[The following contains spoilers for Toy Story 4 and also an alternate universe version of Toy Story 4 that had a different ending.]
Toy Story 4 ended with a somewhat surprising resolution, especially given the plots of the first three movies, with Woody realizing that it was possible for him to live a fulfilling life without needing to tie his very existence to the attention of some kid. Along with Bo Peep, Woody left all of his friends and their new owner Bonnie so he could live on the road, free from the pressures of appearing in future Toy Story movies. However, as reported by Entertainment Weekly, the upcoming home version of Toy Story 4 includes an alternate ending that is literally the exact opposite of what happened in the movie.
EW has a rough animatic sequence detailing this alternate ending, but the basic idea is that, rather than fully committing herself to the idea that she doesn’t need a kid to be happy, Bo Peep has a realization that she should dedicate her life to “the kid from the store” (as seen earlier in the film). As EW explains, this is completely contrary to the preceding events in Toy Story 4, so it seems unlikely that Pixar just flipped a coin and decided on the other ending, which would mean that there might be an unfinished version of the film deep in the Pixar vaults that is about a completely different thing.
You can learn more about Toy Story 4's special features when the Blu-ray comes out on October 8.
21 Comments
The ending was such a left turn.
Well, TS1’s original rough cut had Woody pushing Buzz out of the window. But he came off looking like a real bag of dicks so they scrapped that and went the way they did with it being an accident. I’m sure this happens all the time?
Either ending suffers from the fact that Woody’s story was really over at the end of Toy Story 3. He accepted loss, not just Andy but Bo Peep having been lost before, and embraced an uncertain future alongside Buzz. It was nicely bittersweet. But Toy Story 4 had to undo his acceptance to have anything happen.
I had a good time with most of Toy Story 4 but I can’t help but resent it a bit for undoing the near perfect bow that TS3 put on this franchise. It’s so hard for trilogies to end on a high note, I wish they had left this story alone
I went in thinking that this film was pointless, and the movie didn’t disappoint in that measure. Buzz and the gang were barely in the film, which was bad enough, but the biggest problem is that it feels like two different movies slapped together, or more accurately, two TV specials put together.Forky is, admittedly, a pretty interesting character, and his constant attempts to escape were actually decently amusing. Plus, the scene with Woody stowing away in the backpack and sneaking off to throw Forky’s materials up to Bonnie is genuinely my favorite scene in the movie.Unfortunately, Forky drops the whole “I’m trash!” bit way too easily, and more problematic, ceases to be important to the movie once Woody finds the antique store. From then on, the plot pivots over to Woody and Bo Peep while Forky, at best, is reduced to a plot device. The plot also had the (presumably unintentional) result of making Bonnie look like a jackass by heavily playing with all of Andy’s toys EXCEPT Woody. Which honestly feels odd to me since little kids love toys with floppy limbs. As for this ending, cutting it is probably for the best, as it would’ve been a retread of TS3, but I wasn’t a fan of Woody leaving the gang at the end either, so it doesn’t make much difference in the long run. It most certainly wasn’t the sexist, pro-patriarchy message that io9 seems to think it was.
I agree that Forky’s “I’m trash” thing was dropped too easily, and the idea could’ve gone somewhere interesting had it been explored (though it kind of explores this idea through other characters). He basically dropped it as soon as Woody explained that Bonnie see’s him the way he see’s trash (or something like that, I saw the movie a while ago). But as for Bonnie looking like a jackass, c’mon. Just cause she didnt want to play with Woody? Kids get bored with their toys, that’s just regular kid behavior. Who would interpret that as her being a “jackass?”
I’ll cut Bonnie some slack, but I fully agree with all of the rest of what you said
Very good points. My biggest problem with this film is that it went the Cars route. Here, as in Cars 2 and 3, the main character – Woody/Lightning – is treated as the only important character while his friends are treated as if they exist solely to react to the main character. The characters we love were (mostly) robbed of their personalities and were allowed to speak only to serve as “the wacky neighbors”. Which served the story being told here, but this story wasn’t a Toy Story story. It was a Woody story.
