Disney’s D23 Expo was held this past weekend in Anaheim, and lots of announcements came out of the event’s panels and presentations. Among those were some new details about the Toy Story shorts Forky Asks A Question and Lamp Life, which will be a part of the new Disney+ streaming service launching this November.
I can’t help but notice that now that the first trailers are out, and Toy Story 4 is back in the spotlight, there seems to be a lot of confusion and misinformation circulating about the current plot and where things stand. It’s been ages since I did a recap post – considering we’ve heard nothing from Pixar for such a long time – so I figured it would be helpful to summarize what we actually know about the movie as of right now.
It’s been nearly five months since the D23 Expo back in July, and I’ve been working on this post here and there since then, trying to collect my thoughts and photos from our experience – there was a lot about the event to process, and I’ve been rather overwhelmed with the thought of summarizing it all. However, with the recent controversy over John Lasseter’s allegations of misconduct, my recollections are now rather bittersweet. I’m thankful, though, that we attended the Expo while the magic was still unsullied for us. And since I refuse to let anyone destroy my love for Pixar or the toys – I will continue to view the studios as the sum of all the talented people who work there, not as one sole person – I’d like to look back, and share what we saw and learned at the Expo in regards to Pixar, and Toy Story specifically.
Yesterday’s breaking news about John Lasseter’s six-month sabbatical from Pixar and Disney Animation Studios, resulting from accusations of “missteps” brought against him, hit me like a ton of bricks, as I’m sure it did many other Pixar fans. But before anyone starts sharpening their pitchforks to come at me, I’d like to clarify that the intention of this post isn’t to be political, or controversial. Until more concrete details come out, I respectfully choose to keep my views and opinions to myself. One thing I do want to address, however, is the insight that this situation has brought to light regarding the delays Toy Story 4 has suffered in production over the past few years.
I felt the need to write this post for myself as much as for the other Toy Story fans out there. There have been so many unfounded rumors going around lately about Toy Story 4, that I often end up searching through past articles and interviews for a reminder of what we truly know about the movie to date. I thought it would be helpful to have all the relevant quotes – from reputable, official sources – saved in one spot for future reference. So, grab a cup of coffee (or whatever your choice may be), get comfy, and travel back with me through the past ten months to review what the Toy Story 4 cast and crew have given us – there’s more than you might think!
Toy Story Fangirl 