Pixar Gives Sneak Peek at 'Toy Story 4' at D23 Expo

This past November, Pixar surprised the world by announcing that they are currently working on a fourth installment in the beloved Toy Story franchise. Though many believed that 2010's Toy Story 3 would be the final chapter of the series, Toy Story 4 has been in production since 2012 and will hit theatres in the summer of 2017. We learned a little about the film's plot at D23 Expo last week.

Before the animation panel at D23 started last Friday, Toy Story 4 director and Pixar Chief Creative Officer John Lasseter revealed that the upcoming film, which we had previously known would be a love story, will revolve around Woody and Bo Peep.

To fans of the Toy Story films, this was a surprising reveal. Bo Peep, of course, was Woody's love interest in Toy Story and Toy Story 2. Though she was an important character in the first two films, she was absent from Toy Story 3, which takes place about a decade after Toy Story 2. In that time period, Bo Peep eventually parted from the rest of Andy's toys and was presumably sold off at a yard sale or donated. During Pixar's presentation at D23, Lasseter revealed that Toy Story 4 will see Buzz and Woody going off on a quest in search of Bo Peep.

I have to wonder, will the Bo Peep in Toy Story 4 be the same one from Toy Story and Toy Story 2? Surely others were made. If that were the case, it would make for a very interesting story. How would Woody react to finding the one that he loves, only to realize she has no recollection of ever having known him?

From left to right: John Lasseter, Will McCormack, Josh Cooley, Galyn Susman

The film's story, Lasseter explained, was inspired by him and his wife, Nancy. WALL-E and Finding Dory director Andrew Stanton penned the film's initial treatment, and Rashida Jones and Will McCormack were later brought on to work on the script. Galyn Susman will produce and Josh Cooley, director of the new short Riley's First Date?, will co-direct.

I'll admit, it took me a while to warm up to the idea of a fourth Toy Story. The original three films form what is one of the greatest trilogies of all time, and like many people I thought Toy Story 3 wrapped things up beautifully. Doing a fourth one is risky business, considering it has three phenomenal predecessors to live up to. However, Pixar knows this, and I have to believe that they truly are making another installment in the series because they have a story that demands to be told. The little information that we got out of D23 certainly has me intrigued, and there sure seems to be a lot of love being poured into the film, which is very reassuring.

To celebrate the original Toy Story's 20th anniversary this year, the presentation finished off with a live performance of "You've Got a Friend In Me" by Randy Newman himself. Green Army Men descended from the ceiling and were joined on stage by other Toy Story characters as confetti erupted around the stage, ending the panel with a bang.

You can watch Inside the Magic's brief recap of the presentation here:

Toy Story 4 arrives in theatres on June 16, 2017.

Pixar Previews Upcoming Slate at D23 Expo

This weekend was jam-packed with excitement for Disney, Pixar, and animation enthusiasts alike, as Disney hosted its fourth biannual D23 Expo in Anaheim, California. The expo's animation panel, featuring looks at upcoming films from both Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios, took place on Friday, and Pixar certainly did not come empty-handed.

The three-hour panel got off to a rousing start when Pixar and Disney Animation Chief Creative Officer John Lasseter took the stage wielding a shirt cannon. Known for wearing his signature (and custom-made) Hawaiian shirts, the animation honcho proceeded to gleefully bombard the crowd with, yup, Hawaiian shirts.

Pixar's presentation provided further details and looks at the upcoming The Good Dinosaur and next year's Finding Nemo sequel, Finding Dory. Additionally, the studio surprised the crowd in officially unveiling an all-new original film; Coco. The film was announced back in 2012 as "the untitled Pixar movie about Día de los Muertos," but we had heard little about the project since then. Many even believed the film to have been abandoned, but fortunately this is not the case. Coco will arrive in theatres in the fall of 2017. Lastly, Pixar previewed the recently-announced Toy Story 4 and gave new details regarding the film's plot. The presentation ended with a live performance of "You've Got a Friend In Me" from Randy Newman as Toy Story characters hit the stage in celebration of the original Toy Story film's 20th anniversary this year.

Full posts about each of the films previewed at the expo are on the way; stay tuned.

Cars 3 and The Incredibles 2, though present on the studio's poster slate on the expo floor pictured at the top, were absent from the presentation since they are still both in the early stages of development and will not be released until after 2017. We did, at the very least, get a look at those two films' logos.

All in all, it was an exhilarating day that left fans eager to experience what the future of Pixar has in store.

