Toy Story 2

Doug Chamberlin

Chris Webb

Ash Brannon

Andrew Stanton

Lee Unkrich

Toy Story 2 is a 1999 American computer-animated comedy film directed by John Lasseter and produced by Pixar Animation Studios for Walt Disney Pictures. It is the sequel to 1995's Toy Story and the second film in the Toy Story franchise. In the film, Woody is stolen by a toy collector, prompting Buzz Lightyear and his friends to vow to rescue him, but Woody is then tempted by the idea of immortality in a museum. Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Don Rickles, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Jim Varney, Annie Potts, R. Lee Ermey, John Morris and Laurie Metcalf all reprise their character roles from the original film. They are joined by Joan Cusack, Jodi Benson, Kelsey Grammer, Estelle Harris, and Wayne Knight, who voice some of the new characters introduced.

Disney initially envisioned Toy Story 2 as a direct-to-video sequel. The film began production in a building separated from Pixar, on a small scale, as most of the main Pixar staff were busy working on A Bug's Life (1998). When story reels proved promising, Disney upgraded the film to theatrical release, but Pixar was unhappy with the film's quality. Lasseter and the story team redeveloped the entire plot in one weekend. Although most Pixar features take years to develop, the established release date could not be moved and the production schedule for Toy Story 2 was compressed into nine months

Despite production struggles, Toy Story 2 opened on November 24, 1999 to wildly successful box office numbers, eventually grossing over $497 million. It received critical acclaim, with a rare 100% rating on the website Rotten Tomatoes.  It is considered by critics to be one of few sequel films superior to the original and is frequently featured on lists of the greatest animated films ever made. The film has seen multiple home media releases and a theatrical 3-D re-release in 2009, 10 years after its initial release. Toy Story 3 was released in 2010, also a critical and commercial success. Toy Story 4 is scheduled to be released on June 21, 2019, directed by Josh Cooley.

## Plot

Andy prepares to go to cowboy camp with Woody, but while playing with Woody and Buzz, he accidentally rips Woody's arm. Andy's mom puts Woody on a shelf, and Andy leaves without him. The next day, after having a nightmare of being thrown away, Woody finds Wheezy, a squeeze toy who has been shelved for months due to a broken squeaker. When Andy's mother puts Wheezy in a yard sale, Woody rescues him, but is stolen by a greedy toy collector. From a commercial, Andy's toys identify the thief as Al McWhiggin, owner of Al's Toy Barn. Buzz, Hamm, Mr. Potato Head, Slinky Dog, and Rex set out to rescue Woody.

At Al's apartment, Woody learns that he is based on a 1950s black-and-white television puppet show called Woody's Roundup, and that along with Jessie, Bullseye, and Stinky Pete the Prospector, he is set to be sold to a toy museum in Tokyo, Japan. While the others are excited about going, Woody intends to return to Andy, upsetting Jessie. Stinky Pete explains that the museum is only interested in the collection if it is complete, and without Woody, they will be returned to storage.

After Woody's arm is torn off completely, his attempt to retrieve it is foiled when Al's television set turns on, and he angrily blames Jessie when he finds the TV remote in front of her, causing a fight. The next morning, Woody's arm is fixed by an elderly toy repair specialist. He learns that Jessie once belonged to a girl named Emily, who eventually outgrew and finally donated her. Stinky Pete warns Woody that the same fate awaits him when Andy grows up, whereas he will last forever in the museum. Hearing this, Woody decides to go to Japan.

Meanwhile, Buzz and the other toys reach Al's Toy Barn. While searching for Woody, Buzz is imprisoned by a Utility Belt Buzz, who believes that Buzz is a rogue space ranger; he joins the other toys, who mistake him for Andy's Buzz. After discovering Al's plan, they go to his apartment, while Andy's Buzz escapes and pursues them, accidentally freeing an Emperor Zurg toy, who follows him with the intent of destroying him. After the toys find Woody, Buzz rejoins them and proves that he is Andy's Buzz, but Woody refuses to go home, much to Andy's toys' dismay.

Buzz reminds Woody that a toy's true purpose is to be played with, which he would never experience in a museum. After seeing a boy play with him on a Woody's Roundup episode, Woody changes his mind, and asks the Roundup gang to come home with him and the rest of the toys. However, Stinky Pete, who has never been loved or played with and wants to go to Japan, stops them, revealing that he was responsible for foiling Woody's escape attempt, and framed Jessie for it. Al then returns, takes the gang in a suitcase, and leaves for the airport.

Andy's toys pursue Al, but are caught by Zurg, who battles Utility Belt Buzz and reveals himself as Buzz's father. After Rex inadvertently knocks Zurg off an elevator, Utility Belt Buzz then chooses to remain behind with Zurg. Accompanied by three toy Aliens, Andy's toys steal a Pizza Planet delivery truck and follow Al to the airport, where they sneak into the baggage handling system and find Al's suitcase. Stinky Pete rips Woody's arm during a struggle, but Andy's toys stuff him into a little girl's backpack as punishment. They free Bullseye, only for Jessie to end up on the plane bound for Japan. Assisted by Buzz and Bullseye, Woody frees Jessie, and the toys return home in a stolen baggage carrier.

When Andy returns from camp, he accepts Jessie, Bullseye and the Aliens as his new toys, then repairs Woody's arm. Al is upset in a new commercial after losing the Roundup Gang, while Wheezy's squeaker is also fixed. Woody tells Buzz that he is no longer worried about Andy outgrowing him because, when he eventually does, they will still have each other for company.

## Voice cast

* Tom Hanks as Woody
* Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear
* Joan Cusack as Jessie
* Kelsey Grammer as Stinky Pete
* Don Rickles as Mr. Potato Head
* Jim Varney as Slinky Dog
* Wallace Shawn as Rex
* John Ratzenberger as Hamm
* Annie Potts as Bo Peep
* Estelle Harris as Mrs. Potato Head
* Wayne Knight as Al McWhiggin
* John Morris as Andy
* Laurie Metcalf as Mrs. Davis, Andy and Molly's mother
* R. Lee Ermey as Sarge
* Jodi Benson as Barbie
* Jonathan Harris as The Cleaner
* Joe Ranft as Wheezy
* Jeff Pidgeon as Aliens
* Andrew Stanton as Emperor Zurg