Conan O’Brien has landed a voice role in ‘Toy Story 5.’
He’ll bring the character of Smarty Pants to life.
The new movie will see our heroes challenged by new technology.
The ‘Toy Story’ movies have never exactly been short on star power, starting at the top with Tom Hanks and Tim Allen playing iconic duo Woody and Buzz Lightyear.
For the fifth entry –– yes, Pixar, while still putting out original movies is still also happy to lean on its veteran franchises when the right idea strikes –– some new blood has been recruited.
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Well, we say new… It’s perhaps a little tough to use that designator since Conan O’Brien (for it is he) has been working since the 1980s and has made a career largely as a comedy writer but also as a TV host for late night and a variety of other projects, including returning to host next year’s Academy Awards after a successful first time this past March.
For ‘Toy Story 5,’ O’Brien will voice the role of a new character called Smarty Pants, who we can imagine will be a witty but probably troublesome type for our regulars to run up against.
Disney announced O’Brien’s casting as part of the Consumer Products section of its Licensing Expo presentation on Monday. And the performer talked about landing the role on Instagram, joking that he’d hoped to play either Buzz or Woody, but is now convinced that Smarty Pants is the best role he could have won:
(L to R) Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) in Pixar Animation Studios’ ‘Toy Story.’
In case you forgot (since it was released back in 2019), ‘Toy Story 4’ ended with Woody and Buzz parting ways when the former joined Bo Peep (Annie Potts) to live a life as a “lost toy,” free from the constraints of being owned by a child.
Throughout the film, Woody struggled to find his place with Bonnie, as she no longer needed him as much as Andy did. Buzz, understanding Woody’s choice, assured him that Bonnie would be okay without him and supported Woody’s decision to start a new chapter.
Meanwhile, Buzz stayed with Bonnie, continuing to live with Jessie, Rex (Wallace Shawn), Hamm (John Ratzenberger) and other toys, including the new addition of Forky (Tony Hale).
Stanton revealed at the last D23 that the central conflict of the latest film will involve the toys grappling with staying relevant in the age of technology.
The concept art revealed at the same event shows the toys looking sadly at their owner engrossed in a tablet, hinting at the emotional and humorous struggles they will face as they try to reclaim the child’s attention.
And Tim Allen has also been talking about the new movie.
“It’s a very, very clever story. I don’t really believe it’s about the money. I’m sure they want it to be a success, but that’s not why they did it. Had they not come up with a brilliant script, they wouldn’t have done it. It’s really clever. It was really a struggle to get, and then maybe two hours in, I was doing Buzz. I’m so blessed to be Buzz Lightyear, to be honest. It’s gonna be fun. I think we’re a year out. I’ve gotten up to the third act. We’ll do the third act. And then, we’ll go back and clean it. And then, I’ll do it about five more times. It’s a really good story, guys. It’s really good.”
“I can tell you that it’s a lot about Jessie,” he said. “Tom [Hanks] and I do — Woody and I — do realign. And there’s an unbelievable opening scene with Buzz Lightyears. I can give you that, but I can’t give you much more.”
Who else is working on ‘Toy Story 5’?
Ernie Hudson Jr. at the London photocall of Columbia Pictures’ ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ on March 21, 2024 in London, England. Photo by Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images for Columbia Pictures.
Few other details have been revealed about the new movie for either side of the camera.
We do know that McKenna Harris, who has worked on several other Pixar titles in various capabilities, is co-directing the movie with Stanton, and the latter worked on the script.
Beyond Allen and more recently Ernie Hudson (who inherits the role of Combat Carl from Carl Weathers), there has been no confirmation on the cast, but Hanks will naturally return and word on Jessie surely points to Joan Cusack already having recorded some material.
We’d be shocked if most of the main voice cast –– at least those whose characters feature prominently –– wouldn’t be back.
Ernie Hudson Jr. at the London photocall of Columbia Pictures’ ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ on March 21, 2024 in London, England. Photo by Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images for Columbia Pictures.
Preview:
Ernie Hudson will be the voice of Combat Carl in ‘Toy Story 5.’
Carl Weathers previously played the role.