Edit: Disney posted a great brief recap on Twitter of all that went down during D23 Expo's animation panel. Check it out:

Paws what you're doing and get a glimpse of what @disneyanimation and @disneypixar presented at #D23EXPO. https://t.co/pGEJnmX8CG

— Disney (@Disney) August 18, 2015

John Lassester Previews Upcoming Pixar Films

Inside Out is just around the corner and has been receiving rave reviews so far, but let us not forget about all the other treats Pixar has in the oven right now. Speaking at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this month, Pixar Chief Creative Officer John Lasseter gave a brief preview of the studio's upcoming slate, sharing minor plot details about the much anticipated The Good Dinosaur as well as Finding Dory, the sequel to 2003's Finding Nemo.

The Good Dinosaur, which Lasseter says will put a "unique Pixar spin on the dinosaur world" will follow the Apatosaurus Arlo, voiced by Lucas Neff, and a boy named Spot on a venture home to the Clawed-Tooth Mountains. On their journey, the unlikely duo will encounter a variety of different dinosaurs, including a Pterodactyl, a Velociraptor, and of course, a trio of T-Rexes (perhaps playing a similar role to the trio of sharks in Finding Nemo?), to name a few. The film is described as "a boy and a dog story, but the roles are reversed. Arlo, the dinosaur, is the boy in the story and Spot is the dog."

In the story, which takes place in an alternate universe in which the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs never struck, dinosaurs can speak whereas humans cannot, which should make for an interesting dynamic between the two lead characters. Pixar is reportedly taking a more photo-realistic approach to the movie's look; “the level of believability we’re striving for in this film is going to be breathtaking,” raved Lasseter.

With the film a mere six months away, the first teaser for The Good Dinosaur could drop any day now; expect to see it for sure by the time Inside Out hits theaters next month.

Following The Good Dinosaur next summer is a sequel that, when it was first announced, most were not expecting to ever see. In 2016, Pixar will dive back into the colorful world of the ocean to meet up once again with Marlin, Nemo, and of course, the forgetful but endearing Dory, voiced by Ellen DeGeneres. Finding Dory will delve deeper into the titular regal blue tang's origins and will not focus on her literally getting lost, but rather on her finding herself—and her family. The new film, set in the waters of the Pacific Ocean just six months after the events of Finding Nemo, will introduce Dory's parents (voiced by Diane Keaton and Eugene Levy), as well as a whale-shark named Destiny who "thinks she’s a whale, but [is] actually a shark” and an octopus.

Finding Dory arrives in theaters June 17, 2015.

Lastly, Lasseter very briefly spoke about Toy Story 4, which he is directing and is scheduled for a June 2017 release. He described the film as "not as much a continuation of the past films, but a brand new chapter in the Toy Story world," which should be reassuring to those worried that a fourth film in the series would taint what is regarded as a near-flawless trilogy.

With all this and even more in store, the future is looking bright for Pixar. Though the first of these films is still six months away, Inside Out will be here in less than three weeks to help ease your appetite for Pixar goodness.

via Variety

'Toy Story 4' Set for 2017 Release, Lasseter Will Direct

I think it's safe to say that this is one announcement no one saw coming. There had been murmurings of a fourth Toy Story on several occasions before, but most fans had taken them with a grain of salt. Millions of jaws smacked the ground hard today when Disney and Pixar confirmed that Toy Story 4 is indeed happening.

Disney CEO Bob Iger broke the news during an earnings call, and confirmed that Pixar and Disney Animation honcho John Lasseter, who helmed the first two Toy Story films, will return to direct the fourth installment in the series.

Toy Story 4 will arrive in theaters on June 17th, 2017 and will reportedly be a love story. Lasseter said this of Pixar's approach towards sequels in an interview the the LA Times:

"A lot of people in the industry view us doing sequels as being for the business of it, but for us it's pure passion. We only make sequels when we have a story that's as good as or better than the original. We don't just, because of the success of a film, automatically say we're going to do a sequel and then figure out what we're going to do."

John Lasseter and the crew behind Toy Story 4

In true Pixar fashion, Lasseter and studio veterans Lee Unkrich (who directed Toy Story 3), Pete Docter, and Andrew Stanton came up with the story for the film over lunch one day in his office, he told the LA Times. He and Stanton spent the past two years crafting the story and later brought in Rashida Jones and Will McCormack to pen the script, having seen their 2012 comedy Celeste and Jesse Forever. Galyn Susman, producer of last year's television special Toy Story of Terror and the upcoming Toy Story That Time Forgot, will produce the fourth full-length Toy Story film.

