8 Startling Early Versions Of Your Favourite Pixar Films
8. Buzz Lightyear Is Recalled - Toy Story 3
Wanting to capitalise on owning the rights to Pixar's back catalogue in the face of the two companys increasingly heated partnership, in the mid-naughties Disney put into production a bunch of sequels to the Lamp Houses best works. Pretty much the same thought process as that behind DisneyToon Studios' follow ons from their own classics (i.e let's milk some more money), the newly founded Circle 7 Animation looked set to destroy many a legacy.
First up on the chopping block was Toy Story, with a third entry that managed to get fairly far into production; on top of getting a finished script in record time, it piqued the interest of Tim Allen. The idea is in base concept not terrible (if a little farfetched) and I wouldn't be surprised if it was regurgitated in some form as the Toy Story franchise soldiers on. Buzz Lightyear dolls are recalled and, worried their friend will be destroyed, Woody and co. head to Taiwan to save him.
It never went beyond the script stage thankfully; as this was developing so was Disney Pixar's relationship, leading to a buyout and John Lasseter immediately shutting down Circle 7 when he was made head of Disney Animation. The effect of the film still remains; it seems this motivated the Brain Trust to make the Toy Story 3 we eventually got.