The new ‘Toy Story’ is due out next year.
While ‘Elio’ is the next Pixar project to hit the big screen (June 20th, in case you were wondering), there is naturally a lot of attention on the company’s next dive into franchise territory, and one of its biggest hitters returning to theaters with ‘Toy Story 5’ due next year.
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With Woody, Buzz and the gang back for more adventure, word arrives via TMZ of all places that there has been some necessary recasting among the voice ranks for the new movie.
Carl Weathers is Greef Karga in ‘The Mandalorian,’ season two, exclusively on Disney+
Following the sad death last year of Carl Weathers, the role of Combat Carl –– which Weathers performed in the 2013 TV special ‘Toy Story of Terror!’ and the most recent big screen outing, ‘Toy Story 4,’ genre stalwart Ernie Hudson will instead report for duty to provide the voice for the military man.
It’s not the first piece of re-casting in the ‘Toy Story’ world, since Blake Clark took over the role of Slinky Dog from the late Jim Varney a few years ago.
(L to R) Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) in Pixar Animation Studios’ ‘Toy Story.’
In case you forgot (since it was released back in 2019), ‘Toy Story 4’ ended with Woody and Buzz parting ways when the former joined Bo Peep (Annie Potts) to live a life as a “lost toy,” free from the constraints of being owned by a child.
Throughout the film, Woody struggled to find his place with Bonnie, as she no longer needed him as much as Andy did. Buzz, understanding Woody’s choice, assured him that Bonnie would be okay without him and supported Woody’s decision to start a new chapter.
Meanwhile, Buzz stayed with Bonnie, continuing to live with Jessie, Rex (Wallace Shawn), Hamm (John Ratzenberger) and other toys, including the new addition of Forky (Tony Hale).
Director Andrew Stanton, returning to the franchise for the first time in years, revealed at the last D23 that the central conflict of the latest film will involve the toys grappling with staying relevant in the age of technology.
The concept art revealed at the same event shows the toys looking sadly at their owner engrossed in a tablet, hinting at the emotional and humorous struggles they will face as they try to reclaim the child’s attention.
And Tim Allen has also been talking about the new movie.
“It’s a very, very clever story. I don’t really believe it’s about the money. I’m sure they want it to be a success, but that’s not why they did it. Had they not come up with a brilliant script, they wouldn’t have done it. It’s really clever. It was really a struggle to get, and then maybe two hours in, I was doing Buzz. I’m so blessed to be Buzz Lightyear, to be honest. It’s gonna be fun. I think we’re a year out. I’ve gotten up to the third act. We’ll do the third act. And then, we’ll go back and clean it. And then, I’ll do it about five more times. It’s a really good story, guys. It’s really good.”
“I can tell you that it’s a lot about Jessie,” he said. “Tom [Hanks] and I do — Woody and I — do realign. And there’s an unbelievable opening scene with Buzz Lightyears. I can give you that, but I can’t give you much more.”
Few other details have been revealed about the new movie for either side of the camera.
We do know that McKenna Harris, who has worked on several other Pixar titles in various capabilities, is co-directing the movie with Stanton, and the latter worked on the script.
Beyond Allen and now Hudson, there has been no confirmation on the cast, but Hanks will return and word on Jessie surely points to Joan Cusack already having recorded some material.
We’d be shocked if most of the main voice cast –– at least those whose characters feature prominently –– wouldn’t be back.
The follow up to 2021’s ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ sees the Spengler Family fully embracing their new lives as Ghostbusters, roaming all over New York City investigating paranormal activities and trapping ghosts. All of that ghost catching comes with a price when they find out the spirit containment unit is at full capacity. On top of it all, an ancient entity has been unleashed, ready to turn the world into his icy playground.
Did you miss this paranormal adventure on the big screen? Don’t worry, the movie is now available on VOD for rent or purchase, so you can watch it from the comfort of your couch or your personal Ecto-1.
‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ has a runtime of 1 hour and 55 minutes. As of April 30, 2024, the movie was made available to rent for $19.99 or purchase for $24.99 on VOD platforms such as Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube, and Vudu.
With ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ raking in over $198.9 million at the global box office, it has become the fourth biggest movie of 2024 so far. Despite the low critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, the fans enjoyed the movie, garnering it an 83% audience score. It’s easy to see why the moviegoers enjoyed this chapter in the Ghostbusters franchise. The nostalgia hits hard when the film reunites the original Ghostbusters cast members as they take up their uniforms and proton packs for another round of ghostbusting.
While there has not been any confirmed plans for the next Ghostbusters movie, it is clear its original cast members loves being a part of the story and legacy.
“Well, it’s been over half my life, 40 years of ‘Ghostbusters’. I’ve been Winston Zeddemore to people I meet on the street and everywhere. So, it’s hard to separate me from the role, and the fact that it’s still current, that people still love it, wherever I go in the world ‘Ghostbusters’ fans will show up, and express to me how much the movie has meant to them, and their families. So yes. It’s just very exciting, and I’m just so thankful that it has relevance in these 40 years after the fact. No way could I have imagined that this would be happening. But it is happening, and it’s wonderful. As an actor, I’ve done a lot of movies over the years, and it’s great to have one that people really connect to and hold onto.”
‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ will be released on DVD, Blu-Ray, and 4K UHD on June 25th. Collectors can also look forward to a 2-film collection set, which will include both ‘Afterlife’ and ‘Frozen Empire.’ The home release will feature bonus content such as:
Return to the Firehouse: Making of ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’
Watch the official trailers for ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire below:
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The official synopsis for ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ is below:
The Spengler family returns to where it all started — the iconic New York City firehouse — to team up with the original Ghostbusters, who’ve developed a top-secret research lab to take busting ghosts to the next level. But when the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an evil force, Ghostbusters new and old must join forces to protect their home and save the world from a second Ice Age.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with original Ghostbuster Ernie Hudson about his work on ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,’ the legacy of the franchise, Winston Zeddemore’s new position on the team, and reuniting with Dan Aykroyd and Bill Murray.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Hudson, Mckenna Grace and Emily Alyn Lind.
Ernie Hudson Jr. at the London photocall of Columbia Pictures’ ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ on March 21, 2024 in London, England. Photo by Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images for Columbia Pictures.
Moviefone: To begin with, you made the first ‘Ghostbusters’ over 40 years ago. What has it meant to you personally to be part of this franchise, to see it grow and become beloved, and return for ‘Frozen Empire’?
Ernie Hudson: Well, it’s been over half my life, 40 years of ‘Ghostbusters’. I’ve been Winston Zeddemore to people I meet on the street and everywhere. So, it’s hard to separate me from the role, and the fact that it’s still current, that people still love it, wherever I go in the world ‘Ghostbusters’ fans will show up, and express to me how much the movie has meant to them, and their families. So yes. It’s just very exciting, and I’m just so thankful that it has relevance in these 40 years after the fact. No way could I have imagined that this would be happening. But it is happening, and it’s wonderful. As an actor, I’ve done a lot of movies over the years, and it’s great to have one that people really connect to and hold onto.
MF: Can you talk about Winston’s role in the Ghostbusters research center in ‘Frozen Empire’ and is he now the official leader of the team?
EH: Well, I think he’s stepped into that role. With Winston, it was very important for me, and thankfully Sony and Jason Reitman, heard what I was hoping for. Winston has grown. It’s been 40 years, but he hasn’t stayed in the same place. He’s done very well. He’s a businessman, but he’s always loved the Ghostbusters. He’s always appreciated the fact that these guys gave him a job when he really needed it. But he’s also developed a curiosity in those first two movies of what was going on. What I love about ‘Frozen Empire’ is we get a chance to see Winston not only has done well in life, but he also has built this Ghostbuster research center looking into what’s behind these ghosts. A lot of that comes out of over the years that I’ve done a lot of conventions. I meet a lot of families, and they tell me their stories. Some are scary, but people share a lot of feelings because I’m a Ghostbuster, I must understand what they’re going through. I don’t always, but I love the fact that Winston has created a place to explore, and to investigate those things, also, how those things impact our lives. It’s not just trapping them and putting them away. So yeah. I’m happy that he’s not just a guy still looking for a job, and I think he’s really, I hope, an inspiration of what’s possible, especially to a lot of young kids. The town I grew up in, in June, they’re naming the street I grew up on after me. In life, you hope that you can be an example. I hope in the ‘Ghostbusters’ universe Winston is an example of what is achievable, what is doable, and still holds onto his humanity. I see so many stories of people achieving things, but somehow in the process, they’ve lost their connection with the community, and with who they are, and Winston loves the Ghostbusters. All of that is very important to me.
