace Shawn, Blake Clark, Tony Hale, Keanu Reeves, John Hopkins, Kristen Schaal, Bonnie Hunt, Melissa Villaseñor, and Conan O’Brien reprising their roles. The film introduces Lilypad, a tablet that captures Bonnie’s attention, creating tension between the toys and the growing influence of technology, and prompting questions about what the future holds. Krys Marshall, known for Paradise, plays a parent navigating their child’s evolving playtime. Directed by Andrew Stanton, Toy Story 5 arrives in theaters on June 19.

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2026-03-31 03:48