'Toy Story 4' stars reveal why the franchise is as good as ever

What is it about 'Toy Story' franchise that has meant generation after generation have connected with these characters and storylines? Tom Hanks offers that the way the films have stood the test of time keeps us coming back.

Los Angeles: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen and the other regulars are joined by Tony Hale of 'Arrested Development' fame for the latest installment of the well-loved animated franchise, featuring a brand new character played by Hale, called 'Forky,' - and Hanks feels this outing is the Forky show.

"Well, look this really should be called 'Toy Story Forky' because it's all about the Forky. He comes along and we ended up having the adventure of our lives because of that assembled plaything," said Hanks.

But what is it about these films that has meant generation after generation have connected with these characters and storylines? Hanks offers that the way the films have stood the test of time keeps us coming back.

"Well, the thing is they all, they live in this timeless amber that is exactly what is was then and remains, remains now. I just happened to be watching it with my, "Toy Story 2," with my granddaughter and she was seeing it for the first time, and she was one hundred percent enthralled and involved and it always delivers. It doesn't look dated at all. There's no aspect of it, there's no nostalgia to it. It just is the story that immediately sucks you in," suggested Hanks.

Of course, a lot of the original cast and crew are still involved with making the films, but one notable absence was that of John Lasseter who had been involved with 'Toy Story' from the very start. Even with these changes the audiences keep coming back and newcomer to the films, Tony Hale, feels it's the huge number of creatives involved in making them that keeps the quality so high.

"The actors and voices are such a small piece of this pie of 'Toy Story'. That there's hundreds and hundreds of artists and creatives working on this movie that don't get the attention that we get and it's like the work that's been put into this movie is pretty phenomenal and they should definitely get it," Hale said.

'Toy Story 4' is set for release on 21 June in the U.S. and U.K.

With inputs from APTN