Toy Story 4 / Toy Story 5

[LotsoA113]

Weeeellllllll.....it's happening.

Pixar is making Toy Story 4 for June 16, 2017. John Lasseter is directing.

How this is gonna work is beyond me.

[Ben]

How do you mean? In terms of story it'll continue as per the shorts and as far as Lasseter is concerned he's probably been working on it for a year already and will be able to fit it in as he did Cars 2.

[Dacey]

Okay. I've said it before, but we are definitely getting a Frozen 2 now. Can't say when (although I still think 2018 is likely), but if they're making this after supposedly saying they were "done" with Toy Story movies, there is now no way, in my mind, that they won't make a follow up to their biggest film to date.

With that being said, I honestly hope they let TS4 be more "fun" that TS3 was. Don't get me wrong. I loved TS3, but it was such an emotionally exhausting film for me that I don't really watch it very often as a result. So to me it would be great if they did one that was more "in tone" with the first two, if I'm even making sense here. At the very least, I hope they don't make Bonnie getting older a subject of "concern" for the toys.

[ShyViolet]

I'm excited! Monsters University was between a "B" and "B+" for me, but altogether Pixar has a good track record with sequels. I agree Dacey, as good as TS3 was there was a kind of pall cast over it, since we spent most of the picture wondering where the heck Andy's toys were going to end up now that he'd finally outgrown them. Really liked Bonnie and also hope that the spirit of TS1 and TS2 will be with this one.

[LotsoA113]

How do you mean? In terms of story it'll continue as per the shorts and as far as Lasseter is concerned he's probably been working on it for a year already and will be able to fit it in as he did Cars 2.

I'm just not sure how a satisfactory feature length follow up can be achieved given the ending of the third movie. Shorts and TV Specials are perfectly fine ways to continue this franchise, another movie just feel redundant, especially when The Incredibles 2 and (if we're counting all Disney animated sequels) Wreck-It Ralph 2 remain unmade. I will give them points for unique choices in screenwriters, though the rest of this endeavor feels dubious at best to me at this point.

Maybe this one will surprise me, it certainly wouldn't be the first time Pixar surprised me, and as someone who adored Monsters University, I've got no problems with Pixar and sequels in general. This particular one just feels like it could go haywire so so easily.

[Ben]

I don't think they would have announced it if they didn't have a story worth telling.

And I thought Incredibles 2 had been announced along with Cars 3...?

[James]

I was hoping they would end the features after 3, but I trust them with this. The first one was groundbreaking, the second won a Best Picture Golden Globe, and the third one was nominated for a Best Picture Oscar. They get the benefit of the doubt! And they're going to put a lot of resources into doing this right. Even if I wish they would put those resources in a new project!

[Ben]

The mention of this marking the start of a "new chapter" in Woody and Buzz's lives makes me think they're not going to stop after a fourth film, though. I think they either stop at the third or they're looking forward to Toy Story being an ongoing franchise...

[EricJ]

Lasseter seemed so proud that they were able to "end" Toy Story 3 on the perfect note, this one sounds like another helpful Iger over-their-heads directive from the top. Y'know, like Cars 2.

[Ben]

No. To be fair, Cars 2 was a Pixar decision, even if Iger might have been pleased from a toy point of view. They've been working on TS4 for a couple of years already...and wouldn't have said yes if they didn't have a good enough reason. Let's hope it *is* a good enough reason!

[droosan]

Pixar's Day of the Dead feature has been referred to in their official list of upcoming projects as "Untitled Lee Unkrich film" for some time, and currently has no release date listed.

<speculation>
With The Book of Life now in theaters -- and the Mexican/French production Día de Muertos recently announced for worldwide release in 2016 -- it's possible Pixar might be considering 'pulling a Newt' with that film, and may instead hand Lee Unkrich a familiar property on which he has a proven track record.
</speculation>

[EricJ]

No. To be fair, Cars 2 was a Pixar decision, even if Iger might have been pleased from a toy point of view. They've been working on TS4 for a couple of years already...and wouldn't have said yes if they didn't have a good enough reason. Let's hope it *is* a good enough reason!

Iger was going into Cars 2 to thumb his nose at the analysts who were into full frenzy mode of proclaiming "Has Pixar had its first flop yet, have they, huh, have they?" after the goof of Disney overestimating the first Cars' opening, claiming it would outdo Nemo.
The first movie had been successful for what it was, and the marketing sold great, so Cars 2 was Iger throwing the franchise onto the shoulders of the mass audience, to show who really ran the studio--When they had to change directors, Lasseter claimed he was talked into taking over the job after he heard the words "World rally". (And, note, not "Spy caper".)

Here, everyone thinks there was going to be a TS4 because they didn't know why the other sequels happened, and thought, "Well, if they're only doing sequels now, they'll probably do another one...", and couldn't understand why the Toys were only being used for shorts. Obviously, Iger included.
Although yes, I'm with droo, I was also going "Shh, quiet, will you just...!" about the Other Day of the Dead movie spoiling things for everyone, and the speculation of Pixar "pulling a Newt" is very possible.
Even though the directors claim that Newt wasn't pulled because of Rio, it was pulled because of lack of directorial interest that they couldn't get the story going, when the storyboards to Inside Out started to look better as the next project. In this case, though, I AM blaming the Stupid Unimaginative Other Movie.

[Ben]

Unkrich won't be on TS4, though, if that's what's being implied. TS4 is Lasseter's solo gig all the way.

[Dacey]

So...anyone wanna make any guesses involving the so-called "love story" thing?

[EricJ]

Well, we know Jessie and Buzz have a thing, Barbie's got Ken, and Woody's now not got anybody after they wrote Bo Peep out of the series... ;(