EMERYVILLE, Calif. — With excitement building around the upcoming release of “Toy Story 5,” Pixar Animation Studios is taking a fresh look at the history of one of animation’s most cherished franchises.
On the company’s Emeryville campus, archivist Christine Freeman opened the doors to Pixar’s archives, offering a rare glimpse at the early ideas, artwork and prototypes that helped shape the landmark film series.
“This is so special – how often do people get a chance to come in here, and walk around and learn and absorb? Rarely…. so this is exclusive to us? You are very special,” Freeman said.
The collection includes an extensive range of materials charting the development of “Toy Story,” from concept drawings to design experiments that show just how dramatically some characters changed. Among the most notable examples is an early take on Woody, created well before he became the friendly cowboy familiar to generations of moviegoers.
“This is an early drawing of Woody – I must admit, behind the scenes I refer to him as Scary Woody. Because I – I could not imagine watching a whole movie with a character who resembles that….” Freeman said.
Woody’s first design leaned closer to a ventriloquist dummy than the character audiences know today. Through a series of gradual refinements, including gentler facial features and brown eyes, Pixar’s artists reshaped him into a warmer, more relatable presence on screen.
Chris Connelly of ABC News, who recently examined the franchise’s legacy in “Toy Story: 30 years and beyond,” said those refinements were key to the series’ success.
“It was the ability to dive into those characters and fix those characters – so that Woody became a lovable guy that we know,” Connelly said.
The archive is more than a historical collection. It continues to serve as a creative resource for artists working on the franchise’s next chapter. Materials preserved there help guide new storytelling while maintaining continuity with the films that came before.
“It’s one of the things that is so fun about working with these collections, because they delight…..,” Freeman said.
“Toy Story 5” is set to hit theaters Friday, June 19, introducing a new storyline centered on the clash between toys and technology. Despite evolving themes, the franchise’s core appeal remains its characters and emotional storytelling.
“Anyone who was a child when these movies came out, or if you paid for a ticket like everyone else did, this franchise has never disappointed you,” Connelly said.
From its earliest sketches to its latest installment, “Toy Story” continues to illustrate how small creative decisions can shape characters – and stories – that resonate across generations.
“I will never get over this… you’re so welcome, please come back,” Freeman said.
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