Film Toy Story: The "Black Friday Reel"

[Firaga 5,947]

No, this is not me trying to write up some hackneyed creepypasta, this is a thing that actually happened.

 

This is just a little bit of Disney/Pixar/film history I thought I'd share with you since there doesn't seem to be a thread of it already made on the site.

 

So, do you remember how in the first Toy Story movie Woody was kind of a jealous asshat but still likable enough for us to sympathize with him by the end of the movie when he and Buzz Lightyear make up? Well imagine if he was a full on dick. Like, Lotso-esque. (In fact, I'm pretty sure the version of Woody you're about to see served a little inspiration for Lotso.)

 

See, that was the original intention for his character, and the film itself was actually very mean-spirited in general because it was originally a more cynical, edgy take on a kids film. Yeah. One of the earliest forms of "edgelording" in film, I'm sure.

 

This was all ordered by then Disney chairman Jeffrey Katzenburg by the way. You know, the guy who left the company some time after and went on to make Dreamworks which then spawned the cynical fairy tale potshot fest known as Shrek? Makes sense now, don't it?

 

And that leads us to the "Black Friday Reel", a test screening of the movie done on, what else, Black Friday, specifically November 19, 1993. This was way before the animation process even began, so the entire thing is shown in storyboards with voice acting. Here's it is in full:

 

 

This, of course, got backlashed by pretty much everybody down in Disney and even by John Lassiter himself (if the opening clip of the video didn't give it away ) and the entire film was re-written into the more homely smash hit blockbuster we know it as today.

 

Imagine the timeline where Pixar and Disney decided to go ahead and stick with the original vision. Not only would everybody in Pixar be out of a job, but literally everything that Pixar has accomplished since this film would not have existed. All because of edge.

 

If you want more info, check out the this documentary: 

 

[The Transcendent Key 12,109]

Dang, that's pretty hardcore! To think that Woody was a scumbag in this concept was quite shocking! It's interesting, cuz it makes you wonder just how different things would have turned out had this been the way Toy Story would have run its course!

Edited January 10, 2017 by The Transcendent Key

[Mystics Apprentice 2,397]

Wow, this is really surprising.  I know that films and characters go through a series of development and evolution, but I never thought that this would be the original conception of Woody.  I don't think he would hold the place of my favorite Toy Story character had he been like this.   The series would be completely different than how we know it today, and while I'd be interested to see what Toy Story would've been like I am gladdened that they changed his overall character some.  It is so difficult to envision Woody as a villain after so many years of knowing him as the brave toy that, while greedy, has a good heart.

[KairiKeybasH 851]

I don´t see the difference with Woody´s behavoir, but it was meant to be an movie for grown ups, becuase saying adult film people think the other way.

[Firaga 5,947]

I don´t see the difference with Woody´s behavior--

 

You didn't notice how much more self absorbed and uncaring he was compared to what we see in the final film? In the reel, he deliberately threw Buzz out of the window instead of just behind the desk in the final film, defended himself guilt-free from the other toys (who were also a lot meaner) after he was caught, and even went as far as to berate Slinky for speaking out against him.

 

BF!Woody is a pretty mean son of a bitch, dude.