'Toy Story 3' screenwriter reveals the original ending and it was completely different than the one that hit theaters
In a surprising revelation, Toy Story 3 screenwriter Michael Arndt shared that the film had a completely different ending than the one we know. Released in 2010, the film is known for its suspenseful climax, in which Andy's toys narrowly escape being incinerated in a landfill before being donated to Bonnie, a child at daycare. However, according to Arndt, the original result was far less dramatic.
In an interview for the Script Apart podcast (via Digital Spy), Arndt explained that the first third act in the first draft was the toys escaping from Sunnyside Daycare and then realizing that Andy would be heading off to college in just a moment. 10 mins. Knowing that they had no time to reach Andy's house near Al's Toy Barn, the toys decided to take a remote control car, a motorcycle and a plane to make the journey home, encountering numerous setbacks along the way had to accept.
“It's like an intense race to the finish with the clock ticking and Andy about to go to college… and then the bike's battery dies, everyone has to get in the car, and then the car's battery dies .” “And everyone has to get on the plane,” Arndt continued. The original climax involved the toys boarding the plane, sliding through the window and crashing into Andy's bedroom just as he was climbing the stairs, discovering his toys and packing them up to take with him.
Toy Story 3 poster (Image: IMDb)
Arndt revealed that the development of the final story came from a conversation with director Lee Unkrich about depicting the life cycle of toys. “Lee Unkrich said, 'If this is the last Toy Story movie, we must be reaching the end of a toy's life cycle. We have to see what the end is for toys,'” Arndt shared.
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The decision to almost burn the toys came from the idea of making things as “bad as possible” for the characters. “You always want to make things worse for your characters,” he said. “You always want to make things as bad as possible.”
This revelation raises fascinating questions about the creative process behind one of Pixar's most popular films. How would audiences have reacted to a more humorous, less emotionally charged ending? The decision to change the toys' fate towards a potentially darker outcome adds a layer of intrigue to the narrative of “Toy Story 3” and raises the question of what other creative surprises could have been explored during the film's development.
Arndt's reflections on bringing toys to the “end of life” offer a unique insight into the decision-making process in the production of “Toy Story 3'. This perspective suggests that the creators were willing to explore darker narrative territory and challenge audience expectations in order to tell an authentic and meaningful story.
Although the original ending could have provided additional comedic moments and a different atmosphere than the conclusion of the trilogy, the decision to bring the toys to the brink of combustion ultimately prevailed. The emotional scene in which the toys accept their fate and hold hands as they face cremation left an indelible mark on viewers' memories.
'Toy Story 3 remains a testament to the art of storytelling, where creative choices can take unexpected paths but ultimately shape a unique cinematic experience. The revelation of the original ending only adds depth to the rich story behind a film that has touched the hearts of generations and remains a timeless classic in the world of animated cinema.