Tom Hanks revealed Disney’s strict Toy Story 4 rules for the film’s press tour. With the fourth installment of the beloved Toy Story series just around the corner, the excitement continues to build. Fans have been waiting nearly a decade to see what’s next, and in a week’s time, all will be revealed when Toy Story 4 is released.
The road to this point has been one that didn’t seem likely for some time. Disney wrapped up 2010’s Toy Story 3 nicely and there was no immediate legitimate buzz regarding a sequel as there is with most successful films. Some fans decided that three films was enough and that what Disney had done with the franchise was satisfying enough. But when word spread in 2011 that another Toy Story film was being developed, the excitement was palpable. There was, of course, no shortage of speculation regarding what the sequel could possibly be about. And, although Disney has been very guarded with just how much information they’ve given audiences in advance of the film’s June 21 release, even the most spoiler-guarded fan knows that new characters and an emotional plot are adding up to another big Disney hit.
Still, nothing is guaranteed, and because of that, Disney is doing everything it can to ensure that Toy Story 4’s cast remains tight-lipped on the film’s current press tour. In fact, during a recent appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Tom Hanks (whose voice has reached iconic status as Sheriff Woody), revealed that Disney’s Corporate Vertical Integration Marketing Division has supplied him with a printed list of talking points that clearly state what he can and cannot discuss. The entire interview is available to watch via Kimmel’s YouTube channel, with the talking points being discussed at the 3:46 mark. Check it out below:
Although Hanks self-censors much of the directives as he reads them, the bottom line remains clear: spoilers and too much information are to be avoided at all costs. Hanks points out to Kimmel and the studio audience that Disney has asked him to talk about how Bo Peep is a strong character from the beginning, who has perhaps grown stronger over the course of the series, but was never a weak character. Hanks also reveals that the official Disney documents were sent to Tim Allen (Buzz Lightyear) and that they request discussing how Buzz is learning to listen to his inner voice. Those who’ve been following the Toy Story 4 press tour already know that Hanks has been seen consulting his talking points in a comedic manner, highlighting the fact that the Toy Story star respects them, but finds them humorous.
While it’s all in good fun for Hanks to tease Disney’s executives about the strictness of their demands, Toy Story 4 is shaping up to be one of the biggest hits of the summer and possibly the entire year. With that much at stake for the sake of fans who just want to go into the new sequel with a clear, unbiased mindset, it’s undeniably essential to continue to keep things low-key.
Key Release Dates
Toy Story 4
Release Date:2019-06-21