(L to R) Ernie Hudson and Dan Aykroyd attend the New York World Premiere of Columbia Pictures’ ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ at the AMC Lincoln Square Theater. Photo: Marion Curtis / StarPix for Sony Pictures.
MF: Finally, you have a very emotional scene in the movie with Dan Aykroyd. What was it like shooting that scene with him and reuniting with Aykroyd and Bill Murray?
EH: Well, of course they’re geniuses. Honestly, I’m an actor, not just an actor, but I love what I do. But Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd, they come up with stuff that it just boggles the mind. I love working with them, and Danny especially, who I think doesn’t always get the credit (he deserves). Danny’s a wonderful actor. He is very down to Earth, and he brings a reality too. I love the first movie where we had the scene in the car. A lot of fans still will bring that up, but (I love) anytime I get a chance to work with Danny, because he’s there a hundred percent completely. I think (in that scene) with the idea of retiring, basically Winston is saying (to Ray), “We can’t be running around here now. You’ll fall down and hurt yourself.” I love that scene. I just love working with Danny Aykroyd. I really appreciate him. With Bill Murray, it’s easy for me to say things too. I think he knows how much I really appreciate him, but with Danny, sometimes it’s hard for me to to let him know how much I really appreciate him. But I just think he’s an amazing talent.
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What is the plot of ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’?
The Spengler family returns to where it all started – the iconic New York City firehouse – to team up with the original Ghostbusters, who’ve developed a top-secret research lab to take busting ghosts to the next level. But when the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an evil force, Ghostbusters new and old must join forces to protect their home and save the world from a second Ice Age.
Who is in the cast of ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’?
Ernie Hudson Jr. at the London photocall of Columbia Pictures’ ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ on March 21, 2024 in London, England. Photo by Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images for Columbia Pictures.
Other Movies and TV Shows in the ‘Ghostbusters’ Franchise:
With all the throat-clearing and reintroductions of ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ behind us, it might be natural to think that ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ could forge ahead into a new story and era with the next generation of paranormal investigators. But no, ‘Frozen Empire’ rounds up a large ensemble of both old and new cast members and gives almost all of them nothing to do, except stand around and spout either tired jokes or even more tiring exposition.
Five films in, this remains a property that is firmly mired in past glories – or, to be exact, the memory of one glorious film that came out 40 years ago. But it’s resoundingly clear that this should never have been a franchise in the first place, and ‘Frozen Empire’ is a hollow example of corporate mandates at their worst. Director/co-writer Gil Kenan (who also co-wrote ‘Afterlife’) and co-writer Jason Reitman (who directed ‘Afterlife’) have no new ideas and nothing to say, and it’s only the work of a handful of the actors that holds – barely – one’s attention.
It’s two years since the events of ‘Afterlife’ and the descendants of Egon Spengler – his daughter Callie (Carrie Coon), her kids Phoebe (Mckenna Grace) and Trevor (Finn Wolfhard), along with surrogate dad/scientist Gary Grooberson (Paul Rudd) – have relocated to New York City and now have taken over the Ghostbusters business, working and living in the old firehouse where the original Ghostbusters did the same.
As for the originals, they continue to do paranormal research at a fully equipped lab financed by Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson), with Ray Stentz (Dan Aykroyd) offering advice to the new team and Winston’s staff of engineers working on new and improved equipment.
After an initially promising opening in which we see Phoebe, Callie, Finn, and Gary head out in the Ecto-1 for an energetic pursuit of a Sewer Dragon, ‘Frozen Empire’ settles into an hour and a half of tedium marked by occasional events that may or may not be of interest. Unfortunately, we’re also back to the same old, same old, as some of the damage caused by the Ghostbusters’ efforts in the city puts them in the crosshairs of the OG team’s enemy from back in the day, now-Mayor Walter Peck (William Atherton in a thankless return), who is still determined after all these years to shut the Ghostbusters down.
