Toy Story 4 is finally heading into theaters this weekend, giving families with kids at home an alternative to The Secret Life of Pets 2. As the new movie heads closer to release, we’ve learned a few more amazing facts about the movie, including that writer Andrew Stanton worked on the title in secret for a long time at Pixar before revealing his work to his peers.
However, while that “secret” draft of Toy Story 4 was coming together, Josh Cooley says the idea to bring Annie Pott’s Bo Peep back into the fold was always present. The story behind the making of Toy Story 4 is a lovely one and you can take a look at what director Josh Cooley, producer Mark Nielsen, and (later) Annie Potts have to say in exclusive interview footage below.
Toy Story 3 was an animated flick that didn’t include Bo Peep and that riled up some fans thanks to her being missing from the otherwise likable plot. Theories have abounded about what happened to Bo Peep in the time since, and it’s super cool that Andrew Stanton really kept that idea as a focal point when he was crafting the script for Toy Story 4.
In that way, the fact the Toy Story franchise didn't end with the third movie is actually a great thing, because it allowed the writers and creative team to answer a question a lot of fans had. Although Josh Cooley has previously spoken out about why the fourth movie came about and why his team decided to ultimately tell this story.
No matter how the script for Toy Story 4 changed – and it did change, losing characters like a “crowd pleaser” Dancing Santa and more – Bo Peep was always at the heart of the narrative.
That likely would be a tall task for any actor or actress to come into, but Bo Peep actress Annie Potts seems pleased about the outcome. During a press day in Orlando, it was revealed to CinemaBlend and other outlets that Potts was able to do some of the voice work for the film alongside Tom Hanks, who famously plays Woody -- a character who just so happens to be Bo's love interest.
But while the old Bo Peep and Woody dynamic is still very familiar, Bo Peep has changed a lot since she left the playroom. In an exclusive interview, Annie Potts also shared why she was happy to bring Bo Peep back into the Toy Story fold and what she was most excited to share with audiences about the character during the events of Toy Story 4.
She told CinemaBlend that she loved Bo Peep's "survivorship," noting,
The actress compares her character to the famous “Unsinkable Molly Brown” and once you see Toy Story 4, hopefully, you’ll see where she’s coming from.
Luckily, you don’t have too much longer to wait. The flick has early previews tonight and will be around in theaters all weekend. But if animation isn't your jam, be sure to check out our full summer release schedule to see what competition is coming next.
