'Toy Story of TERROR' Coming to Blu-ray in August

At long last, some Pixar news!

Last October, Pixar premiered their first ever television special, Toy Story of Terror, to which audiences reacted quite warmly. For the past few months, fans have been wondering when the special will be available to own on home media, and we now have our answer.

The 22-minute special will arrive on Blu-ray and DVD on August 19 and will be stuffed with plenty of bonus features, including the three existing Toy Story Toons short films; Hawaiian Vacation (2011, directed by Gary Rydstrom), Small Fry (2011, directed by Toy Story of Terror director Angus McLane), and Partysaurus Rex (2012, directed by Mark Walsh).

All three Toy Story Toons are already available on home media (Hawaiian Vacation on the Cars 2 Blu-ray/DVD and Pixar Short Films Collection: Vol. 2, which also includes Small Fry, and Partysaurus Rex on the Blu-ray re-release of Monsters, Inc.), though it's nice to see that they'll all be together on the same disc, and fans who haven't been able to get a hold of these shorts previously can now get them all in just one purchase.

Other extras on the Blu-ray set include faux vintage commercials for some the toys featured in Toy Story of Terror, similar to this Lotso one released as part of the marketing campaign for Toy Story 3:

Blu-ray Special Features:

• “Toy Story Toons” Shorts: Hawaiian Vacation, Small Fry, Partysaurus Rex
• Audio Commentaries: Toy Story OF TERROR!, Hawaiian Vacation, Small Fry, and Partysaurus Rex
• Team of Specialists  – Director Angus MacLane goes deep behind the scenes to introduce the team of specialists required to make Toy Story OF TERROR!
• 3  Deleted Scenes + Editor Introductions – Pencil Topper Trilogy, Travel Brochure, Road Trip Roulette
• Vintage Toy Commercials + Director Introductions – Old Timer, Combat Carl, Transitron
• D23 Teaser

The DVD will come with all the same bonus features as the Blu-ray excluding  the deleted scenes and editor introductions, and the Disney Movies Anywhere app will have an exclusive feature with Mr. Pricklepants as well as an additional deleted scene.

The TV special itself is an absolute blast (you can read my review here), but all the bonus material really makes this set worth picking up. Commentaries, deleted scenes - what more could you ask for?

Finally, Pixar released this trailer for the upcoming Blu-ray release, which gives us a sneak peek at some of the faux toy commercials included on the set.

This is a must-own for any Pixar or animation fan, so mark your calendars - Toy Story of Terror hits store shelves August 19!

Pixar Gives First Glimpse at 'Toy Story of Terror'

Everyone loves Toy Story - it's human nature. Even after an incredibly satisfying finale to the trilogy, we were left hungry for more of our favorite plastic pals. Fortunately, our demands to see more of Woody, Buzz and co. were not ignored, and soon after Toy Story 3, Pixar released the first in a series of short films featuring the beloved characters, and have since made a total of three phenomenal Toy Story Toons, with more on the way. You'll be excited to hear that the studio is also now going beyond your standard 6-minute short film...

In October came the announcement that Pixar is currently hard at work on an all new Toy Story half-hour Halloween television special, entitled Toy Story of Terror!, set to air on ABC this October. That was about all that was said back then, but today the studio unveiled a still image from the upcoming short featuring a petrified Woody, Buzz, and Jessie, and we have also received some new details regarding the plot of the special.

The Pixar Times reports that Toy Story of Terror! will focus on everyone's favorite yodeling cowgirl, Jessie. Angus MacLane (BURN-E, Small Fry) will be directing, and claims the special will pay homage to classic horror films including Psycho, Alien, and Predator, and I'd expect a nod to The Shining in there as well, given Toy Story 3 director Lee Unkrich's passionate love for that film. We'll also learn more about the toys' new-found life with young owner Bonnie, and fans of the original film will be excited to hear that poor old Combat Carl, blown up by the maniacal Sid in Toy Story (1995), will make an appearance as well, voiced by the one and only Carl Weathers (Rocky, Predator).

No fixed date has been announced yet, but expect to see Toy Story of Terror! air on ABC this October, just in time for Halloween!

Sweet 'Partysaurus Rex' Poster!

