Image copyright Disney/Pixar.
Pixar reveals a new trailer and new characters in preparation for Toy Story 3’s approaching release.
By Blake
Originally posted February 24, 2010.
It’s become quite apparent in the past few weeks that the people who are most excited for Pixar’s Toy Story 3 (which hits theaters June 18, 2010) is Pixar themselves. They haven’t been shy in sharing their enthusiasm for the highly-anticipated animated film lately.
You may read more after the jump.
On Wednesday, February 10, 2010, they released images of the first two of fourteen new characters to the public. The first was Ken, the all-smiles beau of Barbie that will be voiced by Michael Keaton (whose previous Pixar role was Chick Hicks in Cars).
Image copyright Disney/Pixar.
Also revealed on February 10 was Peas in a Pod, an adorable trio of soft plush toys.
Image copyright Disney/Pixar.
Next up, on February 11, was Lots-O’-Huggin’ Bear, a fuzzy pink stuffed animal that’s reportedly set to make a meet & greet debut at Disney’s Hollywood Studios this summer.
Image copyright Disney/Pixar.
Another new character to surface was Buttercup, who was unveiled on February 18. The enchanting unicorn will be voiced by Jeff Garlin (who also played the Axiom captain in Wall-E).
Image copyright Disney/Pixar.
Hot off the presses is yesterday’s addition (announced via Empire), Trixie, a triceratops that’s personally my favorite of the bunch so far. Trixie will be voiced by Kristen Schaal.
More new characters will be revealed in the coming weeks as the countdown to Toy Story 3 gets closer and closer. The official Toy Story website has additional information about each of the new characters (with the exception, for now, of Trixie), including a synopsis of each one as if they were an actual toy being sold in stores.
In addition to Pixar showing new characters online, they’ve also provided viewers with an all-new trailer, which was uploaded to Disney.com on February 11 and is the final trailer for the film until the its June 18 release. And it’s quite a doozey, I must say. Please mosey on over to the trailer’s official home at the Toy Story website to view it and then scurry on back here to read an analysis.
The trailer begins as Andy’s mom is packing up the toys and donating them to Sunnyside Daycare. Up until this point, we’ve known that the toys would indeed be taken to a daycare, but that’s where our knowledge pretty much stopped in the previous trailers. The new preview lets us wonder no more, and gives us a full tour of Sunnyside with the assistance of Lotso as our guide.
We see Barbie meet Ken for the first time, though something about Ken seems untrusting too me. I don’t know what it is, but he looks just a little bit too goody-goody to be a good guy, you know? Or perhaps I’m wrong.
We also get a peek at what the aforementioned Trixie’s personality will be like in a hilarious moment. When asked by Woody who Voloclstar237 is on the computer, she replies hastily while keying as fast as she possibly can “Just a dinosaur toy down the street . . . just a dinosaur.” Hysterical. I have a feeling she’s going to be one of my favorite new characters.
Upon closer inspection of that scene, when pausing the trailer as the computer screen is shown, we can see that Woody has apparently pulled up a map, giving us a further clue as to what the plot will eventually get at: the toys aren’t taking no for an answer. As loyal as always, they’re going to try to make it back home to give their owner one last farewell.
Image copyright Disney/Pixar.
Why would they want to do that, though? The clip released in December showed Andy tossing them in a trash bag to be put in the attic. They want to go back home to live in a stuffy bag upstairs? In a word, no.
The new trailer briefly reveals a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment where Mrs. Potato Head provides a plot twist that was under wraps until now. Several stills released from the film a few months ago depicted Mrs. Potato Head missing an eye, and the trailer tells us that the eye was actually left back home in Andy’s room. The trailer also shows that Mrs. Potato Head can still see through that eye, even though it’s not at the daycare, which I think is an ingeniously clever idea. This means that she can keep watch on Andy and even find out that he’s—gasp!—looking for his donated toys.
Additionally, this brings up a fascinating point: if Andy’s looking for his toys, that means he doesn’t know they’re at the daycare, right? Does he still think that they’re up in the attic where he thought that he put them? I suppose we’ll just have to wait and see.
Overall the new preview is a bit more laugh-oriented than its predecessor trailer, showing many jokes and not displaying as much heart. However, the first trailer proved more than makes up for that absence by confirming that audiences will indeed be exposed to a plentiful dose of heartwarming charm, possibly more than any other Pixar film. The subject of a child going to college is a tender topic that just about anybody can relate to. Either you’re a youngster that will eventually grow up, an adult that’s already grown up, or, like Andy, just about ready to leave home. I recently spoke with a current high school senior who is ecstatic about Toy Story 3—not because it’s a sequel, not because of the toys, but because Andy was going to college the same time that she was going to college.
That’s who this movie is going to affect the most. That’s what’s going to give this film the potential to transcend the screen and reach audiences on a personal level. That’s going to be the driving force that hits Toy Story 3 out of the park.
Related BlakeOnline articles:
- Disney Talk - Toys "R" Back, Part Two (posted August 1, 2009)
- Disney Talk - Old Toys (posted December 22, 2009)
By Blake; posted February 24, 2010. All images copyright Disney.
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