Toy Story (franchise)

Toy Story is a CGI animated film series and Disney media franchise that began with the original 1995 film, Toy Story, produced by Pixar Animation Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. The franchise focuses on a group of toys that secretly come to life and end up unexpectedly embarking on life-changing adventures. The first two films of the franchise were directed by John Lasseter, and the third by Lee Unkrich, who acted as the co-director of the second film (together with Lasseter and Ash Brannon). All three films, produced on a total budget of $320 million, have grossed more than $1.9 billion worldwide. Each film set box office records, with the third included in the top 10 all-time worldwide films. Critics have given all three films extremely positive reviews. Special Blu-ray and DVD editions of Toy Story and Toy Story 2 were released on March 23rd 2010. They were also re-released in theaters as a Disney Digital 3-D "double feature" for at least two weeks in October 2009. The series is currently the 19th highest-grossing franchise worldwide, the third highest-grossing animated franchise (behind Shrek and Ice Age), and is among the most critically acclaimed trilogies of all time. On November 1st 2011, all three Toy Story films were released in Disney Blu-ray 3D as a trilogy pack and as individual films.

Movies
The Toy Story series consists of three computed animated films. The films are Toy Story, (1995), Toy Story 2 (1999) and Toy Story 3 (2010). Toy Story was the first feature-length film to be made entirely using computer generated imagery. The films were produced by Pixar Animation Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. All three films were critically acclaimed, with the first and second films getting a perfect 100%, and the third a 99% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The third film in the series is currently the second highest-grossing animated film and the 12th highest-grossing film of all time. It also became the third animated film in history to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture, following Beauty and the Beast and Up. All three movie star Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Don Rickles, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Jeff Pidgeon, R. Lee Ermey, John Morris and Laurie Metcalf. A fourth film, Toy Story 4, is currently in production.

Toy Story
Toy Story, the 1st film in the franchise, was released in theatres November 22nd 1995. It was the first computer animated feature-length film and was directed by John Lasseter. The plot involves a little boy named Andy Davis (John Morris) getting a new Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger toy (Tim Allen), and his favorite toy Cowboy Doll Woody (Tom Hanks) thinking that he has been replaced as Andy's favorite toy. As a result of Woody's jealousy, he tries to knock Buzz behind a table, but accidentally knocks him out the window causing his allies to assume that he tried to murder Buzz and kick him out of Andy's house. Determined to set things right, Woody attempts to save Buzz, and they both must escape the house of the next-door neighbor Sid Phillips (Erik Von Detten), who likes to torture and destroy toys. The film was critically and financially successful, grossing over $361 million worldwide. In October 2009 was then re-released in Disney Digital 3-D as part of a double feature, along with Toy Story 2, for a 2-week run, which was later extended due to its financial success.

Toy Story 2
Toy Story 2, the 2nd film in the franchise, was released in theatres November 24th 1999. John Lasseter reprises his role as director. Toy Story 2 was not originally intended for release in theaters, but as a direct-to-video sequel to the original Toy Story, with a 60-minute running time. However, Disney's executives saw how impressive the in-work imagery for the sequel was, and due to pressure from the main characters' voice actors Tom Hanks and Tim Allen, they decided to convert Toy Story 2 into a theatrical film. The plot involves Woody getting stolen by a greedy toy collector named Al McWhiggin (Wayne Knight) and Buzz, Rex (Wallace Shawn), Mr. Potato Head (Don Rickles), Hamm the piggy bank (John Ratzenberger) and Slinky Dog (Jim Varney) go around the Tri-County Area to save him. It turned out to be an even greater success than the original Toy Story, grossing over $485 million worldwide. Is also introduced new characters like Jessie the Cowgirl (Joan Cusack),  Bullseye the horse, The Evil Emperor Zurg (Andrew Stanton) and Mr. Potato’s Head wife, Mrs. Potato Head (Estelle Harris). The film was then re-released in Disney Digital 3-D as part of a double feature, along with Toy Story, on October 2nd 2009.

Toy Story 3
Toy Story 3, the 3rd film in the franchise, was released in theatres and 3D June 18th 2010, eleven year later. It is the only Toy Story film not to be directed by John Lasseter (although he remained involved in the film as executive producer), but by Lee Unkrich, who edited the first two films and co-directed the second. Most of the cast from the first two films returned and reprised their roles. Jim Varney, the voice of Slinky Dog in the first two movies, died ten years before it was released so Blake Clark took over the role. Set ten years after the events of the second film, the plot focuses on Woody, Buzz, Jessie, Rex, Hamm, Slinky, Bullseye, Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head and the Aliens (Jeff Pidgeon) accidentally being dropped off at a daycare center while Andy is getting ready to go away to college. The film introduced many new characters such as Mr. Pricklepants the hedgehog (Timothy Dalton) and Trixie the Triceatops (Kristen Schaal) and contains and has over 150 characters, according to Pixar. It is currently Pixar's highest-grossing film of all time worldwide and domestic, Finding Nemo. Toy Story 3 grossed more than the first and second films combined, making it the first animated film to have crossed the $1 billion mark. In August 2010, it surpassed Shrek 2, becoming the highest-grossing animated film of all time until it was surpassed by Frozen, another Disney production, in March 2014.

