In anticipation of Toy Story 4‘s release on digital and Blu-Ray next month, Pixar has recently released three deleted and alternate scenes that were at one time part of the movie.
Shown in animatic form – storyboard-style line drawings with scratch voices – along with an introduction by director Josh Cooley, the scenes offer a glimpse into the story process and how many changes the film underwent over the course of its long production. These are some of my favorite things to be found in the bonus features of any Pixar home release – it’s so fun to get the behind-the-scenes insights directly from the people who were responsible for the movie.
The first deleted scene that was shared depicted Bonnie’s playtime, influenced by her struggles learning to read in school:
Before Toy Story 4 came out, I was wondering if it would start with a playtime or fantasy scene, like Toy Story 2 and Toy Story 3 both did. Ultimately, they went a different route – in this case because it didn’t add anything to the overall story – and I do think it was important to remind moviegoers (at least the ones who aren’t dedicated fans) about Bo Peep and her relationship with Woody. But I do hope we’ll get to see more playtimes in the future, and more of the toys’ everyday life in Bonnie’s room.
The second clip shows Buzz encountering knock-off toy versions of himself at the carnival booth:
This would have been a nice alternative to his run-in with Ducky and Bunny – I’m still not crazy about the way they bullied him, but it is what it is. Or would he still have encountered the plushes? Anyway, it would have been funny to see him have to deal with a squad of deluded pseudo-Buzzes.
The last scene, however, was the most significant and impactful. Because at one point over the past several years of story revisions, Bo and Woody were not going to stay together in the end:
Oof. This would have been very hard to watch, and I’m very glad we got the ending we did. I know there are people who were bothered by Woody and Buzz saying goodbye, but to me, moving away from friends to be with your significant other is a natural part of life. I went into the film just wanting the two main couples to be intact at the end, and they were. I’m happy that Woody and Bo are together now, and that Buzz and Jessie are carrying on in Bonnie’s room, with Forky and the others.
The home release of Toy Story 4 comes in just a few weeks, with digital on October 1 and Blu-Ray on October 8. I can’t wait to see the other treasures included in the special features!
Images and videos © Disney/Pixar.
Toy Story Fangirl 