Toy Story 4

Toy Story 4 is set to be Pixar's twentieth film and will be released in theaters on June 15, 2018. The film was officially announced by Walt Disney CEO Bob Iger during a meeting for investors on November 6, 2014, with an original release date of June 16, 2017, before later being pushed to 2018 after Cars 3 took its place. It will be the third sequel to Pixar's first feature Toy Story. It will be directed by John Lasseter, co-directed by Josh Cooley, and produced by Galyn Susman. Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter and Lee Unkrich were involved in the conception of the story. The script will be made by Rashida Jones and Will McCormack.



Lasseter said regarding this film: "We love these characters so much; they are like family to us. We don't want to do anything with them unless it lives up to or surpasses what's gone before. Toy Story 3 ended Woody and Buzz's story with Andy so perfectly that for a long time, we never even talked about doing another Toy Story movie. But when Andrew, Pete, Lee and I came up with this new idea, I just could not stop thinking about it. It was so exciting to me, I knew we had to make this movie—and I wanted to direct it myself."

The film is described as a "new chapter in the lives of Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and the Toy Story gang." Lasseter has stated the film is a love story between Woody and Bo Peep, and picks up where Toy Story 3 left.

In an interview with the official Disney Latino blog, Jim Morris said Toy Story 4 would not be a continuation of the previous trilogy, stating:  "We are creating a great story. It is not a continuation of the end of Toy Story 3. It starts as one, but it will be a love story. It will be a romantic comedy. There will not be so much focus on the interaction between the characters and children. [...] The third film was a beautiful way to complete a trilogy. I don't think this film is part of this trilogy. It is a separate story, but I don't know if it will have a continuation. We don't start a project with that in mind."

Lasseter himself reiterated this point at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival, saying: "I am very excited to be directing again. We’re in the early stages of the film, but it’s shaping up nicely. It’s funny. The story is not as much a continuation of the past films, but a brand new chapter in the Toy Story world."

The Los Angeles Times stated Lasseter and Stanton have worked on writing a treatment since 2012. According to Variety, Lasseter kept work on the sequel a secret, even from the studio presidents Jim Morris and Ed Catmull, until Stanton had finished a treatment.

In November 2015, Tom Hanks indicated that he was in the process of recording his lines as Woody. Don Rickles, who voices Mr. Potato Head, has confirmed that he will return for the sequel. Kristen Schaal has confirmed she will return as Trixie.

Trivia

 * Toy Story 4 was originally to be released the year John Lasseter will turn 60. However, it will now be released to mark the 20th anniversary of A Bug's Life, the Pixar movie Lasseter directed after the release of the first Toy Story and before the release of Toy Story 2.