By With the Toy Story series remaining a big marketing juggernaut long after the trilogy officially ended in 2010, it was almost inevitable that we’d get another film (especially seeing as how we’re getting more and more TV specials featuring Bonnie’s toy gang). And before you cry out that it’s some sort of cash in, I think they’re finally doing this because they’ve got a good idea.
Disney CEO Bob Iger announced Toy Story 4 will release June 16. 2017 with John Lasseter returning to direct, and Rashida Jones and Will McCormack co-writing the script. Also, most are expecting Tom Hanks and Tim Allen to return, but that has yet to be confirmed. Here’s what Lasseter (with big wigs Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter, and Lee Unkrich all contributing to the story) had to say about the sequel:
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.
Matt and I talked about this in length when news of Toy Story 4 first leaked, and I still believe there are more good Toy Stories as long as someone is willing to make them. Sure Toy Story 3 had a definitive end, but I’d rather think of that as an end to that particular arc. There’s always room for more playtime.
[via D23]