This article is on the whole franchise. For the article on only the first film, See Toy Story (film).
Toy Story is a Computer animated film series and Disney media franchise that began in 1995, produced by Pixar Animation Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. The franchise focuses on a group of toys that secretly come to life and end up unexpectedly embarking on life-changing adventures. The Toy Story series consists of three film: Toy Story (released in 1995), Toy Story 2 (released in 1999) and Toy Story 3 (released in 2010).The first two films of the franchise were directed by John Lasseter, and the third by Lee Unkrich, who acted as the co-director of the second film (together with Lasseter and Ash Brannon). All three films were composed by Randy Newman and star the voices of Tom Hanks as Woody, a cowboy and the protagonist of the movies, Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear, a space ranger and the deuteragonist of the movies, Don Rickles as a Mr. Potato Head toy, Wallace Shawn as Rex, a Toy T-Rex, John Ratzenberger as Hamm, a piggy bank, Jeff Pidgeon as Green Squeeze Toy Aliens, R. Lee Ermey as Sarge, a green army men general, John Morris as Andy Davis, the boy who owns Woody, Buzz and their friends and Laurie Metcalf as Andy’s mother. Toy Story and Toy Story 2 also starred Annie Potts as Bo Peep, a shepherdess and Woody’s girlfriend, and the late Jim Varney as Slinky Dog, a toy dog. Although in Toy Story 3, Bo was written out of the story (although she made a brief cameo during the opening). As for Slinky Dog, because of Jim Varney's Death one year after the release of Toy Story 2, He was voiced by Blake Clark in Toy Story 3. In addition, Toy Story 2 and Toy Story 3 introduced new characters voiced by Joan Cusack, Estelle Harris, Jodi Benson, Wayne Knight, Kelsey Grammar, Andrew Stanton, Timothy Dalton, Kristen Schaal, Jeff Garlin, Ned Beatty, Whoopi Goldberg, Michael Keaton and Bonnie Hunt. All three films produced on a total budget of $320 million, have grossed more than $1.9 billion worldwide. Each film set box office records, with the third included in the top 10 all time worldwide films. Critics have given all three films extremely positive reviews. Special Blu-ray and DVD editions of Toy Story and Toy Story 2 were released on March 23rd 2010. They were also re-released in theaters as a Disney Digital 3-D "double feature" for at least two weeks in October 2009, Toy Story 2's 10th anniversary. The series is currently the 19th highest-grossing franchise worldwide, the third highest-grossing animated franchise (behind Shrek and Ice Age), and is among the most critically acclaimed trilogies of all time. On November 1st 2011, all three Toy Story films were released in Disney Blu-ray 3D as a trilogy pack and as individual films. A fourth movie, Toy Story 4 has been scheduled to be released in theaters 2017, and will be directed by Lasseter.
Movies[]
Toy Story 1 (1995)[]
Toy Story, the 1st film in the franchise, was released in theaters November 22nd 1995. It was the first feature-length film created entirely by Computer Animation and the first movie released by Pixar Animation Stuidos and was directed by John Lasseter. The movie features the voices of Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Annie Potts, Don Rickles, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Jim Varney, R. Lee Ermey, Jeff Pidgeon, John Morris, Laurie Metcalf and Erik Von Detten and the plot involves Andy Davis (voiced by Morris) getting a new Buzz Lightyear toy (voiced by Allen), and Woody (voiced by Hanks) thinking that he has been replaced as Andy's favorite toy. As a result of Woody's jealousy, he tries to knock Buzz behind a table, but accidentally knocks him out the window causing his allies to assume that he tried to murder Buzz and kick him out of Andy's house. Determined to set things right, Woody attempts to save Buzz, and they both must escape the house of the next-door neighbor Sid Phillips (voiced by Detten), who likes to torture and destroy toys. The film was critically and financially successful, grossing over $361 million worldwide. The film was later released on Video October 30th 1996, on DVD October 17th 2000, on Blu-ray March 22nd 2010 and on Blu-ray 3D November 1st 2011. In October 2009 was then re-released in Disney Digital 3-D as part of a double feature, along with Toy Story 2, for a 2-week run, which was later extended due to its financial success.
