Trailer Tuesday: Toy Story 3

I'm ashamed to admit this, but I must be one of the few people in the world who has never watched the first 2 Toy Story films from Pixar and Disney. The first Toy Story, in particular, was a game changer as far as animated family films are concerned. Although looking a tad dated now, the original film - depicting the rivalries between a young boy's sentient toys - led the CGI-animation revolution... which may have explained my resistance to the franchise at the time (1995). After years of aspiring to become a pencil and paper animator, I was horrified to see 2D going the way of the dodo.


Anyway, over the years I seem to have developed nostalgic feelings for the Toy Story franchise by association, and I know there are many, many people out there - of all ages - whose hearts fill with joy and affection at the thought of Woody, Buzz Lightyear, the Potato Heads, Rex, Hamm, Slinky Dog, the toy soldiers and the various other inhabitants of Andy's toy box. Now, Toy Story fans can rejoice again! Fifteen years after Toy Story and 11 years after Toy Story 2, the third (and final) installment in the franchise, Toy Story 3 is here.

Toy Story 3 is this year's big release from Pixar, and the film's storyline - as written by Little Miss Sunshine's scripter, Michael Arndt - centres on that day Woody has been dreading for years: the day his beloved owner Andy grows up and heads off to college. As the trailer above, as well as this earlier trailer, make clear, Andy's toys get more than they bargained for when they are donated to Sunnyside Daycare. Not only do they have to contend with some very rough play by mewling, mucous-smeared brats at the centre, but the other daycare toys may not be as welcoming as they initially appear.

And after last week's brief blog discussion about the fate of our old toys, I'm sure many people out there are curious how things pan out for Woody, Buzz and co. Personally I suspect it ends with a touching and tearful "letting go" sequence.


For the record, the entire celebrity voice cast of Toy Story 1 and 2 is back for #3 - with the exception of a few actors who have passed away over the last decade, like Jim Varney as Slinky Dog). So you'll be listening to Tom Hanks as Woody, Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear, Don Rickles as Mr Potato Head, Joan Cusack as Jessie, Wallace Shawn as Rex and John Ratzenberger as Hamm, just to name a few. Newcomers to the franchise include Michael Keaton as Barbie's Ken, Ned Beatty as Lots-o'-Huggin' Bear, Whoopi Goldberg as Stretch the Octopus, Timothy Dalton as Pricklepants the Hedgehog and Bonnie Hunt as Dolly.

Toy Story hits North American AND South African cinemas next Friday, on 18 June. The film will be screening in traditional format and Disney Digital 3D in select theaters.