Summary
- The writer of Toy Story 3 revealed that there was a different ending initially planned for the film, which would have been less dramatic.
- The original ending involved the toys having a comedic race against time to get back to Andy's house before he left for college.
- Many fans are concerned about the possibility of a fifth Toy Story movie, as they believe it could undermine the closure achieved in Toy Story 3.
For many fans, the Toy Story franchise found a perfect ending in Toy Story 3. According to writer Michael Arndt, there was actually a completely different ending planned for the film which would have taken away much of the drama that made the movie a success.
Toy Story 3
- Release Date
- June 16, 2010
- Director
- Lee Unkrich
- Cast
- Tom Hanks , Tim Allen , Joan Cusack , Ned Beatty , Don Rickles , Michael Keaton
- Rating
- G
- Runtime
- 103
In the ending of Toy Story 3, Woody, Buzz, and the rest of Andy’s beloved toys almost got themselves incinerated in one of the franchise’s most traumatic moments. However, after being saved at the last moment, the toys found their way home and, as Andy headed off to college, they were donated to a new child, Bonnie.
While speaking on the Script Apart podcast, the movie’s writer revealed that when the first draft of the script was being written, there was another ending on the cards, which did not get quite so dramatic. He said:
"The initial third act in the first draft was, they escaped from Sunnyside [daycare] and then they realised that Andy's leaving for college in like 10 minutes and they have no time to get home to Andy's house.”
The change in story would have seen the toys returning to the iconic Toy Story 2 location of Al’s Toy Barn, where they took several toy vehicles in order to get back to Andy in time. Arndt continued:
"It's sort of this comedy sprint to the finish where you have a ticking clock and Andy's about to leave for college ... and then the motorcycle runs out of battery and they have to all hop on the car and then the car runs out of batteries and they all have to hop on the plane. Then the climax was, they all are on the plane and they just slide through the window and go smashing into Andy's bedroom just as he's walking up the stairs and he finds his toys there and packs them all away."
Toy Story 5 Is A Big Risk
The release of Toy Story 4 threatened to undo the perfect ending of its predecessor, but against the odds, the sequel managed to deliver a well-received and, ultimately, highly profitable addition to the franchise. However, last year’s spin-off movie Lightyear, which told the story of “the real Buzz Lightyear, failed to take off and delivered one of a number of box office disappointments for Disney Pixar.
So it is not surprising that many have questioned whether a fifth Toy Story movie is really necessary. We are still some time away from seeing the movie, and while it is known that Tom Hanks and Tim Allen will be reprising their roles as Woody and Buzz respectively, there is little else known about the direction the film will take, but rumors have suggested that the story will see the return of Andy. This is something that has not gone down well with many fans, who are worried that the inclusion of Andy could undermine the closure of Andy’s story in Toy Story 3.
In recent years, Disney has been unable to find a consistent rhythm with its theatrical releases. Announcing Toy Story 5 along with Frozen 3 and Zootopia 2, there is a hope that coming back to some of their biggest hits will be able to bring fans back to the House of Mouse. Of course, there is also just as much chance that the move could simply end up ruining the legacy of some of the studios' most popular franchises instead.