Early on the morning of March 19, Pixar released the first trailer for the latest entry in the Toy Story series. Nine long years have passed since the the previous film was released, and the trailer came out swinging by showing many fan favorites returning and both old and new characters making an entrance. From the tone of the trailer, Pixar is aiming to make everyone in the audience bawl their eyes out.
Pixar is no stranger to pumping out emotional films. The first ten minutes of Up are geared towards making you sob like a toddler. However, the tone of Toy Story 4 seems specifically targeted toward adults. In the trailer alone, Woody is confronted with the question of what his purpose as a toy is — not to mention the newest addition to the cast asks “Why am I alive?” 30 seconds into the trailer.
The studio has never shied away from sensitive topics, especially in more recent films. 2017’s Coco deals with issues such as dementia and abandonment. Still, Toy Story 4 is a dramatic tone shift in how the studio tackles issues. Instead of it being subtle and gradually growing as it progresses, Pixar has just posed the big question right in the trailer, three months before the movie is even released.
With how deep this trailer has gone, it seems as if Toy Story has grown up alongside those who originally watched the film. The original film was released over 23 years ago, and those who first saw the film are now well into their 20s and 30s. By making a film that asks so many questions about purpose, there are bound to be those who watch the film and question themselves. Come June, there could be an outbreak of adults having crises from an animated movie.
When the film — purported to be the final one in the series — is released, the audience is bound to be shaken to the core. Both Tim Allen and Tom Hanks have described the final scenes of the film as “hard to get through.” For someone to say something so dramatic, let alone the lead actors, means that viewers who aren’t aware of how the film goes down are in for a rough viewing experience.
By the time June 21 rolls around, fans will be eager to catch the final film of the series. From what we’ve been given so far, the film will definitely live up to expectations. Pixar — ever the studio willingly to string fans along and toy with their emotions like a bizarre puppet show —will anticipate the response to what will surely be its biggest film yet.
Jack Gleckler is a freshman studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. What do you think? Tell Jack by tweeting him at @thejackgleckler.