I leave you with a song from this year's Muppets Most Wanted which, funnily enough, predicted today's big announcement.

EW Premieres Breathtaking Concept Art from 'The Good Dinosaur'

Pixar and Disney Animation honcho John Lasseter recently sat down for a chat with Entertainment Weekly to talk about the latest features in the Disney animated roster, including Disney's Frozen (in theaters this November) and Pixar's own The Good Dinosaur (slated for May 2014). Both films will be previewed at D23 Expo in Anaheim, California this week, but before all that action takes place Lasseter and EW took it upon themselves to wet our appetite for what's to come at the convention and, more importantly, the future in Disney and Pixar animated films.

Above is an a never-before-seen piece of absolutely stunning concept art of Pixar's fifteenth feature film, The Good Dinosaur. EW unveiled the artwork alongside their interview with Lasseter (read the full article here). We know very little about the Bob Peterson-directed film as of now, but expect many new details to begin flooding in once D23 kicks off tomorrow!

A Week Full of Monsters

Oh boy. It's been raining Monsters University news like crazy this week. We got the new trailer on Monday, but that was only the beginning. Check out some of the other monstrous news that has surfaced this week.

First off, you can head on over to this link and take a neat 10-question quiz on the latest MU trailer. See how high you can score, but be warned, you'll have to pay really close attention to lots of tiny details in the trailer!

The wonderful John Goodman (voice of lovable James P. Sullivan) was on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon Monday night, where he talked about some of his upcoming films, including MU of course, and the interview also brought us an extended 40-second clip from the film, from the scene where Mike and Sulley first meet. You can watch it below at the 2:10 mark, although I do recommend watching the whole interview. The clip is great and it'll make you wish June 21 was tomorrow!

Also on Monday was this year's Toy Fair event in New York, where Disney unveiled the toy line for Monsters University, and I must say, the toys look fabulous. I personally have very fond memories of the toys for the original film, so I'll definitely be on the lookout for a lot of these, particularly the Funko Pop! Vinyl figures. Head on over to The Pixar Times, they've got some awesome coverage and pictures from the event!

Look for these MU toys and more in stores this spring!

Disney Living also uploaded the following videos: the first one is of Pixar honcho and toy fanatic John Lasseter going over a few of the toys that were revealed this week, and the second is a short recap of the MU panel at the Toy Fair. Check them out below.

Not only were the toys for MU unwrapped at the Toy Fair, but some of the film's cast and crew, including director Dan Scanlon, producer Kori Rae, and star John Goodman, were also there to talk about the new film, and provided a sneak peek at some of the new characters that will make their on-screen debut in this year's Monsters prequel.

Photo credit: The Pixar Times

The new characters include aspiring scarer Don Cartlon (voiced by Joel Murray), bickering brothers Terri and Terry (voiced by Sean Hayes and Dave Foley, respectively), the adorable Scott "Squishy" Squibbles (voiced by Pixar's own Pete Sohn), and the hilariously abnormal Art (voiced by Charlie Day). With all these fantastic new additions along with classic favorites from the original film returning, it sure looks like Monsters University already has quite the unforgettable cast of characters!

That's all for now folks, but stay tuned as we are sure to get even more MU news in the months to come as June 21 quickly approaches!

John Lasseter Makes Appearence In Disney's 'Wreck-It Ralph'

Disney's upcoming computer-animated feature film Wreck-It Ralph has been creating quite a buzz on the web lately. Though it is not a Pixar film, I am quite excited to see it as the plot intrigues me and from what I have seen it looks like it is going to be an absolutely marvelous film.

Some concept art for the film has been put up on display at Disney's Hollywood Studios (replacing the Brave exhibit that had been there previously) and among the artwork you'll see a familiar face.

Let's see...short brown hair, rounded glasses, Hawaiian shirt. This is without a doubt a cartoon version of Pixar and Disney Animation Chief Creative Officer, John Lasseter. Here the Hawaiian shirt-wearing Pixar honcho appears to be designed similarly to the Nicelanders; the inhabitants of the arcade game that the film's protagonist, Wreck-It Ralph, is the villain of. Ever since Lasseter took his current position as CCO at both Pixar and Disney animation studios in 2006, things at Disney Animation definitely seem to be going uphill with films such as Tangled and Winnie the Pooh, so including him in Wreck-It Ralph is likely a sort of homage, and similar to how a car named John Lassetire appeared in Cars 2.