Pixar's new short, Partysaurus Rex (the latest and probably wildest of the Toy Story Toons) is now playing in theaters before Finding Nemo 3D, and if you haven't already, I highly suggest you go check it out, because not only is it insanely fun, but it looks spectacular in 3D.

This colorful and vibrant poster for the short was released online this week. Mark Walsh, the director of the short also posted it onto Twitter. It does an excellent job of capturing the wackiness and craziness of the short film. It's a very creative poster, and even has a teeny Easter egg in the text at the bottom. Emeryville, as you may have heard, is the town in which Pixar's main campus is located. You can also the the Pixar Canada logo there at the bottom.

I'll have my reviews for both Partysaurus Rex and Finding Nemo 3D up soon, but for now, go check out both in theaters!

(via A113Animation)

Partysaurus Rex: New High-Res Stills

Two pics from the upcoming Pixar short film, Partysaurus Rex, were released online the other day, and were brought to us in good ol' high-resolution. Everyone loves a great image that you can zoom in on without it getting pixelated, am I right?

The first of the two new stills (pictured above) showcases a handful of Bonnie's bathtub toys, surrounded by heaps of foamy bubbles. These new toys fit right in the vibrant and colorful Toy Story universe.

The second features the majority of Bonnie's toys all in a circle formation, excluding Mr. Potato Head and Rex, the star of the short, who are both in the middle. Maybe Potato Head is giving the timid tyrannosaurus a little talking-to. After all, the walking tater does have quite a mouth on him - but luckily it's removable.

This second image has been my desktop wallpaper for the past couple of days.

See the new Toy Story Toon, Partysaurus Rex, in theaters September 14 when it plays in front of Finding Nemo 3D.

New 'Partysaurus Rex' Clip

A 40-second clip from the new Toy Story Toon has been posted onto the official Disney/Pixar YouTube channel.

This short sneak peek at Partysaurus Rex sets the stage for what we can expect to see in the new Toon. Rex, wanting to shake up his reputation a little bit, helps the bathtub toys (who all lack arms and limbs) get their "party" started by filling up the tub with water and, of course, bubbles! The dried-out bathtub quickly becomes the stage for a bright, loud, and colorful bubble-filled rave! Watch the exhilarating clip below.

I'm already loving the sound of BT's score for the short, and cannot wait to see it in action next month when the new Toon arrives with Nemo 3D. Speaking of Finding Nemo, the starfish seen jumping into the tub in the clip has striking resemblance to Peach the starfish.

This short film also happens to be the second Pixar short scored by Grammy-nominated musician BT, who previously did the music for Tokyo Mater.

Partysaurus Rex premieres September 14 alongside Finding Nemo 3D!

First Glimpse: Toy Story Toon 'Partysaurus Rex'

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Some rumors had been going around lately about a new entry into the Toy Story Toons series entitled Partysaurus Rex. On Thursday, Entertainment Weekly debuted two exclusive images from the new short film, which will play in theaters in front of Finding Nemo 3D.

This will mark the third of the Toy Story Toons, after Hawaiian Vacation and Small Fry, and will focus mainly on the lovable and not-so-fearsome dinosaur from the films, Rex. Wallace Shawn, who voiced the character in all three films and the first two Toons, explains that Rex is "sick of being the angel of goodness and sensibleness and caution and fear".

It sure looks like this is going to be an extremely bright, colorful, and bubbly short film, as we get to see what bathtime is like from a toy's point of view. Sounds superb.

Pixarian Mark Walsh will get his shot at directing a short with this new Toy Story Toon. "If you’re a bath toy you get really intense playtime. It’s like a party," he says.

As always, the amount of detail Pixar is putting into this new short is breathtaking. In the second image with Bonnie in the bathtub, you can even see a few of those classic hidden Easter eggs. The toilet seat cover does somewhat resemble a certain monster from a previous Pixar film...

Also, the decorations on the bathtub might be references to some of the fish from Finding Nemo. After all, Partysaurus Rex will be playing before Nemo 3D next month.

That's all for now, but be sure to check out the whole article over at EW.

Partysaurus Rex arrives in theaters September 14 alongside Finding Nemo 3D!

What's Next for Toy Story?

Back in 2010, Pixar delivered the third entry of what is probably their most beloved franchise; the phenomenal Toy Story 3. With a finale that touched the hearts of millions across the globe, many assumed that 3 was also the end of the Toy Story series. After all, it was a pretty beautiful ending.