Meanwhile, a fellow named Nadeem Razmaadi (Kumail Nanjiani) wanders into Ray’s bookshop with a bunch of his late grandmother’s relics to sell, including a strange sphere that – as we saw in a prologue set 100 years earlier – has the power to turn both objects and human beings into ice. The sphere certainly generates enough psychic energy to send Ray’s lab equipment into a tizzy, warranting further investigation.
Just what that sphere contains, and what role Nadeem has to play, is unveiled in one stultifying exposition dump after another, although some of it is at least amusingly delivered by Patton Oswalt in a cameo as the Fox Mulder of the New York Public Library (he also works in the basement). At the same time, Phoebe – feeling down and dejected because she’s been benched due to her age – strikes up a relationship with a young teenage ghost (Emily Alyn Lind) that is clearly gay despite the filmmakers straining hard to avoid confirming that fact.
Loads of exposition, endless nods to the past (poor Paul Rudd, who’s actually one of the film’s few bright spots, speaks-sings the famous theme song at one point), and the paper-thin plot at the center of the movie all conspire to make ‘Frozen Empire’ a slog, until we get to the CG-heavy third act battle – complete with column of psychic power emanating upward into the clouds (we thought we’d put that tired visual device behind us).
But none of this is very funny, very entertaining, or compelling to watch, and the mechanics of the plot and overstuffed cast means that most of the actors get little or nothing of importance to do, and often disappear for long stretches. By the end, they all have to come together – including a barely registering Peter Venkman (Bill Murray) – to defeat yet another digitally-created entity from the other side with a murky plan to destroy the world. For most of the running time, however, ‘Frozen Empire’ plods along, with Kenan seemingly unable to draw any life or energy out of this well-worn narrative.
One of the things people appreciated most about ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ was the introduction of its new cast, which also included the Spenglers’ new friends/helpmates Lucky (Celeste O’Connor) and Podcast (Logan Kim). All of them are back, but most of them are sidelined with the exception of Mckenna Grace’s Phoebe. Carrie Coon and Finn Wolfhard are given shockingly little in terms of story or character arc, with Coon looking bored throughout (she’s even sitting and scrolling through her phone in one scene) and Wolfhard literally vanishing from the film for much of its second act.
Grace and Paul Rudd fare better and carry a lot of the film, with Rudd providing his usual effortless charm. Grace is also very good, although she’s given a plot turn late in the movie that makes no sense at all, especially in light of events that follow it. As for the new additions, Nanjiani makes the most out of a thin character but does get most of the funnier lines (and delivers them well), while Oswalt relishes his brief time onscreen and provides his usual caustic presence.
Which brings us to the OG Ghostbusters. Aykroyd plays a more integral part in this story – although he’s more or less Basil Exposition – and manages to come off the best, while Ernie Hudson is just glad to be there and makes sure you know it as he smiles constantly for the camera. He and Aykroyd share a brief moment in which they ponder getting old, but it’s a theme with little potency as it’s never brought up again. As for Murray, he neither has a lot of screen time nor anything meaningful to provide to the story – sadly, Peter Venkman is a shadow of his former self (thankfully, there are no further cameos from the “ghost” of the late Harold Ramis’ Egon). And what happened to Sigourney Weaver’s Dana, glimpsed at the end of the last film?
A headline recently appeared online that asked if ‘Ghostbusters’ could just go back to being one of the great comedies of the 1980s, without the constant corporate mandate to make it into a franchise. We sadly could not agree more at this point. This is a property that’s truly running on fumes, and we’re really not sure if even a blast from a proton pack could reignite it.
‘Ghostbusters’ is like ‘Star Wars’ in a way too – as much as the franchise seems to want to move forward, it always ends up being stuck in the past. While both ‘Afterlife’ and ‘Frozen Empire’ contain little sparks of inspiration – mostly in the casting – the property’s reliance on nostalgia, combined with a lack of fresh narrative ideas or jokes, make ‘Frozen Empire’ a tedious, enervating sit. Let’s not answer the call anymore.
‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ receives 4 out of 10 stars.
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What is the Plot of ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’?
As the descendants of Egon Spengler continue the ghostbustin’ business in New York City with the support of the rest of the original Ghostbusters, a new paranormal menace threatens to put the Big Apple into a deep freeze and unleash a second Ice Age upon the rest of humanity.
Who is in the Cast of ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’?
Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, and Logan Kim in ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’
Opening in theaters on November 19th is ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife,’ which is the fourth film in the franchise and a direct sequel to ‘Ghostbusters’ and ‘Ghostbusters II.’ Written and directed by Jason Reitman (‘Up in the Air’), son of the original film’s director Ivan Reitman, the new movie is set over 30-years after the original and follows a group of kids in Oklahoma who discover their town is plagued with ghosts and that they have a mysterious direct connection to one of the famed Ghostbusters. The new film stars Mckenna Grace (‘Captain Marvel’), Finn Wolfhard (‘It’), Carrie Coon (‘Avengers: Infinity War’), and Paul Rudd (‘Ant-Man’), as well as Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts and Sigourney Weaver reprising their roles. The result is a really fun movie that has fantastic new characters but relies heavily on nostalgia and basically copies the first film’s plot.
After she is evicted from her apartment, Callie Spengler (Coon) movies her kids, Phoebe (McKenna) and Trevor (Wolfhard), to her recently deceased estranged father’s abandoned home in Summerville, Oklahoma. The town is experiencing unusual daily earthquakes, while Phoebe and Trevor adjust to their new life. Trevor gets a job at the local burger joint, so he can be closer to Lucky Domingo (Celeste O’Connor), the girl he likes who is also the Sheriff’s daughter. Meanwhile, Phoebe goes to summer school and makes a new friend, Podcast (Logan Kim), a young boy obsessed with recording everything. Trevor and Phoebe are discouraged by their mother to learn about their grandfather, who they never knew, but eventually Trevor discovers and begins to repair the Ecto-1, while Phoebe finds a hidden ghost trap beneath the floorboards of their house.
Phoebe takes the ghost trap to class and her teacher, Mr. Grooberson (Rudd) explains the history of the Ghostbusters and everything that happened in New York in the 1980s, as they are completely unaware. Phoebe soon realizes that her grandfather was Egon Spengler, a member of the Ghostbusters. When a green ghost appears in Summerville, Phoebe, Trevor and Podcast use the Ecto-1 and a Proton Pack found in Egon’s hidden laboratory to capture the ghost but destroy half the town in the process and are arrested by Lucky’s dad. After a date with Mr. Grooberson, Callie picks her kids up from jail and tells them the truth about her father, that he was crazy and had turned his back on all his friends and family years ago. Believing that her town is about to become ground zero for the apocalypse, Phoebe calls the only people she thinks can help … the Ghostbusters. But with the team disbanded, it’s up to Phoebe and Trevor to follow in their grandfathers’ footsteps, along with Podcast and Lucky, and “suit up” to defeat the ghosts and ghouls plaguing their town.
There are a lot of fun Easter Eggs in ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ that I want to try and not spoil, but surprisingly the best part of the film are the new characters and fresh setting. Mckenna Grace is absolutely captivating and creates a fun and rich character in Phoebe. She carries the emotional thrust of the film and builds a character that you want to follow and see more of in the future. Equally, Finn Wolfhard is super fun as Trevor and has great charisma and onscreen chemistry with Celeste O’Connor’s Lucky. Rounding out the foursome is Logan Kim’s terrific Podcast, who makes a great sidekick to Phoebe. In fact, the kids are so great in this film that you don’t really care when the original Ghostbusters show up, and that is part of the problem. Jason Reitman’s script works so well introducing us to the Spengler kids and the town of Sommerville, that it almost seems anticlimactic when Murray, Aykroyd and Hudson appear, which is not really a spoiler since the three actors have been doing press for the film.
