On November 22, 1995, moviegoers flocked to theaters for an ambitious film that introduced them to a new style of groundbreaking animation that would have a huge impact on pop culture and revolutionize the animated artform.
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“Toy Story” was Pixar Animation Studio’s debut film that features a group of toys that come to life whenever humans are not present. The film includes the voice talents of Tom Hanks (Sheriff Woody), Tim Allen (Buzz Lightyear), Don Rickles (Mr. Potato Head), and Annie Potts (Little Bo Peep), among other well-known actors.
To commemorate the film’s twenty fifth birthday, we’ll take a look at some of the highlights of the original “Toy Story” and its sequels, and the impact the film had on the craft of animation:
Pixar Enters The World Stage
Now one of the biggest animation studios, it’s hard to imagine a time when Pixar Animation Studios was a fledgling company. In 1986, Steve Jobs purchased the young studio for $10 million and that same year, the Pixar Image Computer was used to produce the short film “Luxo Jr.” The unique mesh of storytelling and technology was so engaging that it won an Oscar for Best Animated Short at the 1986 Academy Awards.
During this time, Walt Disney Feature Animation was experiencing a second flowering with the success of “The Little Mermaid” and “Beauty and the Beast.” Due to animation hitting a high note in film, as well as on television, The Walt Disney Company began testing the waters with other forms of animation through partnerships outside its feature film division.
One partnership with Tim Burton produced 1993’s box office hit “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” and its success opened the door for Disney to explore partnering with other studios. After the success of Pixar’s shorts, Disney took a chance and made a $26 million deal to produce three movies with Pixar, and “Toy Story” was given the green light.
CG Animation on the Big Screen
“Toy Story” was the first animated film created entirely of computer generated imagery. During this era, hand-drawn animated films like “The Lion King” and “Aladdin” dominated the box office skyline. The release of “Toy Story” created a shift in how studios approached their animated films and the possibilities of telling stories in ways never done before.
Since its original release two and a half decades ago, the revolutionary use of computer animation to bring Woody and Buzz Lightyear to the screen has become a standard approach for animated feature films.
Oscar, I Presume?
“Toy Story” became the first animated feature ever to score an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay. In fact, the film was nominated for three other Oscars that year, including Best Original Score and Best Song for “You’ve Got a Friend in Me.” It didn’t win awards in those categories, but it did receive the Special Achievement Academy Award.
In 2019, “Toy Story 4” won the Oscar for Best Animated Film.
A Box Office Giant
Released in November 1995, “Toy Story” received positive reviews, and would eventually gross more than $192 million at the domestic box office and $358 million worldwide. Its success would be followed by subsequent sequels, which include “Toy Story 2” (1999), “Toy Story 3” (2010), and “Toy Story 4” (2019).
Each film set box office records during their original releases, with “Toy Story 3” and “Toy Story 4” being included in the top 50 worldwide films of all time. The combined total box office gross of all four films is a little north of $3 billion, making it one of the most successful franchises of all time.
According to Rotten Tomatoes, the four films have scores between 97 percent and 100 percent, which also makes it one of the most critically acclaimed franchises.
Inside Pixar
If you’re interesting in learning more about the animation studio behind the Toy Story franchise, Disney+ now offers viewers a chance to go behind the scenes of one of animation’s most prolific studios.
“Inside Pixar,” the latest docuseries on the streamer, takes a look into the people, artistry, and culture of Pixar Animation Studios.
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Let’s Hear From You
Can you believe that it’s been 25 years since Toy Story was released?! Are you a fan of the franchise? Let us know what Toy Story and its characters mean to you. Should their be a Toy Story 5? And, take our poll below to let us know which is your favorite Toy Story film.