Summary
TheToy Storyfranchise boasts a plethora of incredible characters who have all contributed to the stories throughout the previous four movies.Toy Story 3andToy Story 4certainly ramped up the number of new characters, which led to some great moments, but it also took away from many of the originals.
WithPixarcommitted to creating another chapter in this iconic franchise, the story could refocus on the characters that helped build the franchise in the first place.
How Pixar Forgot Many Original Characters
TheToy Storyfranchise has always been an ensemble cast, with the story centered on a group of toys that Andy or Bonnie owns. That has opened up more creative options for them, which has been beneficial. The focus has always been onspecific characters such as Woodyand Buzz Lightyear, but the additional cast has always added so much color and personality to this world, which has been a critical aspect of the success.
However, inToy Story 3, many new characters were introduced as they were placed into daycare, where plenty of toys lived. That made sense for the story, but it did take away from many of the original characters. The likes of Rex and Hamm fell into background roles where they only had a few lines rather than feeling like core aspects of the story. That was then enhanced inToy Story 4when the story followed Woody, who spent the majority of the movie away from the classic characters.
While he did reunite with Bo Peep, even the likes of Jessie, Bullseye, and Mr and Mrs Potato Head were made to feel like spare parts at the bottom of the toy chest. It was a poor decision because those are the characters that helped build the franchise and are who many people have connections with and want to see develop their personalities. Adding fresh characters is always key inkeeping a franchise as old asToy Storyalive, but it doesn’t always have to be at the expense of the other cast members.
Why They Must Be The Focus Of Toy Story 5
TheToy Storyfranchiseis at an interesting point with the fifth movie; if the decision is made not to focus on the older characters, then there will be more films without them being the clear focus of the story than there have been. That would divide a lot of fans because the newer characters who have been added in the previous two movies haven’t had as much of an impact as the classic cast.
People still know the likes of Jessie, Bullseye, and Slinky Dog more than Bonnie’s toys that were added inToy Story 3or the new additions inToy Story 4, such as Forky. The older characters are the ones that people still associate with this franchise because the first two movies are so iconic. That is why this film ultimatelyneeds to focus on them more, as their personalities and their connections to each other keep driving people back to watching more movies as Pixar continues to make them. Therefore, not reflecting on them and giving them the necessary screen time would be a disservice to the fans.
Which Characters Should Be Utilized
Woody and Buzz are two characters that can almost beguaranteed to get a lot of focus. They’re ultimately the lead roles of this franchise, and a movie that doesn’t concentrate on them would frustrate people. However, Buzz himself should get a little more attention in this one. Even he felt like an afterthought inToy Story 4,which should never be the case because he brings so many options as a character.
Outside of that, the main character who needs more attention is Jessie. While she wasn’t in the original cast, as she didn’t enter the franchise untilToy Story 2, she should still be a character who gets more attention. She was barely part ofToy Story 4due to remaining in the campervan, and that was disappointing to many as she’s not only seen as a core character, but she’s also the leading female character for this franchise.
Then there are the likes of Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head, Hamm, and Rex, who fell by the wayside inToy Story 3. They deserved more attention and focus because they’re characters with strong personalities who offer great one-liners when in a wider cast. Simply having them in the background makes them feel like they’re just there to pad out a scene and make it look like there are more toys around, which should never be the case.
Toy Story 5is a movie that many Pixar fans weren’t necessarily asking for, and afterthe flop that was theLightyearspinoff, it’s important to get them back on board because they are the core audience. The way that can be achieved is by concentrating on the original characters that audiences love so much as they’re the ones that people are most interested in seeing on the big screen again to see where their journeys lead.