Another issue I have with the movie is that, other than a new cast and a fresh environment, the movie is almost exactly the same as the first, pretty much beat-for-beat. I’d say it is kin to ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ in that sense, which is not a bad thing per se. I’m a longtime fan of the ‘Ghostbusters’ franchise and I definitely think this is the best film since the original, but it would have been nice if the basic plot was slightly different. It’s still great to see the “big three” when they do appear, and their appearance does not overshadow the kids. There is also a wonderful tribute to the late great Harold Ramis in the film, which I won’t spoil, but just say that it was done very tastefully and handled better than, for example, Carrie Fisher’s inclusion in ‘The Rise of Skywalker.’ There are a few other cool cameos in the movie, as well as an all new version of the fan-favorite Slimer, and mini-Stay Puft Marshmallow men, which I thought was a fresh take on an old concept.
Jason Reitman was definitely the right person to lead the franchise in this direction, and with the fun new characters he has definitely created something I would like to see more of, but in future installments hopefully it will be less reliant on the same old formula. Carrie Coon is strong as Phoebe and Trevor’s mom, struggling to get by and holding deep resentment for her own father. She also has great chemistry with Paul Rudd, who as always is adorably fun to see on screen. Rudd plays his character of Mr. Grooberson with hilarious enthusiasm, and you get the idea that the actor is having as much fun being in a Ghostbusters movie as his character is fighting ghosts. There is a clever twist with Callie and Mr. Grooberson’s relationship, that I have to admit I saw coming, but it still works within the context of the film. In the end, while it’s not as original a movie as you may have been led to believe, Jason Reitman still has found a way to breathe fresh life into the franchise his father created, establishing great new characters for a new generation of fans in a fun and entertaining, yet nostalgia-heavy film.
‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ receives 7.5 out of 10 stars.
There’s a scene in 2010’s “Toy Story 3,” when Woody (Tom Hanks) makes the case that the toys should stick together, no matter what. He concedes that the gang had lost some friends along the way – Wheezy, the squeaky penguin voiced by animation legend Joe Ranft, and the Etch A Sketch seen at the beginning of the very first “Toy Story.” Woody pauses and Rex (voiced by Wallace Shawn) interjects, “Bo Peep.” Woody is visibly shaken. “Yeah, even, even Bo,” Woody stutters. His eyes don’t meet any of the other characters. “All good toys who have gone on to new owners,” Woody continues enthusiastically. But it’s clear that he isn’t so sure.
In “Toy Story 4,” out June 21st (tickets are on sale now), we finally get an answer of what happened to Bo (voiced again by Annie Potts) and we get to see her for the first time in 20 years (the last time she appeared was 1999’s “Toy Story 2”). And it seems like she’s been through … a lot.
We were shown some footage, where Woody and Bo meet up for the first time since whatever that moment he alludes to in “Toy Story 3” was. This isn’t the Bo as you remember her; her transformation is akin to Sigourney Weaver going from “Alien” to “Aliens.” She’s tough. She’s a survivor. She has one arm bandaged (was it broken?) and has turned her polka-dotted skirt into a cape that would make Batman envious.
“It was what excited me about coming onto the project. It was like, Oh she’s back!? What are we going to do with her? What’s she like? She was a blank slate. I think it was super essential that we stayed true to her but we were able to redefine her. It took a while to nail that down,” story artist Carrie Hobson told us. She even said that the movie was so centered around the character that its production codename was “Peep.” This was her movie.
Pixar
But finding out what made her tick proved to be something of a challenge. Hobson said it involved a lot of brainstorms. “We would rehash what had happened to her as a starting point. And then because of that, what would her personality be and what would it mean to her to see Woody again?” Hobson explained. It turns out that figuring out what Woody’s arc would be in the new film helped them also decide where Bo should go. “If she’s a lost toy, that’s great, because it contrasts Woody,” Hobson said. In “Toy Story 4,” Bo is a lost toy who has embraced her independence and the adventurousness that goes along with being beholden to no one. (Don’t worry, her sheep are still around.) And Woody is desperately clinging to the idea of belonging to a child; he spends much of the early part of the movie convincing a new character, Forky (Tony Hale) not only that he’s an actual toy but that he is Bonnie’s toy. It’s a fascinating dichotomy and one that you can tell took a lot of finessing.
