The film has seen multiple home media releases and a theatrical 3-D re-release in 2009, 10 years after its initial release. Toy Story 2 has been considered by critics to be one of few sequel films to outshine the original, and it continues to be featured frequently on lists of the greatest animated films ever made. Although most Pixar features take years to develop, the established release date could not be moved and the production schedule for Toy Story 2 was compressed into nine months.ĭespite production struggles, Toy Story 2 opened in theatres Novemto wildly successful box office numbers, eventually grossing over $497 million, and received universal acclaim from critics. Lasseter and the story team redeveloped the entire plot in one weekend. When story reels proved promising, Disney upgraded the film to theatrical release, but Pixar was unhappy with the film's quality.
Toy Story 2 began production in a building separated from Pixar, on a small scale, as most of the main Pixar staff were busy working on A Bug's Life (1998). It was the last Toy Story film that starred Jim Varney as Slinky Dog before his death in 2000.ĭisney initially envisioned the film as a direct-to-video sequel. In the film, Woody is stolen by a toy collector named Al McWhiggin, prompting Buzz Lightyear and his friends to vow to rescue him, but Woody is then tempted by the idea of immortality in a museum. They are joined by Joan Cusack, Estelle Harris, Jodi Benson, Wayne Knight and Kelsey Grammer who play the new characters introduced here. Lee Ermey reprise their roles from the first film. Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Annie Potts, Wallace Shawn, Jim Varney, John Ratzenberger, Don Rickles, John Morris, Laurie Metcalf and R.
Directed by John Lasseter and co-directed by Lee Unkrich and Ash Brannon, it is the sequel to the 1995 film Toy Story. Toy Story 2 is a 1999 American computer-animated comedy adventure film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures.