Every time Disney announces a new Toy Story movie, we wonder how it will possibly live up to its predecessors. The original is still one of the best animated films of all time, and the second movie is also one of the best sequels ever. And we didn’t think there was anyway they’d even attempt a fourth film after the brilliance of the third one. But the latest trailer for Toy Story 4 has us convinced Pixar has once again found a winning formula, with a film that will combine philosophical questions about the very nature of existence with elements from a horror movie, a classic road trip story, an action-adventure rescue, and one of the best Keanu Reeves characters ever.
We haven’t even seen the movie yet and we’re already sure that Keanu Reeves’ Duke Kaboom is one of the greatest characters in cinematic history. However, that shouldn’t overshadow how excited we are for Tony Hale’s Forky, a “toy” undergoing the most literal existential crisis ever, or Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele’s Ducky and Bunny. There was already an insane amount of talent in the Toy Story franchise, but it’s beyond stacked in this film.
We also love the reintroduction of Annie Potts’ Bo Peep, who has clearly changed since the last time we saw her in the second film. Whether she will prove to be a friend or foe isn’t clear, but the horror movie-esque antique shop should provide plenty of bad guys for the good guys to overcome.
Despite being the fourth film in a franchise with three outstanding installments, Toy Story 4 looks like it should be the next great film in the series, just like these movies always end up being.
Why did we ever worry it wouldn’t be? Toy Story 4 comes to theaters on June 21, 2019.
Featured Image: Disney/Pixar