Of course, this is only concept art and we can't be 100% sure that the Nicelander version of John will appear in the finished film, but I'd say there's a good chance that he will.

Wreck-It Ralph hits theaters November 2, and this is one movie I wouldn't dare miss!

(via The Pixar Times)

Behind the Scenes of Brave

A lot of Brave clips, featurettes, and TV spots have been posted online lately, but we haven't seen much from 'behind the scenes' of the film - that is, until now.

These first two vids gives us a glimpse at what you expect to find when you go watch Brave. They include short interviews with director Mark Andrews and producer Katherine Sarafian, along with some of the cast members, Brenda Chapman, and Pixar honcho John Lasseter.

The second of these, particularly, gives us a lot of insight into all the hard work that went into making Brave. This is, after all, a film that has been in the works since 2005. This second video lasts over five minutes, and focuses on the inspiration, story, art, characters, and music of the film; all the aspects that, if done well, will make Brave a true masterpiece.

Also, you can check out these individual interviews with Kelly Macdonald (voice of Merida), Emma Thompson (Elinor), Billy Connolly (Fergus), Craig Ferguson (Lord Mactintosh), and Kevin McKidd (Lord MacGuffin/Young MacGuffin). It's really interesting to hear the cast's different thoughts on the story, film, and the characters, so I strongly recommend watching these videos.

Brave hits theaters in just eleven days!

(Hat tip to Pixar Portal)

End of Year (Pixar) News! Happy 2012!

The year of 2011 has come to a close, but that's not stopping Pixar from giving their fans one last thing to talk about this year. Or rather, multiple last things to talk about.

Unfortunately, not all of this is exactly good news. UPMAD (the Untitled Pixar Movie About Dinosaurs), which was announced at D23 Expo earlier this year and is currently in production at the Emeryville-based studio, being directed by Bob Peterson (co-director of Up; voice of Dug) has had its release date taken away by Disney's new film, Frozen, formerly titled The Snow Queen.

The new Pixar film about dinosaurs living in the modern world was set for release on November 27, 2013, but is now left without a certain release date until further notice.

The news broke about a week ago, when Disney's calendar read "Frozen" on the 27 of November, 2013, which led many to think that Bob Peterson's dino-film had been given this new title. However, it was soon announced that "Frozen" was simply the new title for Disney's The Snow Queen.

So once again, an attempt to release more than one Pixar feature film in the same year has been jeopardized.

On the happier side, Pixar's 2011 spy film, Cars 2, now holds the title for the most successful animated movie of the year. It even made the top-ten list of the overall highest grossing films of 2011, coming in seventh place, above three of the years blockbusters; Thor, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and Captain America: The First Avenger.

Mater and McQueen raked in a total of $551,852,396 worldwide at the box office this year, with $191,452,396 of the film's earnings made in the US and Canada.

Pixar honcho John Lasseter was recently over at the currently in-construction Cars Land at Disney's California Adventure (it opens this coming summer) testing out the spectacular new ride, "Luigi's Flying Tires".

"This was awesome!" he says. Check it out:

Cars Land will opens its doors summer 2012! Another thing to look forward to this new year!

Last but not least, Brave was recently listed on both Yahoo! and Rotten Tomatoes as one of 2012's most anticipated films! So I guess passionate Pixar fans are not the only ones looking forward to Pixar's first fairy tale, set in the highlands of medieval Scotland. Can't wait for Merida to hit the big screen!

So I guess this concludes 2011 here at Pixar Corner. It's been an amazing year. Cars 2 came out, Toy Story 3 won two Oscars, Pixar celebrated its 25th anniversary, the Toy Story Toons kicked off, and Pixar Corner turned one year old! And these are just a very short few of the spectacular, amazing, incredible things that happened this year.

There are a whole lot of things to look forward to in 2012, some being the release of Brave, and Finding Nemo being re-released in 3D (and most likely in Blu-ray). So prepare yourself, it's going to be a fantastic year.

See you in 2012.

More Info on Pete's 'Mind' Production

Hooray! At D23 Expo, two brand-new original Pixar films were announced; Bob Peterson's "UPMAD" (Untitled Pixar Movie About Dinosaurs), and Pete Docter's "Inside the Human Mind" film.

John Lasseter talked on the Charlie Rose show and said the following about Pete's film:

"Pete Docter, from Monsters, Inc. and Up, is doing a new film that takes place inside of a girl’s mind and it is about her emotions as characters, and that is unlike anything you’ve ever seen."

