Woody, Buzz, and a Spork Named Forky
Woody has always been confident about his place in the world, and his priority is taking care of his kid – whether that’s Andy or Bonnie. But when Bonnie adds a reluctant new toy called “Forky” to her room, a road trip adventure alongside old and new friends will show Woody how big the world can be for a toy.
The highly anticipated Toy Story 4 arrived in theaters on June 21, 2019—and it just wouldn’t be the same without Tom Hanks and Tim Allen returning as Woody and Buzz Lightyear. Jessie, Rex, Slinky Dog, Hamm, and the Potato Heads are back, along with Bonnie’s newest creation, Forky (Tony Hale). Their adventure reunites them with Bo Peep (Annie Potts) and introduces some fantastic new characters including Ducky and Bunny (Key and Peele), Duke Caboom (Keanu Reeves), Gabby Gabby (Christina Hendricks), and Giggle McDimples (Ally Maki).
Hollywood Studios Hosts the Toys in Toy Story Land and the Toy Story 4 Press Junket
This time, the toys visited Walt Disney World’s Toy Story Land for the official press event and junket. Forky and Bo Peep were already spotted in the park, surrounded by themed merchandise and excited fans. I was lucky enough to participate in the media preview, including an early screening of the film, a product showcase, and an unforgettable press conference with the voice cast, Director Josh Cooley, and Producers Jonas Rivera and Mark Nielsen.
Why Toy Story 4?
Many wondered—why continue after Toy Story 3’s perfect ending?
Josh Cooley: “We had those questions five years ago when we started…. Tons of responsibility, tons of pressure. A lot of sleepless nights knowing that we were going to attempt this. Because we love the end of Toy Story 3 and felt like that’s the completion of Woody and Andy’s Story. But there was more of Woody’s story to tell, so that’s how we approached it.”
Jonas Rivera: “… we thought Toy Story 2 was the last one…. The end of Andy’s story and Woody’s story… as filmmakers, to be honest, we felt satisfied that this is where you can end it. Now there’s an implied future to all these films and we sort of never say never at Pixar.”
Buzz and Woody’s Evolution
Tim Allen shared his thoughts on Buzz’s growth:
“his [Buzz Lightyear] core has always been this little authentic kind of soft-hearted… and you see in this movie, it’s kind of weird about that. Woody has this inner voice; I think it’s the sweetest part of this movie… He [Buzz Lightyear] is Innocent… and he’s just one of his [Woody’s] best friends… That’s the journey through this thing, how cool of friends these guys are.”
Tom Hanks reflected on Woody:
“Woody has been the great gift that I’ve seen play out again and again in my own family as well as sort of around the world, even in cultures where it’s not my voice. It’s Spanish or Mandarin or what have you…. What I have truly appreciated is that no matter how old you are now, when you see one of the movies, you’re the same age you were when you saw it first… there is a cohesiveness and an eternal quality to not just the stories and the characters, but the emotional bonds that we all have with each one of them.”
Bo Peep Returns
Annie Potts, on reprising Bo Peep:
“Well, lovely, with a new improved, emboldened, courageous, seasoned gal. It’s been lovely.”
Pixar’s Hidden Surprises
Josh Cooley: “… There are a lot of Easter Eggs in this movie. I swear if you pause any frame when they are in the [antique] store, you’ll see something in the background.”
Mark Nielsen: “Yeah. From every movie Pixar has ever done, there’s something in the antique store.”
Jonas Rivera: “Some we didn’t even know…. I just noticed the other day, Carl and Ellie’s house shrunk down on the shelf…”
Josh Cooley: “Bing Bong’s Rocket…”
A Movie About Change
Josh Cooley: “If I was to just sum it up in one word, it’s Transition. Every character in this movie has gone through a transition or is struggling with going through one… Bo Peep has gone through one… Woody is struggling with moving from Andy’s Room to Bonnie’s Room, Forky doesn’t even want to transition, Gabby Gabby is stuck in time.”
Enter Forky
Tony Hale on becoming Forky:
“It’s overwhelming, which helps because Forky is very overwhelmed… I remember when they brought me up to Pixar… and described him [Forky] as kind of nervous, I was like a check. He [Forky] asked a lot of questions, check and he’s kind of nervous, check, and he’s kind of gullible to a fault. It’s like bingo, I’m in.”
Gabby Gabby’s Origin
Josh Cooley: “Great question. We realized we had never done a doll before, just a regular doll, and we all have daughters, so we look at our own kids and their toys… the idea of a talking Tina or Chatty Cathy and a little godfather… it’s one of my favorite scenes.”
Jonas Rivera: “The story would not work without Gabby Gabby. She is an echo of Woody. The same thing for Duke Caboom and Giggle and everybody new.”
Christina Hendricks: “…you have to listen to everyone’s full story before you make a judgment about them… everyone comes from a place and it’s what made them who they are, and you need to listen to that before you can fully understand them”
Honoring Mr. Potato Head
Mark Nielsen: “We had signed him [Don Rickles] before we lost him… we wanted to see if we could craft a performance from all the incredible sessions we’ve had with Don through the years. He recorded for theme park rides and toys and commercials, short films, feature films, a lot that we hadn’t used before. So, we were honored to really be able to kind of keep his memory in the film, and our editorial department did a great job really creating his performance out of his own voice from past projects.”
Yes We Canada!
Keanu Reeves as Duke Caboom:
“There are so many different kinds of people going through different things, and Duke Caboom just happened to be a crybaby, and a super with a big heart and brave, who loved life, and so I think that there’s a bit of Duke Caboom in all of us.”
What’s Next for the Toys?
Mark Nielsen: “I’m producing some short films for Disney Plus which will star Forky, our very own Tony Hale.”
Mark continues: “It’s a series called Forky Asks a Question; There are ten episodes that will be on Disney Plus when it comes live in November.”
If you’re a Toy Story fan—or just a fan of great storytelling—you won’t want to miss Toy Story 4. From legacy characters to new faces and emotional twists you didn’t see coming, it’s everything a Pixar movie should be. Hope you enjoyed the Toy Story 4 Press Junket details.
🎥 Watch the full press junket and experience the Toy Story magic on SamsDisneyDiary!
The Making of Toy Story Toy Story 4 Press Junket
