Toy Story 4 is here and yes - a whole host of our old pals are back. Woody, Buzz, Jessie, Slinky Dog and co are all present and correct, but there’s also a bunch of new characters to get to know, with some pretty exciting voices behind them. Let us introduce you...
Duke Caboom
What???s his deal? Duke Caboom is the Greatest Stuntman in Canada - a 70s style action figure complete with daredevil motorbike and snazzy white and red biking togs. Think Evel Knievel with handlebar ???tache. Tragically, he was disowned by his child because he can???t actually do the stunts from his adverts.
Who???s his voice? Everyone???s favourite Keanu, Keanu Reeves. Fresh from avenging his dog in the John Wick trilogy and just before reprising his role as Ted in the upcoming Bill and Ted reboot.
Should I be excited? Yeah! Keanu is! In one of his earliest meetings about the role he jumped up onto the table to demonstrate his enthusiasm for Caboom - no shoes on our cinema seats though, please.
Who???s his voice? Everyone???s favourite Keanu, Keanu Reeves. Fresh from avenging his dog in the John Wick trilogy and just before reprising his role as Ted in the upcoming Bill and Ted reboot.
Should I be excited? Yeah! Keanu is! In one of his earliest meetings about the role he jumped up onto the table to demonstrate his enthusiasm for Caboom - no shoes on our cinema seats though, please.
Ducky
What???s his deal? Ducky is a plush toy who???s spent his life waiting to be won in a carnival game. He???s also, as you may have guessed, a duck.
Who???s his voice? Keegan-Michael Key, one half of killer comedy duo Key and Peele who you might also know as Becca???s boss in Pitch Perfect 2.
Anything else I should know? He???s partnered with his Key and Peele collaborator Jordan Peele and the two riffed off each other in the recording studio - leading director Josh Cooley to say that working with them was one of the highlights of his time at Pixar so... yeah. Comedy expectations are high.
Who???s his voice? Keegan-Michael Key, one half of killer comedy duo Key and Peele who you might also know as Becca???s boss in Pitch Perfect 2.
Anything else I should know? He???s partnered with his Key and Peele collaborator Jordan Peele and the two riffed off each other in the recording studio - leading director Josh Cooley to say that working with them was one of the highlights of his time at Pixar so... yeah. Comedy expectations are high.
Bunny
What’s his deal? Bunny is a plush toy who’s spent his life waiting to be won in a carnival game. He’s also, as you may have guessed, a bunny.
Who’s doing his voice? Jordan Peele, he of Key and Peele but also of directing Us and Get Out fame.
This all sounds really familiar. Well yeah, he’s the comedy partner of Keegan-Michael Key who you literally just read about. They recorded most of their parts about four years ago - but Ducky and Bunny wouldn’t have been possible in any of the older Toy Story films because Pixar only just invented the new animation rigging system that allows them to make squishy plush toys.
Who’s doing his voice? Jordan Peele, he of Key and Peele but also of directing Us and Get Out fame.
This all sounds really familiar. Well yeah, he’s the comedy partner of Keegan-Michael Key who you literally just read about. They recorded most of their parts about four years ago - but Ducky and Bunny wouldn’t have been possible in any of the older Toy Story films because Pixar only just invented the new animation rigging system that allows them to make squishy plush toys.
Giggle McDimples
What???s her deal? She???s the smallest toy in the Toy Story universe, a lil plastic police officer who spends a lot of time hanging out on Bo???s shoulder as her best pal and confidante.
Who???s doing her voice? Ally Maki, best known for her role in Wrecked (a comedy series about a group of people stranded on an island). Director Josh Cooler said her infectious energy and laugh really set her apart - ???Nobody can laugh like Ally Maki.???
Does size matter? Well, it does a bit if you don???t want to be ???stepped on, vacuumed up, and probably put up a kid???s nose???.
Who???s doing her voice? Ally Maki, best known for her role in Wrecked (a comedy series about a group of people stranded on an island). Director Josh Cooler said her infectious energy and laugh really set her apart - ???Nobody can laugh like Ally Maki.???
Does size matter? Well, it does a bit if you don???t want to be ???stepped on, vacuumed up, and probably put up a kid???s nose???.
Gabby Gabby
What???s her deal? Gabby Gabby is a vintage 1950s doll who???s spent 60 years abandoned in an antiques store because of her dodgy voice box - and, maybe, her penchant for hanging out with voiceless ventriloquist dolls and totally creepy vibe.
Who???s doing her voice? Mad Men???s Christina Hendricks, who is perfect for the part since she ???played with ventriloquist dolls as a kid??? and, er, ???has loads of dolls??? heads around her house??? ????
Is she... a goodie? Extremely nope. She???s been described as ???Anabelle meets The Godfather??? and she???s after a working voice box. You know who???s got one of those - our old pal Woody...
Who???s doing her voice? Mad Men???s Christina Hendricks, who is perfect for the part since she ???played with ventriloquist dolls as a kid??? and, er, ???has loads of dolls??? heads around her house??? ????
Is she... a goodie? Extremely nope. She???s been described as ???Anabelle meets The Godfather??? and she???s after a working voice box. You know who???s got one of those - our old pal Woody...
Forky
What’s his deal? Forky isn’t technically a toy - nor is he technically a fork. He’s a spork that Bonnie has pipecleanered into reluctant sentience, googly eyes and all. All of which plunges him into a personal crisis.
Who’s doing his voice? Tony Hale, who you might remember from Arrested Development and Veep, or possibly as the vice principal in last year’s Love, Simon. When he heard about Forky, he said, “A utensil’s existential crisis? I’m in!”
He sounds a bit like a philosophy exam question. Then let director Josh Cooley answer it: “A toy’s purpose is to be there for its child. But what about toys that are made out of other objects? Forky is a toy that Bonnie made out of a disposable spork, so he’s facing a crisis. He wants to fulfill his purpose as a spork, but now has a new toy purpose thrust upon him.”
Who’s doing his voice? Tony Hale, who you might remember from Arrested Development and Veep, or possibly as the vice principal in last year’s Love, Simon. When he heard about Forky, he said, “A utensil’s existential crisis? I’m in!”
He sounds a bit like a philosophy exam question. Then let director Josh Cooley answer it: “A toy’s purpose is to be there for its child. But what about toys that are made out of other objects? Forky is a toy that Bonnie made out of a disposable spork, so he’s facing a crisis. He wants to fulfill his purpose as a spork, but now has a new toy purpose thrust upon him.”
Woody and the gang to help new toy Forky settle in ??? and a road trip shows them that the world is a big place for a toy.