The protagonist's emotions will be characters? No kidding this will be unlike anything we've ever seen before. Oh, and yes, John did say that it was a girl who is at the center of the story. So joining Brave in the short list of Pixar films with female protagonists is Pete Doctor's new feature. Expect another mind-blowing (pun intended) hit from Pete, as his filmography currently includes classics like Monsters, Inc. and Up.

Scottish princesses? Monsters in college? Dinosaurs in the modern world? A look inside a human's mind??? Is it just me, or is Pixar's upcoming film list just really, really exciting?

John Lasseter Now Officially a 'Star'

It was about time that John Lasseter, Chief Creative Officer of Pixar and Disney, got his very own star on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame! Not too long ago, Toy Story composer Randy Newman was also made a part of Hollywood history.

Check out this video of the ceremony:

As you can see, Lasseter's star is located right in front of the  famous Disney-owned El Capitan theater, where, I believe, all of Pixar's films have premiered. So it's the perfect spot for Mr. Lasseter to have his shining star, isn't it?

The ceremony was attended by Cars 2 stars Owen Wilson and Emily Mortimer, Toy Story cast members John Ratzenberger and Don Rickles, Pixar composer Randy Newman, and so many others...including McQueen and Mater themselves.

Congratulations to John Lasseter! Who knows, maybe someday Lee Unkrich will get a star, or Andrew Stanton? Or what about Pete Docter and Brad Bird?

Pixar Book Talk!

Books. What would we do without them? They educate us, entertain us, and help us discover new things. There's been a whole lot of news about Pixar-related books lately.

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First of all, Steve Jobs' authorized biography came out on Monday! I haven't had the chance to see it just yet, but I plan on at least obtaining it from the public library, if not buying it,  sometime soon. The bio, entitled simply Steve Jobs and written by Walter Isaacson, tells the story of Jobs' brilliant and inspirational life; how he co-founded Apple, how he helped bring them back to the top, how he invented the contraptions we know today as the iPad and iPhone, and, what he is best known for by animation fans around the globe, how he helped bring Pixar to life. Steve Jobs is available now, and I would not miss out on this good read.

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Also, we have another one of the popular "Art of" books coming up next month, but this time, it's not focusing on just the latest Pixar release, it's focusing on all their films so far, from Toy Story all the way to Cars 2. It even includes the majority of their short films--including the upcoming La Luna. So, naturally, this new book is called, The Art of Pixar. It's being released this year to celebrate Pixar's 25th anniversary.

One of the unique aspects of The Art of Pixar is how only nine of its 320 pages contain text (not counting captions of the pictures and artwork throughout the book, of course). This book is all about the art, or, more specifically, a type of art form which Pixar uses to perfect all their features and shorts. It is called, the color script. Also, it will include a foreword by Pixar honcho John Lasseter!

The Art of Pixar will have all the color scripts for all of Pixar's feature films and most of their short films, and it will be available on November 2! You can pre-order and read the official description of the book here.

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Lastly, another "Art of" book was just announced. No, it's not The Art of Brave (although we are likely to hear about that in a few months or so), but it is The Toy Story Films: An Animated Journey, or in other words, "The Art of all 3 Toy Story movies". Amazon.com has listed it as a 192-page book, hardcover, which will be available on August 7, 2012. As the name suggests, it will be a retelling of the making of the beloved Toy Story franchise, and will include concept art from Toy Story, Toy Story 2, and of course, Toy Story 3, as well as interviews with the filmmakers! Don't forget to check out the official description here.

If you are an avid Pixar and Toy Story fan, this book sounds like something you probably won't want to miss out on.

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Were you looking for a good book to read or one to look forward to? Well then, hopefully this blog post gave you some ideas.

Pixar at D23 Expo

At last, some Pixar news to share with you all.

You've probably heard of D23 Expo, often called "The Ultimate Disney Event for Fans and Families". This year, for the first time ever, Pixar will be present at the event, and it seems that it will be pretty hard to ignore Pixar's presence at D23.

Many Pixarian "celebrities" will be present at the event, such as Kelly Macdonald and Kevin McKidd from Pixar's upcoming release, Brave, Ricky Nierva, production designer for Monsters University, Jim Morris, general manager of the Pixar studios, and best of all, a group of almost all of Pixar's directors, from John Lasseter, all the way to Dan Scanlon! Not to mention, legendary Pixar composer Michael Giacchino will be there too. Wow, if I was lucky enough to be attending the event, I'd probably pass out from all the excitement.