Toy Story 2 (1999)[]
Toy Story 2, the 2nd film in the franchise, was released in theaters November 24th 1999. John Lasseter reprises his role as director and Tom Hanks, Tim Allen and John Morris returned to voice Woody, Buzz, and Andy. Annie Potts, Don Rickles, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Jim Varney, R. Lee Ermey, Laurie Metcalf and Jeff Pidgeon also returned to voice their characters. They are joined by Wayne Knight, Joan Cusack, Jodi Benson, Kelsey Grammer, Andrew Stanton and Estelle Harris The plot involves Woody getting stolen by a greedy toy collector named Al McWhiggin (voiced by Knight). At Al's apartment Woody realizes he is the star of an old TV show called Woody's Roundup and Al is going to sell him and his co-stars - Jessie The Cowgirl (voiced by Cusack), Bullseye The Horse and Stinky Pete The Mint-In-The-Box Prospector (voiced by Grammer) - to a museum in Japan and Buzz and the gang travel around the Tri-County Area to save him. Toy Story 2 was not originally intended for release in theaters, but as a direct-to-video sequel to the original Toy Story, with a 60-minute running time. However, Disney's executives saw how impressive the in-work imagery for the sequel was, and due to pressure from the main characters' voice actors Tom Hanks and Tim Allen, they decided to convert Toy Story 2 into a theatrical film. It turned out to be an even greater success than the original Toy Story, grossing over $485 million worldwide. The film was released on Video and DVD October 17th 2000, on Blu-ray March 22nd 2010 and on Blu-ray 3D November 1st 2011. It was then re-released in Disney Digital 3-D as part of a double feature, along with Toy Story, on October 2nd 2009.
Toy Story 3 (2010)[]
Toy Story 3, the 3rd film in the franchise, was released in theaters and 3D June 18th 2010, eleven years later. Unlike the first two Toy Story movies, this film wasn't directed by John Lasseter (although he remained involved in the film as executive producer), but by Lee Unkrich, who edited the first two films and co-directed the second film. Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack and John Morris reprised their roles of Woody, Buzz, Jessie and Andy. Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Don Rickles, Estelle Harris, Laurie Metcalf, Jodi Benson, R. Lee Ermey, Erik Von Detten and Jeff Pidgeon also reprised their character roles of the first two movies. However Jim Varney who played Slinky Dog in the first two movies died ten years before Toy Story 3 was released. So Blake Clark took over the role of Slinky. Set ten years after the events of Toy Story 2, the plot of Toy Story 3 focuses on Woody, Buzz and the toys accidentally being dropped off at a daycare center while Andy is getting ready to go away to college. The film also introduced new characters such as a little girl named Bonnie Anderson (voiced by Emily Hahn), Bonnie's mother (voiced by Lori Alan) Mr. Pricklepants The Plush Thespain Hedgehog (voiced by Timothy Dalton), Trixie The Triceratops (voiced by Kristen Schaal), Buttercup The Plush Unicorn (voiced by Jeff Garlin), Lots-O Hugging Bear (voiced by Ned Beatty), Stretch The Rubber Octopus, (voiced by Whoopi Goldberg), Ken (voiced by Michael Keaton), Chunk (voiced by Jack Angel, who played Mr. Shark in the first film), Chuckles The Clown (voiced by Bud Luckey) and Dolly (voiced by Bonnie Hunt). contains over 150 characters, according to Pixar. It is currently Pixar's highest-grossing film of all time worldwide and domestic, surpassing Finding Nemo. Toy Story 3 grossed more than the first and second films combined, making it the first animated film to have crossed the $1 billion mark. In August 2010, it surpassed Shrek 2, becoming the highest-grossing animated film of all time until it was surpassed by Frozen, another Disney production, in March 2014. Toy Story 3 was released on DVD and Blu-ray on November 2nd 2010 and Blu-ray 3D November 1st 2011.
Toy Story 4 (2017)[]
On November 6th 2014, Toy Story 4 was announced by Disney during an investor's call in Q4 2014, tentatively scheduled for theatrical release on June 16th 2017. John Lasseter will return to direct, while the screenplay will be written by Rashida Jones and Will McCormack from a story by Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter and Lee Unkrich. Galyn Susman will produce.Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Timothy Dalton, Wallace Shawn, Kristen Schaal, John Ratzenberger, Jeff Garlin, Don Rickles, Estelle Harris, Bonnie Hunt, Blake Clark, Jodi Benson, Michael Keaton, R. Lee Ermey, Lori Alan, Emily Hahn, Bud Luckey and Jeff Pidgeon will reprise their characters roles of the first three movies.
Toy Story Toons[]
In 2011, Pixar started releasing short animated films to supplement the Toy Story films, called Toy Story Toons. The shorts pick up where Toy Story 3 has left off, with Woody,Buzz, and Andy's other toys finding a new home at Bonnie's house. So far, three shorts have been released; Hawaiian Vacation, Small Fry, and Partysaurus Rex.