Toy Story 4
Lee Unkrich initially stated that a fourth Toy Story film was not being planned. "Well, we don't have any plans for Toy Story 4," Unkrich said. "I'm flattered that people ask about it—it reminds me how much people love the characters, but it was really important to me with this film that we not just create another sequel, that it not just be another appendage coming off of the other two." Unkrich went on to say, "there may be opportunities for Woody and Buzz in the future, but we don't have any plans for anything right now." It was also reported that Hanks and Allen were signed on for a fourth Toy Story film if Pixar ever decided to produce one. In a BBC interview in 2011, Hanks said that he believed Pixar was working on a sequel. Disney denied the rumors saying, "nothing is official." Toy Story 4 was officially announced by Disney during an investor's call on November 6th 2014, originally scheduled for theatrical release on June 16th 2017. The movie is now set for theatrical release on June 15th 2018. John Lasseter will return to direct, while the screenplay will be written by Rashida Jones and Will McCormack from a story by Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter and Unkrich. Galyn Susman will produce. Lasseter has hinted that Toy Story 4 will be a love story. According to Lasseter, "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." In March 2015, Pixar president Jim Morris stated that the film will not be a continuation of the third film but will instead be a stand-alone sequel. The same month, Variety revealed that Josh Cooley, the head of story on Pixar's Inside Out, had been named the co-director of Toy Story 4. Around the same time, Lasseter revealed that the fourth film had been such a closely held secret at Pixar that even Morris and Edwin Catmull (president of both Pixar and Disney Animation, to whom Morris reports) did not know it was being discussed until Stanton had already finished a polished treatment. In August 2015, at D23 Expo, Lasseter said that the film would focus on the romance between Woody and Bo Peep. Its story will be built on the fact that Bo Peep was absent in Toy Story 3, with Woody and Buzz Lightyear trying to find her and bring her back. He also announced that Randy Newman will return to compose the soundtrack for the film. Kristen Schaal confirmed that her character Trixie will return.

Toy Story Treats
In 1996, Pixar created a series of shorts known as "Toy Story Treats" which were used as interstitials on ABC Family and Disney's One Too. They did not necessarily follow the continuity from Toy Story, though they were aired roughly around the time of the film's release to home video.

Buzz Lightyear of Star Command
Buzz Lightyear of Star Command is a spin-off TV series. The series takes place in the far future, a pastiche of Star Trek and Star Wars-style science fiction. It features Buzz Lightyear (Patrick Warburton), a famous, experienced Space Ranger who takes a crew of rookies under his wing as he investigates criminal activity across the galaxy and attempts to bring down Evil Emperor Zurg once and for all. It aired on ABC from August 8th 2000 to January 13th 2001.

Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins
Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins is a spin-off animated direct-to-video film, partially based on Toy Story. The film was released on August 8th 2000. It acts as a pilot to the television series Buzz Lightyear of Star Command and features Tim Allen as the voice of Buzz Lightyear, who is voiced by Patrick Warburton in the main series. In this film, Buzz Lightyear is a space ranger who fights against the evil Emperor Zurg, showing the inspiration for the Buzz Lightyear toyline that exists in the Toy Story series. Although the film was criticized for not using the same animation as in Toy Story and Toy Story 2, it sold three million VHS and DVDs in its first week of release.

Toy Story Toons
In 2011, Pixar started releasing short animated films to supplement the Toy Story films, called Toy Story Toons. The shorts pick up where Toy Story 3 has left off, with Woody, Buzz, and Andy's other toys finding a new home at Bonnie's. So far, three shorts have been released; Hawaiian Vacation, Small Fry, and Partysaurus Rex.

Hawaiian Vacation
Hawaiian Vacation, the first short, was directed by Gary Rydstrom and was released in theatres before Pixar's feature film Cars 2. In the short film, Ken and Barbie want to go to Hawaii, but get left behind, so Woody, Buzz and the other toys from the previous film console them by making a Hawaiian vacation in Bonnie's room.

Small Fry
Small Fry, the second short, premiered before The Muppets. This marks the second time a Pixar short has screened with a non-Pixar film, after Tokyo Mater screened with Bolt. It was Directed by Angus MacLane and involves Buzz getting trapped at a fast food restaurant at a support group for discarded toys, with a kids' meal toy version of Buzz taking his place.

Partysaurus Rex
Partysaurus Rex, the third of the series, was released with the theatrical 3D re-release of Finding Nemo. Directed by Mark Walsh with music composed by electronic artist BT, the short involves Rex getting left in the bathroom and making friends with bath toys.

Mythic Rock
Another short, titled Mythic Rock, is also in development.

TV Specials
Pixar has also developed two 22-minute Toy Story television specials. The first, a Halloween themed special, titled Toy Story of Terror!, aired on October 16th 2013 on ABC, while the second, titled Toy Story That Time Forgot, aired on December 2nd 2014.