Here is an official list of all the Pixar-related panels to enjoy at the giant event:

A Conversation with the Pixar Creative Team

Enjoy a rare opportunity to spend some time with the key figures responsible for Pixar’s unprecedented success, including John Lasseter (chief creative officer, Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios), Jim Morris (general manager, Pixar Animation Studios), Pete Docter (director, Monsters, Inc., Up), Andrew Stanton (director, Finding Nemo, WALL-E), Bob Peterson (co-director, Up), Lee Unkrich (director, Toy Story 3), Mark Andrews (director, Brave), and Dan Scanlon (director, Monsters University).

The Characters of Monsters University

Director Dan Scanlon and Production Designer Ricky Nierva discuss how they combine hair, horns, and a lot of heart to bring the wonderful Monsters University characters to life.

Michael Giacchino’s Music of Pixar

In this musical presentation, award-winning composer Michael Giacchino explores his early influences through the creation of modern-day classic scores from Ratatouille, Up and Cars 2.

The Art of Brave

Production designer Steve Pilcher and shading art director Tia Kratter show how they and their team put paint to canvas and fingers to computer keys to create the stunning visuals of Scotland for Disney•Pixar’s upcoming film Brave.

Pixar Shorts

This retrospective screening of the animation studio’s legendary short films will be followed by a panel discussion with several of the filmmakers, including Ralph Eggleston (director, For the Birds), Andy Jimenez (director, One Man Band), Angus MacLane (director, BURN-E), Pete Sohn (director, Partly Cloudy), Teddy Newton (director, Day & Night), and Enrico Casarosa (director, La Luna).

So not only will many Pixar celebs be there, but we'll probably get our first peek at Monsters University, and see more concept art from Brave! This is sure shaping up to be one heck of an event!

Visit D23's official website for further details, and if you are interested in attending, you can buy tickets there as well.

A Day In the Life of John Lasseter

A few weeks ago, Pixar released a 25-minute video about what everyday life is like for Pixar honcho John Lasseter. Pixar fans, including myself, found it very interesting to see what day-to-day activities Mr. Lasseter does as he runs the animation studio that creates characters that millions of people have grown to love. In this video, you get a peek at Lasseter's massive Hawaiian shirt collection, his beloved train room, and the fun (and sometimes stressful) work he does as a director. Watch below; if you are a Pixar fan, you're sure to love this video.

I love how it ends with the rainbow right outside the studio. What a nice touch.

Well, now you know how the man does it all. It brings stress many times, and a lot of tricky sitiuations to sove, but it's totally worth it when you get to run Pixar!

The Easter Eggs In Cars 2

Pixar is known to always hide little surprises here and there in each and every one of their films. People call these hidden wonders "Easter eggs". Some of the most popular Easter eggs that almost always show up in Pixar movies are the code A113, the famed Pizza Planet truck first introduced in Toy Story, and let's not forget, a reference to Pixar's next feature film. This year's Cars 2 did not break tradition, and sure enough, there were plenty of hidden treasures to make the film even more enjoyable and entertaining. Disney/Pixar released an official list of all the Easter eggs in Cars 2, which I have posted below. See which ones you found the first time through, and find out which ones you missed out on! Also, if you happened to find a hidden gem when you watched Cars 2, but you didn't see it on the list, please do share your discovery in the comments!