But a couple of months back, rumors started popping up about a Toy Story 4. Tom Hanks, the voice behind Sheriff Woody, stated in an interview that he believed Pixar was currently working on TS4. Later on, John Lasseter also teased about a fourth installment. Then there's also this video of Tim Allen, AKA Buzz Lightyear, talking about the possibility of a fourth Toy Story film:

So will there be a Toy Story 4? We can't be sure for now, but I'd say the chances of it happening aren't very big. Lee Unkrich (director of TS3) himself stated that they tried to end the series the best they could with the third film, but that they are keeping the characters alive with a series of Toy Story short films; the Toy Story Toons.

So far, two Toy Story Toons have been released; Hawaiian Vacation and Small Fry. Both have been well-received by audiences, and have left fans hungry for more.

Some pretty big news has been dropped this week. Yes folks, we are getting more Toy Story. No, not another feature film, but rather, three new Toons will join the library, along with two original 22-minute long TV specials!

These are likely being worked on at Pixar's satellite studio in Vancouver, which has thus far worked on Air Mater and Small Fry. The TV specials are scheduled for October 2013 and Spring 2014, and will probably air on either ABC or the Disney Channel. Aside from that, we don't know much about these half-hour specials, but expect them to bring the Toy Story characters to life in a remarkable and unique way.

As for the three new shorts, there have been a few rumors flying around about one called Partysaurus Rex. You can tell by the title that Rex would likely be one of the central characters in this short. Also, some tiny bits of plot details regarding this short were spilled by electronic artist BT a while ago. He said:

"I’m in the middle of scoring a film for Pixar right now. It’s a short for Toy Story, and I’m not allowed to say the whole story, but quite literally, it’s like a Toy Story rave, and I’m actually not kidding either. Like, the toys get into all these shenanigans and it’s like pounding club music, this thing. So it’s really not very Pixar, but in like a really hysterical way, everyone laughs so hard when they see it. It’s really exciting to work with those guys."

After reading BT's comments on the short film, I am quite intrigued and eager to see it. While Wikipedia claims that Partysaurus Rex will debut this fall, nothing has been offcially announced by Pixar or Disney. Chances are, however, that this short and possibly the other two will show up on either the Pixar Short Films Collection - Volume 2 or on the Brave DVD and Blu-ray.

So there you have it. If you were worried that we wouldn't be seeing much of the Toy Story characters in the future, hopefully your anxieties have been eliminated, because it seems to me that Woody and Buzz aren't going anywhere anytime soon.

(via BigScreen Animation)

When Will We See 'Small Fry' on Home Video?

The second Toy Story Toon after Hawaiian Vacation, entitled Small Fry, hit theaters in November with Disney's The Muppets. Now, Kermit, Fozzie, Miss Piggy and the rest of the gang have made their way onto DVD and Blu-ray, but Small Fry is nowhere to be found on the home release of the film.

This doesn't very much shock me, however. While Pixar may sometimes premiere their shorts in front of non-Pixar films (Tokyo Mater first debuted with Disney's Bolt), these short films will never show up on the actual home video release of the film with which they were released with in theaters. So when will we get the chance to see Small Fry on our own televisions?

Some people expect it to be on the Pixar Short Films Collection - Volume 2. Volume 1 showcased all of Pixar's short films from the company's first 20 years (1986 to 2006). Fans are anticipating Volume 2 to be released sometime in the near future, and see it as a possibility for Small Fry to debut on the home video format. Of course, it has not yet been announced when Volume 2 will arrive, and it could be a fairly long time away.

Another possibility, which I see as a much more likely one, is Small Fry being on the Brave home release. Last year Cars 2 had Hawaiian Vacation, so I don't see why they couldn't put Small Fry with Brave this year. And Pixar almost always includes two short films with each of their films, so Brave would probably come with La Luna and Small Fry.

I guess only time will tell when Small Fry will come home, but I have high hopes for early November of this year with Brave!

Meet the Characters of Small Fry!

On the Toy Story Facebook page, Pixar has been uploading pictures and bios on some of the fantastic new fast food meal characters from "Poultry Palace", featured in the new Toy Story Toon, Small Fry. Here are the some of the new buddies Pixar has introduced to us in this new short...