Technically, figuring her out was also a huge challenge. Directing animator Becki Tower said, “The idea that she’s porcelain and a superhero are totally contradictory was an interesting play from day one. We did our best to just break that down and try to be as fair as possible to have enough pliability to really have emotional depth to be able to admit all those feelings.” Emotional depth, obviously, is what sets Pixar films apart from most animated fair and from the footage that we have been screened of “Toy Story 4,” this one will be just as emotional as the rest.
And with the reemergence of a beloved character, perhaps slightly marginalized in the original films, that hasn’t been on screen in 20 years, there are a lot of question marks still, even for those that helped bring her to life. “I’m just curious how she’ll be taken,” Tower admitted. As for Hobson? She’s just ready for the spin-off. “I would love to see Bo’s movie. I think she, we worked really hard to giving her her own drive and this movie and build a her out. So hopefully it gives audiences enough of a taste that they just want to know everything about her and would love to know where she goes.”
Us too.
“Toy Story 4” is in theaters everywhere on June 21st (tickets are on sale now!)
Bo Peep is back – and she’s rocking a whole new look.
“Toy Story 4” released a new teaser heralding the return of the character, who was missing from the third film in Pixar’s franchise. Bo’s comeback has long been rumored, but this is the first confirmation that we’ll see the the long-lost friend — and possible love interest — of Woody (Tom Hanks).
But the new Bo is very different. For one thing, she’s wearing pants. Her bonnet is gone, replaced by a bow. And as a porcelain figurine, she’s experienced some wear and tear — she has chipped and faded over time.
Pixar calls her “an adventure-seeking free spirit who feels right at home on the road.” In the upcoming sequel, “unlikely circumstances” bring her back into Woody’s sphere, but they realize they’ve “grown worlds apart when it comes to life as a toy.”
“Bo’s taken control of her own destiny,” said “Toy Story 4” director Josh Cooley in a staement. “While Woody was watching Andy grow up, Bo gathered dust until she took it upon herself to head out into the world. And when Woody shows up, they can’t believe that they’ve found each other again.”
Annie Potts, who returns to voice the character, said, “She is modern, independent, capable and confident. Bo is written and conceived to be inspiring as she has weathered life’s ups and downs with grace. I aspire to that.”
These revivals will continue until morale improves.
Listen, “Designing Women” was a great show — and this may be a fantastic revival, since it does have its series creator behind it — but it’s coming after so many other reboots and revivals that we’re in deep fatigue.
Linda Bloodworth-Thomason created the Atlanta design sitcom, which ran for seven seasons on CBS from 1986 to 1993.
According to TVLine, Bloodworth-Thomason is shepherding the comedy revival; THR added that it has been in the works for months as Sony Pictures Television Studios searches for a home for the series.
It’s not clear which OG stars might return, or even if it would be a true revival or some kind of reboot of the concept. Sadly, both Dixie Carter (Julia Sugarbaker) and Meshach Taylor (Anthony Bouvier) have passed away, so they’re clearly out.
But Annie Potts (Mary Jo Shively) did tell Entertainment Weekly she would be interested in a revival of the series. Maybe Delta Burke (Suzanne Sugarbaker) and Jean Smart (Charlene Frazier-Stillfield) would return, too. Yes, there were some behind-the-scenes issues — specifically with Delta Burke — but maybe enough time has gone by that people feel differently. No? Yes?
Potts — who now stars on CBS’ “Young Sheldon” — told EW in March that she’d love a “Designing Women” revival, although she wasn’t sure when she’d have time for it:
“Every Monday night was a MeToo moment for us, and we were talking about it; we were very political. I’m sad that there’s not such a strong voice, I don’t think, in any singular show. Nobody is doing what we did then. So yeah, if [creator Linda Bloodworth-Thomason] wanted to write six episodes and do it in my hiatus, I would be there in a minute.”
Stay tuned for details as this develops. It’s funny. “Designing Women.” “Murphy Brown.” “Will & Grace.” “Roseanne.”