• NOD TO THE NUMBER — The number A113, which refers to John Lasseter, Brad Bird, Pete Docter and Andrew Stanton’s former classroom at CalArts, makes an appearance in every Pixar film. In “Cars 2,” you can see A113 in two places: as the number on Mater’s license plate, and as the number on Siddeley the spy jet’s tail fin.
• THAT’S INCREDIBLE — In Radiator Springs, Mater drives past the Radiator Springs Drive-in, and the movie displayed on the marquee is “The Incredimobiles,” a car-ified version of Disney/Pixar’s 2004 film “The Incredibles.”
• TAKE OUT OR DELIVERY — The Pizza Planet Truck, first seen in the original "Toy Story", makes an appearance in almost every Pixar film. It actually appears twice in “Cars 2”—as a guest on the “Tire Talk” television show just before the Mel Dorado show comes on, and in the Radiator Springs epilogue as a race spectator when the jet-propelled Mater flies by.
• SNEAK PEEK — In every Pixar film, savvy viewers can catch a sneak peek at a tease for the studio’s next release. In “Cars 2,” there is a “car-ified” version of prominent figures from 2012’s “Brave.” When the Lemons crash into Ye Left Turn Inn in the London sequence, look closely!
• DINNER IS SERVED — In Paris, there is a restaurant called Gastow’s, a car-ified reference to Gusteau’s, the gourmet Parisian restaurant from “Ratatouille.”
• MAKING THE ROUNDS — In the London leg of the World Grand Prix, a banner advertising “Lassetyre” tires is visible, a reference to director John Lasseter.
• FROM V8 TO V9 — The exterior of Flo’s V8 Café has been extended in “Cars 2” to accommodate the set for “Flo’s Cooking Show,” which was to be featured in a segment of the film that was eventually cut. However, you can still catch a glimpse of the extension when the café is viewed from the outside.
• A STAR IS BORN — “Cars 2” director John Lasseter voices two characters in the film: John Lassetire, Jeff Gorvette’s crew chief, and a gambling car in the Porto Corsa Casino. His Porto Corsa line: “C’mon, fuzzy dice!”
• LEWIS LENDS A LINE — “Cars 2” co-director Brad Lewis performs the voice of Tubbs Pacer, one of the Lemonheads featured in Porto Corsa.
• WATERCOLOR WARFARE — Thompson, the spy train in “Cars 2,” contains many weapons with which the spies are outfitted. In the scene in which Mater is being equipped for his espionage duties, one of the weapons on display is actually a very lethal looking paintbrush.

Toy Story 4 Actually Headed Our Way?

A few weeks ago, Tom Hanks commented about a Toy Story 4 being in production. Of course, it wasn't close to being an official announcement, but a couple more things have been popping up here and there indicating that we might actually see Andy's (or should I say, Bonnie's) toys in another adventure some day.

First off, IMDb (Internet Movie Database) says that Toy Story 4 is currently in the works, and is scheduled for release in 2015. Even though IMDb has listed some films (including Monsters, Inc. 2, now titled Monsters University) several months before being officially announced, it has also been wrong many times. What I think happened is that the people of IMDb are taking what Tom Hanks said seriously, so they listed it on the website for release in 2015. Why 2015 you ask? Well, Pixar has stated themselves that their typical film takes usually around four years to complete. Four years from now it will be 2015. So I wouldn't really take this seriously, it's probably all just a big mix-up.

Now, John Lasseter was recently on BBC Breakfast to talk about the release of Cars 2. He was asked about Tom Hanks' comments regarding a fourth installment in the Toy Story series, and he said, smiling:

"Yeah. I found that very interesting too!" followed by, "We haven't announced anything yet so I can't tell you." The presenters asked him if he would like to tell them more about it, but he simply said "No."

He then quickly, but humorously, changed the subject back to Cars 2. Watch for yourself here.

Also, if you wish to see when Tom Hanks told BBC that there would be a TS4, click here and skip to 2:28.

Could this mean that we might actually see a fourth Toy Story film? Is IMDb right? Was John Lasseter just messing with our minds? Is it all just a misunderstanding? When will all these questions be answered???

I honestly would not mind another Toy Story. Many people are getting all upset that there might be a TS4 because they think that Toy Story 3 was the perfect ending to the series, which it was. But not only was it a flawless ending, but you can also look at it as the beginning of a new chapter. After all, Andy's toys are now with Bonnie and her toys, so there are many possibilities with all these characters waiting to be explored. Of course, the Toy Story Toons are already doing that, but a feature film could mean an even bigger and more thrilling story with the characters, both old and new. So if there ever is a Toy Story 4, don't worry about it, Pixar will not let us down. And if there isn't, well, that's perfectly fine too.

Pixar News Lineup!

Pixar's newest short, "Hawaiian Vacation", now in theaters with "Cars 2"

Several things debuted on the web between all the excitement from the release of Cars 2! Read about them below.

First up, Cars 2 director and Pixar chief creative officer John Lasseter will be getting his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame next year!!! It was about time!! Congratulations to Mr. Lasseter!

As you can see, the still seen above from Hawaiian Vacation was released on the web as well. I sure remember that part of the short film. It was followed by a really funny guest appearance who I am sure you will remember from Toy Story 3...

Check out this video featuring Cars franchise guardian, Jay Ward as he gives you an inside scoop on Cars 2:

Over at Animation World Network, check out two great interviews regarding Pixar's two newest shorts, Hawaiian Vacation, and La Luna.

Cars 2 earned an approximate $25.7 million yesterday on its opening day! Looks like Cars 2 will be quite commercially successful!