Toy Story of Terror!
A Halloween themed 22-minute television special, titled Toy Story of Terror!, aired on ABC on October 16th 2013. It was directed by Angus MacLane, produced by Galyn Susman, with Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Don Rickles, Wallace Shawn, Timothy Dalton, and Kristen Schaal reprising their roles of Woody, Buzz, Jessie, Mr. Potato Head, Rex, Mr. Pricklepants, and Trixie with Carl Weathers as Combat Carl and Stephen Tobolowsky as Ron the motel manager. Michael Giacchino composed the music for the special. The film's soundtrack was released on October 15th 2013, on Amazon.com in digital format. The special follows the toys on their road trip, when a flat tire leads Bonnie and her mother to spend the night in a roadside motel. After Mr. Potato Head goes missing, the others begin to search for him.

Toy Story That Time Forgot
A Christmas-themed 22-minute television special, titled Toy Story That Time Forgot, aired on ABC on December 2nd 2014. It will be directed by Steve Purcell, and produced by Galyn Susman. Michael Giacchino, who composed the music for the first special, will return. Most of the regular cast will reprise their roles, including Tom Hanks as Woody, Tim Allen as Buzz, Kristen Schaal as Trixie, Wallace Shawn as Rex, Timothy Dalton as Mr. Pricklepants, Don Rickles as Mr. Potato Head, and Joan Cusack as Jessie, with Kevin McKidd joining as a new character, Reptillus Maximus. Taking place after a Christmas season, the toys find themselves lost in the world, when a set of the coolest action figures turns out to be dangerously delusional. It is up to Trixie to help the toys to return to Bonnie's room.

Box Office
Toy Story's first five days of domestic release (on Thanksgiving weekend), earned the film $39,071,176.[49] The film placed first in the weekend's box office with $29,140,617, and maintained its number one position at the domestic box office for the following two weekends. It was the highest-grossing domestic film in 1995,[50] and the third highest-grossing animated film at the time.[51]

Toy Story 2 opened at #1 over the Thanksgiving Day weekend, with a three-day tally of $57,388,839 from 3,236 theaters. It averaged $17,734 per theater over three days during that weekend, and stayed at #1 for the next two weekends. It was the third highest-grossing film of 1999.[52]

Toy Story 3 had a strong debut, opening in 4,028 theaters and grossing $41,148,961 at the box office on its opening day. In addition, Toy Story 3 had the highest opening day gross for an animated film on record. During its opening weekend, the film grossed $110,307,189, making it #1 for the weekend; it was the biggest opening weekend ever for any Pixar film. Toy Story 3 stayed at the #1 spot for the next weekend. The film had the second highest opening ever for an animated film. It was the highest-grossing film of 2010, both domestically and worldwide.[53][54] Toy Story 3 grossed over $1 billion, making it the seventh film in history, the second Disney film in 2010, the third Disney film overall, and the first animated film to do so.[55]

Critical Response
According to Rotten Tomatoes, the Toy Story trilogy is the most critically acclaimed trilogy of all time.[61] The first and second films received a 100% "Certified Fresh" rating, while the third holds a 99% "Certified Fresh" rating. According to the site, no other trilogy has had all of its films so highly rated - the Before Sunset trilogy comes closest with 98%, and Dollars trilogy and The Lord of the Rings film trilogy come after with average ratings of 95% and 94% respectively, while the Toy Story trilogy has an average of an almost perfect 99.7%.

According to Metacritic, the Toy Story trilogy is tied as the most critically acclaimed trilogy of all time, it and The Lord of the Rings film trilogy each having an average rounded score of 91 out of 100. As of July 20, 2010, every film in both trilogies is placed in the Top 100 of the site's Best Reviewed Movies List, but each Toy Story film is placed beneath a film in The Lord of the Rings trilogy.[62][63]

According to CinemaScore, polls conducted during the opening weekend, cinema audiences gave the series an average grade of "A", "A+", "A" respectively on an A+ to F scale.

Awards
Toy Story was nominated for three Academy Awards, including Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Score and Best Original Song for Randy Newman's "You've Got a Friend in Me". John Lasseter, the director of the film, also received a Special Achievement Award for "the development and inspired application of techniques that have made possible the first feature-length computer-animated film".[68] Toy Story was also the first animated film to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. At the 53rd Golden Globe Awards, Toy Story earned two Golden Globe nominations - Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and Best Original Song. It was also nominated for Best Special Visual Effects at the 50th British Academy Film Awards.

Toy Story 2 won a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and earned a single Academy Award nomination for the song "When She Loved Me" performed by Sarah McLachlan. The Academy Award for Best Animated Feature was introduced in 2001, after the first two Toy Story installments.

Toy Story 3 won two Academy Awards – Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song. It earned three other nominations, including Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Sound Editing. It was the third animated film in history to be nominated for Best Picture, after Beauty and the Beast and Up. Toy Story 3 also won the Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature Film and the award for Best Animated Film at the British Academy Film Awards.