Toy Story 3 was widely lauded, particularly by the generation of kids who grew up on the first and second films—it was a perfect button to all the thoughts and emotions this series prompted in regard to growing up, moving through life, and the importance of play. When Andy left his beloved toys with little Bonnie, many fans heard audible sobs in the theater.
And now we’ve got Toy Story 4 to… help us do it all over again?
The trailer:
It’s too bad because we’ve actually got a pretty interesting idea at the start of the trailer: What does it mean to be a toy who’s created by a child? What happens when you’re essentially made sentient by a child’s love and suddenly have to live out an existence that you weren’t prepared for? That is both interesting AND terrifying. If this turns out to be the majority of the film, it’s not a bad move.
But then the trailer promptly veers away from that concept in favor of Woody having another midlife crisis where he runs into old flame Bo Peep, and is forced to ask (again) whether or not he really wants the life of a toy dedicated to one child when he could live in… an amusement park! Sure! Why not?
Toy Story 4 hits theaters of June 21st, 2019