Studio:
Buena Vista Films.
Production Company:
Walt Disney Productions/Pixar Animation Studios.
Project Phase: Greenlighted.
Whose Voices Are In It:
Tom Hanks (Woody); Tim Allen (Buzz Lightyear); Don Rickles (Mr. Potato Head); Jim Varney (Slinky Dog);
Wallace Shawn (Rex the Dinosaur); John Ratzenberger (Hamm the Piggy Bank); Annie Potts (Bo Peep);
David Ogden Stiers; Joan Cusack (Barbie?); Wayne Knight; Estelle Harris (Mrs. Potato Head).
Who's Making It:
Ash Brannon, Colin Brady (Directors); Ralph Guggenheim (Producer); John Lasseter, Steve Jobs
(Executive Producers); Randy Newman (Songs, Musical Score).
Type of Animation: Computer generated.
Premise: When little Andy goes off to summer camp Woody is stolen by a toy collector, leaving it up to the other toys to rescue him.
Release Date: December 1999.
Comments: 1995's Toy Story was a huge financial and critical success for Disney and Pixar, so there was bound to be a sequel, right? Well, yes, in a matter of speaking: Disney's long-standing policy on animated sequels up to Toy Story were that they should be direct to home video and not theatrical releases. Probably due in part to the huge box office of the original Toy Story (and maybe it also had something to do with it being a computer generated film), Disney changed its mind for the follow-up. Instead of releasing Toy Story 2 direct to video, it would lengthen its running time and release it instead release it theatrically.
Pixar (now partly owned by Disney) also has three other animated projects in stages of development. Thanks to their efforts, Pixar has cemented the artform of computer generated animated films. Not bad for a company that George Lucas sold in the 80s because he didn't foresee CGI taking off, huh?
Rumors: Unknown.
Scoop Feedback:
[Page draft submitted by 'Widgett'. Mucho gracias to 'lasherz', 'chacha', 'Ozzy13', 'Mr. Boy', 'DMXDog', 'Disnoid', David Keyes, Todd Dupler and 'murenr'. ]
June 7, 1998... Although initially planned for a direct-to-video release, Disney has decided to send this one to the big screen. Both Hanks and Allen return along with the other actors who provided the remaining toy voices from the first film. [Scoop provided by ZENtertainment, 'Widgett'.]
A rumor about who'll be providing the voice for the ferverish toy collector was overheard by our mysterious scooper -- comedian Jon Lovitz. But the role may have eventually landed in Wayne Knight's lap (Newman from Seinfeld). [Anonymous.]
And yup, this time she got the dollar figure her agent was asking for. Long-time plastic vixen Barbie makes an appearance in the sequel, creating a bizarre love triangle between herself, Woody and Bo Peep. [Anonymous.]
Back in early February we received a brief synopsis of the new script. While it doesn't go into specifics the reader gives us the names of some of the new toys we'll see...
"Ya know folks, sometimes the world is just a batty kind of place. Two days ago, I got the script to Toy Story 2 and it rocks. I hadn't heard much since it was announced that they were doing a direct to video version. The script came and I finished it this morning. This script is twice as cool as the first film. Emperor Zurg appears, Al (of Al's Toy Barn), and the other toys in the Woody playset from 1952. Woody's horse is named Bullseye. Then there are the two other characters, Prospector and Senorita Cactus. There are many cool surprises of pure geek joy, and the script is tight. Tight tight tight tight TIGHT!!! Well here is Disney and Pixar's press release. Oh and I hope they keep the scene with the pigeon sh*t, it's great... GREAT!!!
'Toy Story 2, the exciting all-new sequel to the landmark 1995 computer animated blockbuster, is headed to the big screen with a theatrical release scheduled for the 1999 holiday season, it was announced today (2/5) by Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios. Pixar's John Lasseter, an Oscar winner for his work on Toy Story, will be the executive producer of Toy Story 2, and Toy Story veterans Ash Brannon and Colin Brady will be directing. All of the voice talents from the first film -- including Tom Hanks and Tim Allen -- will be reprising their roles for the sequel. The release of Toy Story 2 follows the international success of the original Toy Story which posted a worldwide gross of $360 million and sold more than 22 million videocassettes in the U.S. alone.
"All of us at Pixar and Disney are delighted to be bringing these wonderful characters back to the big screen - we've missed them," said Steve Jobs, CEO of Pixar. "It is also thrilling to have Tom, Tim and a great cast of voice talent back on board for this latest adventure."
"Toy Story struck a chord with moviegoers the world over and we think that the sequel has all the right ingredients to be another hit," said Peter Schneider, president of Walt Disney Feature Animation and Walt Disney Theatrical Productions. "Once again, our partners at Pixar are using their artistry and technology to create great entertainment."
In Toy Story 2, the fun and adventure continues when Andy goes off to summer camp and the toys are left to their own devices. Things shift into high gear when an obsessive toy collector kidnaps Woody -- who unbeknownst to himself is a highly valued collectable. It's now up to Buzz Lightyear and the gang from Andy's room -- Mr. Potato Head, Slinky Dog, Rex and Hamm -- to spring into action and save their pal from winding up as a museum piece. There's plenty of excitement and fun as the toys get into one predicament after another in their daring race to get home before Andy does.
The Toy Story sequel reunites all of the voice talents from the original film including Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Don Rickles, Jim Varney, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger and Annie Potts. For this latest animated adventure, the cast will also feature David Ogden Stiers, Joan Cusack, Wayne Knight and Estelle Harris. Story development and pre-production on the film began in September, 1996 and animation commenced the following June.'
September 1, 1998... Randy Newman is providing songs and score for this one, just as he did on the original Toy Story. [Scooped by 'C'.]
Related Sites:
Pixar -- The homepage of the company that first introduced you to Woody, Buzz and the gang that hang out in Andy's room.