Rashida Jones and Will McCormack To Write Toy Story 4Posted by Wilson Morales
November 7, 2014
Nearly two decades after Pixar Animation Studios created the world’s first computer-animated feature film with “Toy Story,” it revealed plans for Disney•Pixar’s “Toy Story 4,” an adventure that returns audiences to the world of the studio’s signature characters.
John Lasseter, director of the original “Toy Story” and “Toy Story 2,” will direct the film, which opens a new chapter in the lives of Woody, Buzz Lightyear and the “Toy Story” gang. The story was dreamt up by Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter and Lee Unkrich, the storytellers who have been the driving force behind all three “Toy Story” films.
Tom Hanks, Tim Allen haven’t been confirmed as of yet but they are expected to return and reprise their voice characters of Woody and Buzz Lightyear respectively.
“We love these characters so much; they are like family to us,” said Lasseter. “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.”
Writing team Rashida Jones and Will McCormack (“Celeste and Jesse Forever”) joined the project, and Pixar veteran Galyn Susman (ABC’s “Toy Story OF TERROR!” and “Toy Story that Time Forgot”) is producing.
Jones and McCormack previously wrote the Jones-starring indie romantic comedy Celeste and Jesse Forever, which premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival and nabbed a Film Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best First Screenplay. Best known for her work as an actress on The Office and Parks and Recreation, Jones has also written an episode of the new NBC sitcom A to Z, which McCormack executive produces.
The film is slated for release on June 16, 2017.
