By Mallory Mattingly
Buzz, Woody, Jessie and Bo Peep celebrate 30 years of friendship together this year!
In the ’90s, Pixar’s animators pitched three feature ideas to Disney. The first concept was JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH, then there was BOB THE DINOSAUR and lastly came TOY STORY. We all know which one Disney chose.
Striking a deal with Disney meant Pixar felt the pressure to produce a hit.
“It felt like a bunch of people making a movie in their garage,” Pete Docter, Pixar’s Chief Creative Officer, told The Walt Disney Company. “We were using computers, which were fancy and unknown at the time, but other than that, it was rinky-dink. We were figuring it out as we went. It felt like we were just doing it for fun.”
Related: 4 Things TOY STORY 4 Will Teach Families
One of the biggest goals of TOY STORY was to tell a great story.
“Beyond using new technology, one of the things we tried to do was expand the boundaries of storytelling,” Docter explained. “Because at that point, if a film was animated, it was assumed that it was a musical, that it would have certain tropes. We didn’t want to do that.”
Woody was initially written to be “loyal, protective and witty,” but “filmmakers wanted to make him more multidimensional,” per Disney.
“He has a fear of being replaced,” Jonas Rivera, Pixar’s Executive Vice President of Production, said. “Everyone has felt that way at some point, whether it’s a job or a relationship. And we wrapped it up in this TOY STORY package.”
Fans found Woody, Buzz and their friends so relatable because the writers took inspiration from their own personalities.
“I’m partial to Woody, simply because I’ve written most of what he has to say in the films,” Andrew Stanton, Pixar’s Vice President of Creative, shared. “He is very much an extension of me.”
“The funny thing with TOY STORY, and Woody specifically, is that there just seemed to be a lot of layers, a lot of new discoveries to him. Even in the first film, we could sense that he had a history. Woody has some trauma — some baggage that he’s carrying,” Docter added.
“The idea of toys coming to life always clicked with audiences,” Rivera echoed. “It was as if they collectively said, ‘Of course! This confirms what I always thought about toys.”’
Part of Movieguide®’s review for TOY STORY reads:
The movie is overflowing with heroism, virtues and moral messages, not the least of which is that while envy can only destroy, friendship can overcome. The double entendre in the film will make it just as appealing to teenagers and adults as it is to younger children. TOY STORY has a heart of gold. It is funny, clean, wholesome, and virtuous. It is a classic beginning to a new genre — a masterpiece which is sure to capture the imaginations of young and old alike.
When TOY STORY first released in theaters in 1995, it was an immediate hit. The film garnered over $400 million globally. A global franchise followed, with three more movies, shorts and spinoffs. It’s Pixar’s biggest, grossing $3.27 billion.
A fifth movie will debut on June 19, 2026, as the toys take on a modern threat: technology.
Questions or comments? Please write to us here.
– Content: +1Share:
– Content: +2