Would Toy Story 4 ruin the franchise?

Last year's Toy Story 3 was widely seen as a perfect bookend to Pixar's beloved franchise. The first film portrayed a spaceman toy's entrance into the room of a young boy, Andy, and his world of play things. The final film saw Andy leave for college and leaving his toys — Buzz, Woody, and the gang — behind. But while promoting his upcoming film Larry Crowne, Toy Story star Tom Hanks (voice of Woody) said he thinks Pixar and Disney are working on a fourth installment. With Cars 2 getting panned by reviewers, should Pixar resist the urge to crank out another Toy Story?

It's a perfect trilogy as is: Toy Story 3 "seemed the perfect culmination to the toys' journey," says Jeff Labrecque at Entertainment Weekly. "I worry another sequel might somehow diminish the perfectly-wrapped trilogy." It's not that a fourth movie would necessarily be bad. It could be great. But I'd simply prefer my fond Toy Story memories to remain as they are. Just one problem: "Studios don’t make animated toy movies for nostalgic thirtysomethings."

"Tom Hanks says Pixar is working on Toy Story 4; Should Woody and Buzz make sequels to infinity and beyond?"

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Hey, Toy Story 4 could work: "They should only make Toy Story 4 if everyone signs on," says Lindsay Mannering at The Stir. By that I mean Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Don Rickles, Wallace Shawn, and the usual team of writers. Also, they need to let some time pass. "Let's catch up again with the toys as they're being given to Andy's kids." What they shouldn't do is just crank out another installment for profit — that won't satisfy the franchise's loyal fans.

"Why Toy Story 4 will ruin the whole franchise"

Maybe Pixar isn't as brilliant as we thought: "Has everyone at Pixar gone completely mad?" asks Josh Tyler at Cinema Blend. Another installment is totally unnecessary. This is "particularly depressing" on the heels of Cars 2, "widely regarded as Pixar's first bad film." Pixar needs to stop cranking out sequels — Monsters University, a sequel to Monsters, Inc., is also in the pipeline — and focus on making more original films. I have to shake my head and wonder if the Pixar that "made Toy Story 3, and had the good sense to know when to stop, no longer exists."

"Tom Hanks says Toy Story 4 is happening"