Neptuna, Queen of New Nautica

For centuries, Queen Neptuna ruled the peaceful ocean kingdom of New Nautica. When her undersea home was defiled by corporate industrial waste and discount chain stores, Neptuna formed The Mermaid Battle Squadron to protect the ocean from future pollution and exploitation.

T-Bone, Leader of the Steak Force

Fearing the healthy, life-extending agenda of the evil Vegitenarians, the government established the Steak Force, a commando squad of heroic robots dedicated to mandating a meat option for every meal. Sponsored in part by The American Meat Council.

Funky Monk

Spiritual mentor to Rappin’ Robin and Lil’ Juan, Funky Monk always keeps it real and on the down low. Be it a rap battle between his boys and Producer P John or hooking up a guest-spot on the next MC Maid Marion single, Funky Monk has got your back. See Funky Monk in the CGI animated film “Rappin’ Robin in the Hood 3D,” only in theaters.

Condorman

When comic book artist Wiley Wilkins is given the opportunity to act out the pages of his greatest cartoon creation, “Condorman,” he jumps at the chance! Will Condorman defeat the evil Krokov and win the heart of the beautiful Natalia Rambova? Find out when Condorman swoops into theaters, Summer 1981.

Bozu, The Ninja Clown

Circus clown by day, 15th century ninja from feudal Japan by night, Bozu is a master of silent entertainment. Armed with his balloon katana and a cream pie, this Ninja Clown is sure to have even the grumpiest Circus audience members in stitches!

And all these are just a few of all the Fun Meal toys from the new short. Hopefully Pixar will release some more bios and pics later on, because I'd love to get to know the rest of these toys.

Small Fry is playing in theaters right now with The Muppets!

Pixar Website Updated with 'Small Fry'

Pixar's official website has recently been updated with a file on the latest short film to come out of the studio, Small Fry.

Click on the 'Short Films' heading and you'll be taken to a gallery of all of Pixar's shorts, and at the top you will see the same image seen above. Clicking on the image will take you to a short page with the film's plot.

I also just found out that Small Fry was the second project to be animated at the Pixar Canada studio, the first one having been Air Mater. I wonder what else they are cooking up for us right now...

I really like this new promotional image for the short. I just love the concept of Mini Buzz looking up at the actual Buzz (whose only visible body parts are his legs). Again, we have pure genius coming from Pixar, as always.

Small Fry is playing in theaters now with Disney's The Muppets! Don't miss it!

Even More Images from 'Small Fry'

The Muppets and Small Fry hit theaters tomorrow (I'm so excited), and to celebrate, we have two more images to add to our gallery of Small Fry stills!

This first one, as you can see, shows Mini Buzz excitedly looking out into the outside world from his display case. Joining him in this pic is a miniature version of the Evil Emperor Zurg, Buzz Lightyear's arch nemesis.

In the still seen below, Mini Buzz, never missing a chance to cause mischief, has climbed on top of Rex's head. How will Bonnie's toys get rid of this pest?

The more clips, trailers, and TV spots I watch for The Muppets, the more I want to see it. Be sure to check out this 'Muppetational' TV spot for the new film, and don't miss the little bit of Small Fry footage at the end! And look for the hidden Cars 2 poster at the 4 second mark in the video. The Muppets sure do love Pixar!

The Muppets and Mini Buzz will arrive in theaters tomorrow!

Another 'Small Fry' Still

The Muppets and the new Toy Story Toon, Small Fry, hit theaters in just a week! We already have two pics and a 30-second clip to enjoy from the short film, but it looks like we have one last still to savour before watching the entire Toon.

The image shows the mischevious Mini Buzz (voiced by Teddy Newton) wearing Woody's hat and smiling naughtily at the rest of the gang. It certainly looks like the fast food restaurant imposter will not be making life much easier for Bonnie's toys.

What trouble will Mini Buzz cause next? Find out next week when Small Fry hits theaters on November 23rd!

30 seconds from 'Small Fry'...

Shortly after the new stills we saw on the weekend, we can now enjoy 30 seconds of fresh footage from the latest Toy Story adventure, Small Fry. Buzz is left behind at a fast food restaurant, and must find a way to escape before it's to late...but instead ends up at a support group meeting for discarded "Fun Meal" toys, and is invited to take a seat...

