Top 10 Things We Want to See in Toy Story 4
#10: No More Connections to Andy
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The third film ends with Andy giving our plastic protagonists away to a young girl named Bonnie, essentially passing the torch to another generation. It was a beautiful farewell to Andy and further connections to him might detract or distract from the future of the series. The adventures of Woody and Buzz might continue, but let Andy’s story arc end on the high note. Plus, if Andy is referenced and “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” begins to play, we’re not sure we could keep it together.
#9: A Don Rickles Tribute
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Veteran actor and comedian Don Rickles was the voice of Mr. Potato Head in the “Toy Story” films, bringing his characteristic abrasive charm to the role. Sadly, Rickles passed away in 2017, leaving the future of the character in “Toy Story 4” uncertain. Whether the filmmakers decide to recast him, as they did with Slinky Dog when Jim Varney died, or if they decide to omit Potato Head entirely, we’re hopeful that they’ll find some way of paying tribute to Don Rickles in the movie.
#8: Another Randy Newman Hit
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Composer Randy Newman has contributed musical scores, as well as a couple award-winning songs, to various Pixar films. Since he played a part in the previous three “Toy Story” films, the upcoming fourth installment wouldn’t be complete without him. He’s supplied all of these films with a melancholy sentiment that really tugs at our heartstrings, while also giving insight into the characters’ feelings. While it’s a good bet any new song would do the same, a more upbeat one wouldn’t be unwelcome. After all – it’s not like we want to cry every time we see a “Toy Story” movie.
#7: Address the Shift Towards Digital
These days, physical toys have become less popular as digital entertainment like video games have become more common for kids of all ages. This was touched upon in the television special, “Toy Story That Time Forgot,” and could be further discussed in the next film as well. Maybe the characters could deal with being neglected in favor of newer technology, or get into direct conflict with anthropomorphic game consoles or tablets. Heck, there could even have a crossover with Wreck-It Ralph, since Disney owns that franchise too. While we’re on the subject…
#6: Bring Other Disney Properties Into the Mix
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Since the release of “Toy Story 3” in 2010, the number of properties Disney owns has expanded considerably. While we’ve already mentioned “Wreck-It Ralph,” “Frozen” seems like another great fit, seeing how it’s become a merchandizing monster. With Marvel and “Star Wars” also at their disposal, there’s a whole plethora of toy options for the filmmakers to play around with. Just imagine a Rey action figure meeting a Tony Stark toy. The actors from the films could even return to voice their characters in animated form. Now that would be awesome!
#5: A Female Main Villain
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Thus far, the “Toy Story” films have all featured male villains – Sid from the first film, Emperor Zurg and Stinky Pete from the second, and Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear from the third. A female villain would offer a nice change of pace, creating an antagonist unlike anything we’ve ever seen from this franchise before. Some sources have claimed that “Toy Story 4” will feature romantic elements, so perhaps the villain could be a love interest for Woody whom he comes into conflict with. Of course there are plenty of other possibilities for a villainess that we’d love to see explored.
#4: Bo Peep
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Speaking of Woody’s love interests, his primary romantic liaison was with Bo Peep. While she played the damsel in Andy’s imagination, Bo was more forthright and assertive in her interactions with Woody and the other toys. However, she was absent in “Toy Story 3” and her departure was felt by both the characters and the audience. As we discussed earlier, romance is a topic that’s been thrown around regarding “Toy Story 4.” We hope Bo will get back together with Woody, though if she doesn’t appear, it’d also be intriguing to see the cowboy move on with another toy lady.
#3: A Better Buzz
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One of the more disappointing parts of “Toy Story 3” was the sidelining of Buzz Lightyear. He primarily acted as comic relief rather than contributing much to the plot. In the first film, his repartee with Woody and his discovery that he’s a toy were major plot threads, while the second film saw him take up a leadership position in Woody’s absence. Also, Woody is the one who gets the lion’s share of character focus in every film so far, so we’d like to see a bigger emphasis on Buzz, either alongside Woody as in the first movie, or with a storyline of his own.
#2: New Toys to Add in Bonnie's Collection
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At the end of “Toy Story 3,” Andy’s original toys are passed on to Bonnie, who also has some toys of her own. It’s possible that we haven’t met them all yet, however, and she’s sure to receive new toys at some point. We’ve already mentioned a few possibilities based on other mediums, but there are plenty of options for contemporary and classic playthings that could appear as well. Regardless of their origin, we look forward to seeing an expanded cast in “Toy Story 4.”
#1: Woody Finds a Snake in His Boot [FAKEOUT]
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Just kidding! While it would be hilarious to see Woody’s famous catchphrase realized onscreen, our real number one is…
#1: A Satisfying Ending to the Franchise
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We love the “Toy Story” movies, but we don’t want them to continue forever. The series has set such a high bar that we’d hate to see its quality suffer if they continue with more sequels after “Toy Story 4.” Many felt that “Toy Story 3” was as good an ending as we could hope for, so it would be tough to wrap things up as neatly again, but we have faith in Pixar. If the series must continue, though, we think it’d be a good idea for Woody and the gang to pass the torch to a new set of toys.
