Buzz and Woody going 3D
Posted Thursday, January 24, 2008 at 2:17 PM Central
by Tim Briscoe
Disney is bringing new meaning to Buzz Lightyear's famous quote "To infinity and beyond." The studio -- with its computer animation house Pixar -- is going back and re-creating 3D versions of Toy Story and Toy Story 2.
This state-of-the-art three dimensional work is in preparation for the release of the third film in the series, Toy Story 3. The third film will also be produced in 3D.
John Lasseter, director on the first two movies starring Buzz and Woody, is overseeing the conversion. The process will include going back to all the original digital materials and rebuilding them in 3D.
Lasseter said in a statement, "The 'Toy Story' films and characters will always hold a very special place in our hearts and we're so excited to be bringing this landmark film back for audiences to enjoy in a whole new way thanks to the latest in 3-D technology. I am sure that this is going to be nothing short of fantastic and people are going to be blown away by the experience. With 'Toy Story 3' shaping up to be another great adventure for Buzz, Woody and the gang from Andy's room, we thought it would be great to let audiences experience the first two films all over again and in a brand new way. 3-D offers lots of great new possibilities for the art of animation and we will continue to use this new technology to tell our stories in the best possible way."
The 3D version of Toy Story will debut in theaters on Oct. 2, 2009. The second film will follow on Feb. 12, 2010. Toy Story fever will culminate with the release of Disney-Pixar's Toy Story 3 on June 18, 2010.
Commenting on the announcement, Walt Disney Studios chairman Dick Cook said, "We are committed to bringing moviegoers the best and most exciting 3-D movie experience, and we think they're going to love seeing Buzz Lightyear, Woody, and all the wonderful 'Toy Story' cast of characters in an eye popping and dazzling way. John Lasseter and the animation team are putting all their passion and hard work into making this the greatest 3-D experience yet, and we're excited to share their efforts with audiences everywhere."
It seems we are on the outset of a 3D renaissance. Lucasfilm previously announced that it is working on 3D versions of the Star Wars movies. They initially hoped to have work done on the first movie in time for this year's 30th anniversary. No word yet on that project's progress.