The Pixar series is back for another go-round.
Photo Credit: Disney/Pixar
Nine years after we bid an emotional goodbye to Andy and the toys — minus the couple of TV specials we've gotten in between — Pixar's most popular franchise is back with another numbered chapter: Toy Story 4. The anthropomorphic toy gang, from Woody (Tom Hans) to Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), will set off on a new adventure that also involves a new toy called Forky (Tony Hale), made by their new human owner Bonnie in an arts and crafts project. Directed by feature film debutante Josh Cooley (Riley's First Date?), off a script by Stephany Folsom and Andrew Stanton, who has co-written all previous entries, Toy Story 4 is set to be the final film in the series, according to Hanks. From release date to tickets in India, here's all you need to know about Toy Story 4.
The fourth chapter of the Toy Story franchise is out Thursday, June 20 in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Colombia, Croatia, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Israel, New Zealand, the Philippines, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, and Ukraine.
Toy Story 4 opens Friday, June 21 in India, the US, the UK, Canada, China, Indonesia, Ireland, Mexico, Spain, Sri Lanka, Turkey, and Vietnam. It will then bow Monday, June 24 in Lebanon, followed by Belgium, France, Italy, and Netherlands on Wednesday, June 26. Portugal gets Toy Story 4 on Thursday, June 27, with Bulgaria, Madagascar, and Romania after that on Friday, June 28.
In Japan, the Pixar movie will release on July 12. In Slovakia, it opens August 8, and August 9 in Lithuania and Poland. Those in Germany will have to wait till August 15 for Toy Story 4, till August 29 in Demark, and August 30 in Sweden. That leaves Finland, where Toy Story 4 will arrive September 6.
Over a dozen cast members are set to reprise their voice roles as Toy Story characters from past entries. That includes Tom Hanks as Woody, Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear, Annie Potts as Bo Peep, Joan Cusack as Jessie, Wallace Shawn as Rex, Blake Clark as Slinky Dog, John Ratzenberger as Hamm, Estelle Harris as Mrs. Potato Head, Jodi Benson as Barbie, Jeff Pidgeon as the Aliens, Kristen Schaal as Trixie, Bonnie Hunt as Dolly, Timothy Dalton as Mr. Pricklepants, Jeff Garlin as Buttercup, Laurie Metcalf as Andy's mom Mrs. Davis, and Lori Alan as Bonnie's mom Mrs. Anderson.
Don Rickles will also reprise his role as Mr. Potato Head, but through the use of previously-recorded material, since Rickles died in early 2017. A young Andy, and Bonnie are back as well, but they are voiced by new cast members Jack McGraw and Madeleine McGraw, respectively.
Moving on to new cast members and characters in Toy Story 4, there's Tony Hale (Veep) as Forky, Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele (Key & Peele) as plush toys Ducky and Bunny, Keanu Reeves (The Matrix) as the self-proclaimed “Canada's greatest stuntman” Duke Caboom, Christina Hendricks (Mad Men) as a 1950s pullstring doll named Gabby Gabby whose voicebox is broken, and Ally Maki (Wrecked) as Giggle McDimples, a miniature police officer.
Four veteran comedians have also lent their voices to Toy Story 4, likely playing semi-fictionalised versions of themselves. They include Mel Brooks as Melephant Brooks, Carol Burnett as Chairol Burnett, Carl Reiner as Carl Reineroceros, and Betty White as Bitey White.
Here's the official synopsis for Toy Story 4, from Disney:
“Woody has always been confident about his place in the world and that his priority is taking care of his kid, whether that's Andy or Bonnie. So, when Bonnie's beloved new craft-project-turned-toy, Forky, declares himself as “trash” and not a toy, Woody takes it upon himself to show Forky why he should embrace being a toy. But when Bonnie takes the whole gang on her family's road trip excursion, Woody ends up on an unexpected detour that includes a reunion with his long-lost friend Bo Peep. After years of being on her own, Bo's adventurous spirit and life on the road belie her delicate porcelain exterior. As Woody and Bo realize they're worlds apart when it comes to life as a toy, they soon come to find that's the least of their worries.”
Pixar released the first teaser trailer — set to Judy Collins' “Both Sides Now” — for Toy Story 4 last November, which introduced the new toy Forky and his voice actor Hale. A second teaser was released after Super Bowl in February, showcasing the return of Bo Peep. A full trailer (below) followed in March, and the final trailer followed in May.
Ticket sales for Toy Story 4 in India will likely go on sale in the week of release, either on Tuesday or Wednesday. We have reached out to Disney India for confirmation and will update if we hear back.
Early reviews are now out for Toy Story 4 and most of them paint a favourable view of the latest entry. Our review of Toy Story 4 will be out next week, closer to release.
Get your daily dose of tech news, reviews, and insights, in under 80 characters on Gadgets 360 Turbo. Connect with fellow tech lovers on our Forum. Follow us on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News for instant updates. Catch all the action on our YouTube channel.