Tom Hanks has issued a stark warning to parents as the release of Toy Story 5 approaches. The beloved actor, who voices Woody in the franchise, said the new film tackles the 'terror' of screen addiction, a message he believes is especially urgent for British families grappling with rising digital dependency among children.
Hanks, speaking in a recent interview, described the plot as a 'cautionary tale' about a generation glued to tablets and phones. 'We are seeing kids who cannot look up from a screen. It is a terror, frankly, and this film does not shy away from it,' he said. The actor urged parents to take note, particularly in the UK where the average child spends over four hours a day on screens, according to recent Ofcom figures.
The warning comes as no surprise to child development experts. Dr Emily Carter, a paediatric psychologist at Great Ormond Street Hospital, told our reporter: 'Screen addiction is a growing crisis. We see children with attention deficits, sleep disorders, and social anxiety linked to excessive use. A film like Toy Story 5 using its platform to address this is vital.'
But for many British families, the issue is not just about health. It is about money. With the cost of living squeezing household budgets, parents are working longer hours. Screens become cheap babysitters. 'I hate how much time my son spends on his iPad, but I am exhausted after two jobs,' said Lisa Thompson, a single mother from Manchester. 'If a film makes him think, maybe it helps.'
Unions also see a link. The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has long campaigned for better work-life balance. 'Screen time is a symptom of overwork and underfunded childcare,' said TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak. 'Parents need support, not just a movie message.'
Toy Story 5, set for release next summer, will follow Woody and Buzz as they help a young girl break free from a virtual world. Pixar has confirmed the film will carry trigger warnings for families. Hanks said he hopes it sparks 'conversations at the dinner table, not just on devices'.
The warning resonates in a country where the NHS has opened its first specialist clinic for gaming addiction. Yet some critics argue that Hollywood should not lecture. 'Tom Hanks is a multimillionaire actor,' one commenter wrote on social media. 'He does not know what it is like to tell a child to put down an iPad because you cannot afford a holiday.'
Still, the message is clear. As screens dominate more of childhood, Toy Story 5 may be the unlikely ally parents need. For British families struggling to tear their kids away from devices, Hanks' warning is a reminder: sometimes the most powerful lessons come from a toy cowbody.
