The Men Behind ‘Toy Story’ Reflect on the Film’s 30th Anniversary
As crazy as it sounds, Pixar is officially celebrating 30 years of Toy Story.
Three decades ago, fans were introduced to Woody, Buzz, and the rest of the gang, and the history of animation changed.
Photo: Disney
When Disney originally made a deal with Pixar to produce films using computer animation, the studio pitched three ideas- James and the Giant Peach, Bob the Dinosaur, and a “half-baked” story about toys.
Disney greenlit Toy Story.
Photo: Disney / Pixar
“It felt like a bunch of people making a movie in their garage,” said Docter, who is now Pixar’s Chief Creative Officer. “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.”
How ‘Toy Story’ Came About
Shortly after production on Toy Story began, the film had a major setback when Pixar screened its early work.
Photo: Disney
Disney hated the screening and gave Pixar two weeks to get it right. Thankfully, after working overtime, the team turned things around.
“Beyond using new technology, one of the things we tried to do was expand the boundaries of storytelling,” Docter recalled. “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.”
Photo: Disney
Eventually, the team, which included Andrew Stanton, Docter, and Jonas Rivera, was able to make a cast of characters that clicked with fans.
The Breakout Star
Woody, in particular, became a multidimensional standout star.
“The funny thing with Toy Story, and Woody specifically, is that there just seemed to be a lot of layers, a lot new discoveries to him. Even on the first film, we could sense that he had a history. Woody has some trauma — some baggage that he’s carrying,” Docter explained.
The Fun Is Just Getting Started
When the first Toy Story film hit theaters, it became an overnight sensation.
Photo: Pixar
Eventually grossing $400 in theaters, the film would launch a franchise that will continue next year with the release of Toy Story 5.
Photo: Pixar
“I just have to say thank you to the fans for loving this world as much as we do,” said Stanton, who contributed to each film in the franchise and is directing Toy Story 5. “It’s very clear how sincere everybody’s fondness for these characters is, how deep their connections to them are, and we feel the same way. We can’t wait to keep these stories coming for you.”
Photo: MickeyBlog
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