Catch Small Fry in theaters November 23rd with The Muppets! Just a few days to go...

First Look at 'Small Fry'

Mini Buzz meets Woody in 'Small Fry'

Ironically, today I was thinking to myself, 'Hmm, Pixar hasn't released any clips or stills from Small Fry yet'. Then, I go on my computer a few hours later and I find two never-before-seen images from the upcoming short film, along with some new facts about the plot.

Small Fry revolves around Buzz being left behind at a fast food restaurant, while an irritating miniature version of himself takes his place in Bonnie's bedroom. Our favorite space ranger then has to deal with a gang of "Happy Meal" like toys, including a mermaid voiced by Glee's Jane Lynch.

The mermaid's name has been announced to the public; Neptuna. Judging by the picture seen below, she may be the leader of the rejected toys at the restaurant.

Angus MacLane, director of the short, talked with USA Today about Small Fry.

MacLane describes the short as "the Prince and the Pauper tale for toys" only that "one of them happens to be 3 inches tall".

He tells how Small Fry is about how these miniature fast food meal toys feel unloved after always being discarded right after all the food has vanished from the table.

"These toys' existence is about being really popular before the meal and then being totally forgotten about. And sometimes they don't even get played with."

Most of the cast from the short has been confirmed. Tim Allen and Tom Hanks are set to return as Buzz and Woody, respectively, Joan Cusack reprises her role as Jessie the cowgirl, and John Ratzenberger is back as the voice of Hamm the piggy bank. Neptuna the mermaid is voiced by Jane Lynch, and guess who has been cast as the cheeky Mini Buzz...

Teddy Newton, director of Day & Night and voice of the Chatter Telephone in Toy Story 3. Now that I think of it, he does sound like the perfect voice for a naughty little 3-inch Buzz. His voice work should be hilarious! Also, Angus MacLane, the director of the short, will voice several of the fast food restaurant toys, including T-Bone and Super Pirate.

Pixar wants audiences to remember to just "give these guys a little bit of love", 'these guys' being the little toys you get with your burger and fries.

Small Fry hits theaters November 23 with Disney's The Muppets. The new film starring Jason Segel, Amy Adams, Kermit the Frog, and all the other awesome characters looks incredible all on its own already, so the latest Toy Story Toon is just another bonus! Plus, there are rumours that the next Brave trailer will also play with the film, so it's even better!

Inspiration for "Small Fry"?

A few weeks ago while navigating on YouTube, I found this short video featuring Woody, Buzz, Hamm, Rex, and some other little guys...

This video is, without a doubt, one of the "Toy Story Treats" that were created way back when the first Toy Story came out. The Toy Story Treats were brought back for the Toy Story/Toy Story 2 3D Re-release in 2009, and posted on the Toy Story website, although I don't recall ever seing this one on there.

Watch it here:

Now, read the synopsis for the upcoming Toy Story Toon, Small Fry:

"In the latest Toy Story Toon, Buzz Lightyear is left behind at a fast food restaurant when a kids’ meal toy version of Buzz takes his place. While Bonnie's toys are stuck with the annoying 3-inch-tall Buzz impersonator, the real Buzz is trapped in the restaurant at a support group for discarded toys. As Woody and the gang devise a way to rescue their friend, Buzz tries to escape the toy psychotherapy meeting."

Hmm..."annoying 3-inch-tall Buzz impersonator"...is it just me, or do these two things just have a lot in common?

I guess we'll find out soon enough from the creators of Small Fry whether or not this short but amusing "Treat" served as the inspiration for the upcoming "Toon", which by the way, hits theaters November 23 with The Muppets!

Full Plot For "Small Fry"

We now have the full plot for the upcoming Toy Story short about Buzz Lightyear and his adventure in a fast food restaurant, in which he encounters several cheap-quality "Happy Meal" toys.

"In the latest Toy Story Toon, Buzz Lightyear is left behind at a fast food restaurant when a kids’ meal toy version of Buzz takes his place. While Bonnie's toys are stuck with the annoying 3-inch-tall Buzz impersonator, the real Buzz is trapped in the restaurant at a support group for discarded toys. As Woody and the gang devise a way to rescue their friend, Buzz tries to escape the toy psychotherapy meeting."

