Nearly two decades after Pixar Animation Studios created the world’s first computer-animated feature film with TOY STORY, it revealed plans for Disney•Pixar’s TOY STORY 4 — an adventure that returns audiences to the world of the studio’s signature characters.
I personally thought Toy Story 3 was the perfect ending to the Toy Story series. That’s why I’m a little iffy about having a fourth movie.
I mean, we followed Woody, Buzz Lightyear and the whole gang in their adventures as Andy’s toys. And that turnover during the end of the third movie? Wow, that was just so perfect! I’ll even admit to shedding some tears because I just really felt both sad and happy for Andy and the toys. It’s gonna be really hard to top that third movie!
But hey! John Lasseter, director of the first two Toy Story movies will be directing this new film, which opens a new chapter in the lives of Woody, Buzz Lightyear and the “Toy Story” gang. The story was dreamt up by Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter and Lee Unkrich, the storytellers who have been the driving force behind all three “Toy Story” films.
And if they have managed to make each installment better than the previous, then I trust they’ll do a great job with this one.
“We love these characters so much; they are like family to us,” said Lasseter. “We don’t want to do anything with them unless it lives up to or surpasses what’s gone before. ‘Toy Story 3’ ended Woody and Buzz’s story with Andy so perfectly that for a long time, we never even talked about doing another ‘Toy Story’ movie. But when Andrew, Pete, Lee and I came up with this new idea, I just could not stop thinking about it. It was so exciting to me, I knew we had to make this movie—and I wanted to direct it myself.”
Writing team Rashida Jones and Will McCormack (“Celeste and Jesse Forever”) joined the project, and Pixar veteran Galyn Susman (ABC’s “Toy Story OF TERROR!” and “Toy Story that Time Forgot”) is producing.
The film is slated for release on June 16, 2017.
What do you think about this new development in the Toy Story franchise? Let me know in the comments below!
TO INFINITY AND BEYOND!