That's all for now, but stay tuned for more updates on how Cars 2 does at the box office, and also, when the Brave teaser trailer hits the web!

Cars 2 Finally Vrooms Into Theaters!!!

This is it. Today is June 24, 2011. Everyone's favorite four-wheeled characters are back. So what do you do now? Celebrate!!

After several months of counting down to the film here on Pixar Corner, we have reached the finish line, and Pixar's Cars 2 is finally here! We have once again reached the release date of another great Pixar film.

Directed by John Lasseter, co-directed by Brad Lewis, produced by Denise Ream, and written by Ben Queen, this film not only features a great crew, but a great cast! Returning as Lightning McQueen and Mater are Owen Wilson and Larry the Cable Guy, respectively. Joining the fun are Michael Caine as the British spy Finn McMissile, and Emily Mortimer as the sleek spy-in-training Holley Shiftwell. John Turturro voices the cocky Italian racecar, Francesco Bernoulli. This movie also features an awesome score by the very talented Michael Giacchino.

Lightning McQueen and Mater are back, but this time they are travelling all around the world and meeting tons of new cars, and getting involved with the world of international espionage.

Cars 2 will be presented in normal 2D, Disney Digital 3D, Real D 3D, and IMAX 3D. But no matter how you watch it, you are in for a real treat. Cars 2 will not disappoint!

So drive on over to your local theater, buy those tickets and vroom into Pixar's 12th release, Cars 2!

Also, don't miss the Brave teaser trailer, and the first Toy Story Toon, "Hawaiian Vacation", attatched to the fun action-packed movie!

If you are living in a country where Cars 2 is being released later on this summer, than don't let it bug you. Cars 2 is still coming to you, just slightly later!

Brave Concept Art, Composer Announced

Lately we've gotten some news on Pixar's next feature film after Cars 2, Brave, which will be Pixar's very first fairy tale, and will also feature Pixar's first female protagonist.

Recently, a picture of Brave concept art on display at Pixar's facility in Emeryville (pictured above) was released on Twitter, and boy, is it ever astounding. This concept art happens to be on display at Pixar's new Brooklyn building, and is the same concept art I saw last month when I got to visit the studio. I mention seeing Brave concept art on display at Brooklyn in this post. While Pixar has stated when Brooklyn opened that they would not be releasing any pictures of Brooklyn's interior yet, this image somehow managed to find its way onto the Internet when it was posted by BravePixar2012 on Twitter. Maybe this is the first of many pictures from the inside of Brooklyn to be released on the web.

Also, it has been announced that Scottish composer Patrick Doyle will score for Brave. Patrick has also composed music for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and this year's Thor, as well as the upcoming Rise of the Planet of the Apes.

Also, John Lasseter has stated that even though the film's lead, Merida, is a princess, he says that "she's a kickass princess. She has a bow and a sword, she rides a big horse and battles bears." So for boys that were thinking of maybe skipping Pixar's 2012 film just because it's a princess movie, don't even think about it. Brave will be just as awesome as all the other Pixar classics!

Catch the Brave teaser trailer this Friday in theaters with Cars 2!

Cars 2 World Premiere!

Saturday night was the world premiere for Pixar's 12th feature film, Cars 2, set to hit theaters this Friday! The premiere took place at the El Capitan theater in Hollywood, just like the Toy Story 3 premiere last year. Of course, Owen Wilson, Larry the Cable Guy, Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer, and all the other voice actors were there, along with producer Denise Ream and director John Lasseter, who seemed very excited judging by the pictures. Check out some cool pics from the event below, with some captions written by yours truly. I don't know about you, but for me whenever the premiere for the latest Pixar movie takes place, my excitement meter goes wild. I mean, 4 more days until we get to see more Pixar awesomeness!!! How exciting is that??!?!!

Lightning, Mater, and Finn cruise down the carpet as they arrive at the premiere.

The "Cars 2" World Premiere as seen from high in the sky. Who knows, Siddley the spy jet might have taken this picture as he soared above the festivities.

Owen Wilson (voice of Lightning McQueen) poses alongside his four-wheeled counterpart.

Emily Mortimer (voice of Holley Shiftwell) and Eddie Izzard (Miles Axlerod) arrive at the premiere.

Pixar honcho and "Cars 2" director John Lasseter is definately pumped up for the premiere of the movie! Look! He's even got an all new "Cars 2" Hawaiian shirt!

Cars 2 drives into theaters THIS FRIDAY, with only 4 days to go!!