Hawaiian Vacation (2011)[]
Hawaiian Vacation, the first short, was directed by Gary Rydstrom and was released in theatres before Pixar's 12th feature film Cars 2. In the short film, Ken and Barbie want to go to Hawaii, but get left behind, so Woody, Buzz and the other toys from the console them by making a Hawaiian vacation in Bonnie's room.
Small Fry (2011)[]
Small Fry, the second short, premiered before The Muppets. This marks the second time a Pixar short has screened with a non-Pixar film, after Tokyo Mater screened with Bolt. It was Directed by Angus MacLane and involves Buzz getting trapped at a fast food restaurant at a support group for discarded toys, with a kids' meal toy version of Buzz taking his place.
Partysaurus Rex (2012)[]
Partysaurus Rex, the third of the series, was released with the theatrical 3D re-release of Finding Nemo. Directed by Mark Walsh with music composed by electronic artist BT, the short involves Rex getting left in the bathroom and making friends with bath toys.
Mythic Rock (TBA)[]
Another short, titled Mythic Rock, is also in development.
TV Specials[]
Pixar has also developed two 22-minute Toy Story television specials. The first, titled Toy Story of Terror!, aired on October 16th 2013 on ABC, while the second, titled Toy Story That Time Forgot, aired on December 2nd 2014.
Toy Story of TERROR! (2013)[]
A Halloween themed 22-minute television special titled Toy Story of Terror! aired on ABC on October 16th 2013. It was directed by Angus MacLane, produced by Galyn Susman, with Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Don Rickles, Wallace Shawn, Timothy Dalton, and Kristen Schaal reprising their roles of Woody, Buzz, Jessie, Mr. Potato Head, Rex, Mr. Pricklepants, and Trixie with Carl Weathers as Combat Carl and Stephen Tobolowsky as the motel manager. Michael Giacchino composed the music for the special. The special focuses on Jessie and follows her and the toys on a road trip with Bonnie and her mother, when a flat tire leads Bonnie and her mother to spend the night in a roadside motel. After Mr. Potato Head goes missing, the others begin to search for him.
Toy Story That Time Forgot (2014)[]
A Christmas-themed 22-minute television special titled Toy Story That Time Forgot aired on ABC on December 2nd 2014. It was be directed by Steve Purcell, and produced by Galyn Susman. Michael Giacchino, who composed the music for the first special, returns. Most of the regular cast will reprise their roles, including Tom Hanks as Woody, Tim Allen as Buzz, Kristen Schaal as Trixie, Wallace Shawn as Rex, Timothy Dalton as Mr. Pricklepants, Don Rickles as Mr. Potato Head, and Joan Cusack as Jessie, with Kevin McKidd joining as a new character, Reptillus Maximus. Taking place after Christmas, the special centers around Woody, Buzz, Rex and Trixie find themselves lost in the world, when a set of the coolest action figures turns out to be dangerously delusional. It is up to Trixie to help the toys to return to Bonnie's room.
Other Media[]
Toy Story Treats[]
In 1996, Pixar created a series of shorts known as "Toy Story Treats" which were used as interstitials on ABC Family and Disney's One Too. They did not necessarily follow the continuity from Toy Story, though they were aired roughly around the time of the film's release to home video.
Buzz Lightyear of Star Command[]
Buzz Lightyear of Star Command is a spin-off TV series. The series takes place in the far future, a pastiche of Star Trek and Star Wars-style science fiction. It features Buzz Lightyear (voiced by Patrick Warburton), a famous, experienced Space Ranger who takes a crew of rookies under his wing as he investigates criminal activity across the galaxy and attempts to bring down Evil Emperor Zurg once and for all. It aired on ABC from August 8th 2000 to January 13th 2001.
Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventures Begins[]
Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins is a spin-off animated direct-to-video film, partially based on Toy Story. The film was released on August 8th 2000. It acts as a pilot to the television series Buzz Lightyear of Star Command and features Tim Allen as the voice of Buzz Lightyear, who is voiced by Patrick Warburton in the main series. In this film, Buzz Lightyear is a space ranger who fights against the evil Emperor Zurg, showing the inspiration for the Buzz Lightyear toyline that exists in the Toy Story series. Although the film was criticized for not using the same animation as in Toy Story and Toy Story 2, it sold three million VHS and DVDs in its first week of release.