In a recent article shared by EW, famed Pixar director Andrew Stanton offers a thoughtful glimpse into the future of the Toy Story franchise – a world that he helped shape from the very beginning.
As one of Pixar’s most influential storytellers, Stanton was the 2nd animator hired at the studio back in 1990 (which feels like it was maybe 20 years ago – the GenX in us will always think of the 90’s as being only 10-20 years ago).
For the original Toy Story film, Stanton earned his first screenwriting credit. As we all know, he has continued his storied career at Pixar Animation Studios, directing numerous films and serving as a strong mentor and leader within the studio, where he currently holds the role of Vice President of Creative.
As Stanton shared with EW during an interview at Skywalker Ranch while the team was mixing sound for Toy Story 5, he mentioned, “This is probably the last one I’m gonna do.”
What?! Could Toy Story 5 be Stanton’s last film he directs at the studio? Selfishly, we don’t want this to be the case; however, that doesn’t mean he still won’t have ties to working at Pixar.
In fact, Stanton also shared with EW that with a little more brainstorming on the lifecycle of a toy, there could be two additional films to surpass Toy Story 5. “That’s why I feel like it can keep going,” he says, even if it’s not with him at the helm.
Speaking of having a connection with Pixar to the very end, Stanton noted that he would advise on Pixar films until he’s “in a rocking chair somewhere. And I will always have a strong opinion about this.” To him, “This is probably the best way I can leave my stamp at Pixar — teaching others how this is done.”
For us, Stanton has always mastered both storytelling and directing. While we have been running Pixar Post since 2012, we have been Pixar fans since the very beginning – our love never wavered. When artists depart, or batons are passed on, it’s sombering at first, but then we’re reminded of the incredible talent yet to come, the unknown artists we’re about to meet, and our excitement ramps up for the next Pixar film.
TOY STORY 5 SCREENSHOTS
In addition to the Andrew Stanton interview, EW received several exclusive screenshots from Toy Story 5. Our favorite character designs are definitely Smarty Pants and Blaze. We cannot wait to share additional insights into these characters from our interviews with the Toy Story 5 filmmakers soon!
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