I would’ve been fine with “Hop-along, Woody” or some other NON-Toy-Story name, and I would’ve enjoyed it for what it was. As a Toy Story movie, it’s severely lacking, as well as a sad ending for a previously-impressive series.
So, Woody: A Toy Story, then?
two TV specials put togetherI’m generally not a “this” gal, but this.
I feel significantly dumber having read this. Your qualms with the plot are idiosyncratic to the point of pettiness. Kids like playing with toys with floppy arms? Lol what?
#ReleaseTheWoodyCut
I don’t think I’ll ever see Toy Story 4.Not out of anger, I should add. I’m not opposed to it. I don’t hate the fact that it exists. I won’t storm out of the room if someone happens to put it on. But Toy Story 3 wrapped up those movies so completely, so finally, that no matter how good 4 is I can’t see how there’s any way I’ll be able to watch it without it feeling utterly redundant. So if it finds me, fine, but I’ll never seek this one out.Plus, the trailers really seemed to be Pixar straining for maximum “Weep! We’re the bittersweet animated company that makes you cry!” effect.
If only the movies existed, I’d agree with you. However, there has already been a number of shorts and specials that have showed us the gang with Bonnie so that has become the next iteration of its universe. I agree with a previous poster that the movie is way too Woody centric. It is enjoyable though, but it is nowhere near as good as TS3.
TBH that’s kind of my point — I don’t think the original three Toy Story movies need a “next iteration”. I haven’t bothered watching any of those specials either.
Partysaurus Rex rules
Except the first three movies were about Andy growing up, as seen through his toys. This one was about Woody growing up.
I didn’t think there needed to be a Toy Story 4 either, but I thought they pulled off a surprising success with it.
I saw it and liked it a lot. I love the first three movies, and the end of TS3 was a great way to finish that particular set of them, but the way I see it, this movie and the shorts or whatever are just more adventures with some characters I love. Seeing TS4 and enjoying it the way I did doesn’t diminish my opinion of those first three movies. The movies, the shorts, it’s all enjoyable to me.I just don’t find the point in applying any sort of preciousness to entertainment like that. I either enjoy it, or I don’t. I love the original Star Wars trilogy, but I don’t love the prequels. Do the prequels destroy how much I love the OT? Not really. I can still watch all three of them and have just as much fun as I ever did.
In fairness, it’s less “preciousness” and more “lack of interest”. As I say, I’m not mortally offended by the existence of anything Toy Story-related after Toy Story 3, it just doesn’t really appeal to me. I’ll watch them if I happen to stumble upon them and I’m sure I’d enjoy them, since there’s obviously a baseline of quality going on here; I’m just fine sticking with the original three and lack the interest to really be bothered actively seeking out opportunities to watch them. I’ve reached my station and am happy for the train to carry on without me, basically.
Which of course is more than fair.
Am I the only one perpetually a little freaked out by the Toy Story movies and feeling like the fourth film actually fixed some stuff? Three of the four films have an antagonist who can’t cope with the fact that being a toy absolutely sucks unless you’re in the right situation. You’re tied to a purpose you can’t choose, with someone who can’t do right by you because they don’t know you exist, and at any time you can be replaced or abandoned or literally die in a fire. We constantly see toys that are traumatized by this. (Jessie has panic attacks. Duke Kaboom has PTSD flashbacks. Duckie and Bunny have violent fantasies. Forky has some kind of species dysmorphia. These are the better adjusted ones.)Bonnie always felt like a Band-Aid to me. Their universe absolutely needs Woody and Bo’s Mobile Therapy and Foster Placement. And it’s what Woody has done for other toys since Buzz in the first movie anyway. I’d rather get a series about that instead of Forky Discovers Basic Objects or whatever those shorts are gonna be.