TOY STORY 4
The conclusion of Toy Story 3 led many fans to believe the story of Woody, Buzz, and the gang was over. However, while the story of Woody and Andy is over, the team at Pixar think the Toy Story gang have more adventures to tell. Toy Story 4 reunites Woody with his long-lost friend Bo Peep, who was noticeably absent from the last film. Their second meeting could have life altering implications for everyone’s favorite plastic sheriff.
TOY STORY 4 AND BO PEEP
At a recent press conference, Director Cooley explained the development of Toy Story 4. “I’m trying to think of early versions of it. Bo Peep was always part of it. She was always in an antique store or she had a location that was kind of like her home. And so, making her the thing that Woody is always been the most afraid of was really interesting. She has a completely new worldview that’s different from Woody’s. I can’t remember any specifics…”
TO BE A LOST TOY
Toy Story 4 producer Mark Nielsen added, “No, but it was sort of rooted in its romantic comedy roots. What I think was my version of it was… You’re right, we started feeling, ‘Oh, that just feels like it’s a human story.’ And although she was a worthy character, and there was something that was interesting to us about paying off the relationship. It wasn’t until, it was probably two years ago where we started going, ‘Well, what if we made it Woody-centric?’ His worst fear, he said it all along, is to be a lost toy. What if she represented something that would challenge his place in the world? And just like lean into that.”
LADY AND THE TRAMP WITH TOYS
Nielsen continued, “It was almost even like a Lady and the Tramp analogy of like, one’s out in the world. ‘Why wouldn’t you want all of this?’ And the other ones, ‘No, I want to be at home.’ And Woody is that. So, she became this catalyst of really– All the change he’s done over the years, we thought, she had the potential to change him more than anything ever has. And that was just kind of the story volley that led to it.”
DESERVING OF TOY STORY 4
Cooley added, “And once we figured that out, or once we figured that was the place to go, I think [Producer Jonas Rivera], you kind of coined this phrase, that was, ‘If you were to ask Woody as a character, like what was the biggest moment of your life? He would say it was when I met Bo Peep for the second time.’ So, that was our goal for this film was to make this meeting with her so powerful that it was deserving of Toy Story 4.”
TOY STORY 4 hits U.S. theaters June 21, 2019.