Annoying 3-inch-tall Buzz impersonator? That's going to be hilarious!

Catch the hysterical short, Small Fry, in theaters November 23 with Disney's The Muppets.

Upcoming Toy Story Toon Titled [BIG UPDATE!]

The news about a second Toy Story Toon coming in November attached to Disney's The Muppets broke way back in February, but no plot details or even a title were announced until very recently at D23 Expo.

The short film will be called "Small Fry" and will focus mainly on everyone's favorite space ranger, Buzz Lightyear, just like how Hawaiian Vacation was essentially about Ken and Barbie.

At first when I saw the title of the short, I wondered whether it would have something to do french fries, but I thought it would be a little strange for a Toy Story short film to be centered around a popular side dish served with ketchup. I guess we'll have to wait a little longer to find out what "Small Fry" means.

Catch Toy Story: Small Fry on November 23 alongside The Muppets!

UPDATE: The Pixar Times, having been present at D23 Expo, has stated the plot for the upcoming short film. It will involve Buzz getting left behind at a fast food restaurant (think McDonald's) and meeting a group of "Happy Meal" toys, including a mermaid toy voiced by Jane Lynch from Glee. So as it turns out, Small Fry actually will have something to do with french fries. Silly me.

Also, the short will be directed by Angus MacLane, who I believe was in the picture which Tom Hanks once posted on Twitter of himself doing voicework as Woody for the Toy Story Toons next to "3 directors". Considering Bobby Podesta and Mark Walsh were also in Tom Hanks' photo, expect to see them directing their own Toy Story short sometime soon. Angus has previously directed BURN-E. In further news regarding Pixar shorts, La Luna has been confirmed to play in front of Brave next year. I can't wait to see all these new Pixar shorts, they all sound so creative.

Will We See a Toy Story 4?

Last year, Pixar's beloved Toy Story series ended with Toy Story 3, and the studio did an excellent job ending the saga, and is probably one of the best endings to a film series ever! However, Tom Hanks, voice of Woody, recently stated in an interview that there is currently a fourth installment in the works. The exact words he used when asked if there would be a TS4 were:

"I think there will be, yeah. Yeah, yeah, I think they're working on it now."

This on one hand, could be some pretty bad news, but in another hand, could be very awesome news! I really don't think that another Toy Story is necessary at all, since they ended it so perfectly with '3', plus they're doing the 'Toons' to keep the characters alive, but whatever Pixar decides to do, I'm cool with it. After all, if they are doing a '4', they must've come up with a really really wicked idea that MUST be told. Pixar has even stated that they will only make sequels if they have a story that's worth telling.

I'm not too sure why Tom said they are working on a Toy Story 4, but there are a lot of reasons why he might've said it. He could've been joking, he could've been expressing his desire for a fourth film, or he might have just gotten mixed up with upcoming Toy Story Toons.

Only time will tell if we will see the toys in another feature film sometime in the future. For now, if you want more of Woody and Buzz, catch Hawaiian Vacation, now in theaters with Cars 2, and the next Toy Story Toon arrives in theaters this November alongside Disney's The Muppets.

New International Cars 2 Trailer!

Along with the domestic Cars 2 trailer that was revealed on last week, we also now have a slightly different international trailer, with footage not seen in the other one. Also, we get a brief look at the end of the trailer at the title card for the upcoming Toy Story Toons as Woody and Buzz pose beside the logo.

Pretty cool, huh? I have absolutely loved all the Cars 2 trailers that have been released. They all tell you what the story is about in their own unique way. In this one, I enjoy the heroic music.

Only 36 days to go until we finally get to see every ounce of footage from Cars 2...only 36 days until we can watch the hilarious, spectacular, and action-packed sequel to Cars...

Toy Story Toons Logo Revealed!

It's amazing all the things you can find on the Internet. Today I found some pretty good news! The image seen above is what will most likely be the title card for the upcoming Toy Story Toons, the series of short films starring everyone's favorite toys. This logo does not look like a photoshop, so I am positive that it is the final product. One of the highlights of this new logo is probably how vibrant it is and how it stands out in the black background, and I like how they used the signature Toy Story lettering with the "Toons".

See the first Toy Story Toon, Hawaiian Vacation, when it premieres on June 24 alongside Cars 2!