Trailer Update: Toy Story 3 and Despicable Me

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New trailers were released this week giving us a better look at this summer’s potential animated blockbusters. What do you think?:

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  • EatRune

    I wonder if the trailer for Toy Story 3 showed too much.

    Although Despicable Me might have shown too little . . . I really don’t know what to think of it.

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/omnitarian/ Omnitarian

    Can’t tell whether Despicable Me looks like a bad film bolstered by good art direction or a good film hampered by a bad trailer.

    Toy Story 3 looks exactly like you’d expect, whether that’s a good or bad thing I’ll leave up to personal judgment.

  • http://thatlukeperson.blogspot.co.uk Luke

    Toy Story 3 still looks underwhelming. I’m worried there will be far too many secondary characters in it. Barbie, Ken, the purple bear and ‘pricklepants’ seem to be major new characters, Mrs Potatohead seems to get a lot of screen time and presumably the girl dinosaur will as well as a love interest for Rex. With everyone from the first film along with Jessie and Bullseye, that’s one hell of a cast.

    I just hope it doesn’t stray too far from the winning formula of the relationship between Woody and Buzz.

    The fact that there is a poo joke and an ‘ass’ joke in the trailer puts me off as well.

    I have confidence enough in Pixar though to assume it’s going to be good… I think.

  • http://www.bishopanimation.com FloydBishop

    As good as Toy Story 3 looks, it’s nice to see some new stories (non sequels) being told as well.

  • http://www.theradioranger.com Mister Disneyland

    Toy Story 3 looks wonderful, although the hinting that Hugs-A-Lot Bear may not be as sweet as we think has some definite Stinky Pete feeling.

    Dispicable Me could be good, but I don’t think that the trailers are really expressing that yet.

    Always hopeful for some fun in the dark – at the movies of course!

  • http://Heibies.deviantart.com Phil

    Love Totoro’s cameo in Toy Story 3.

  • http://doubleben.blogspot.com Emmett Goodman

    So far Toy Story 3 looks better, but that’s probably bias talking. Really, neither film “takes my breath away.”

  • Justin

    I didn’t see a single indication of Lotso being not a good guy. He seems like a genuinely good toy with a leadership role in the daycare that is probably undermined by Ken and his gambling buddies. And just because ascot has ‘ass’ in it, doesn’t mean its an ass joke.

  • http://Mr.FunsBlog Floyd Norman

    Yikes!

    Pixar keeps a lid on this thing like a Pentagon secret. Now, they practically show the whole damn movie in the trailer.

    I guess we can put the blame on Film Marketing – but – Damn!

  • s.w.a.c.

    I saw Pterry from Pee Wee’s Playhouse in there as well.

  • Naveen Shetty

    TS3 trailer, I’m afraid to say dint look too great to me. And its cheesy jokes didn’t amuse me either. I am keeping fingers crossed on this one. Hopefully Pixar wont disappoint.

  • http://mymedicatedlife.blogspot.com/ Bitter Animator

    After Toy Story 2, Toy Story 3 has a lot to live up to. Personally, though, I really like the look of the trailer, enjoy the cameos and I’m very hyped about the movie.

    Dispicable Me looks interesting and I think those little guys are great but am I the only one who finds the design of that main character really off-putting? He has no space for a brain. Nothing above the eyes. It looks like a severed head. It brings flashbacks of that Ray Liotta scene in that Hannibal movie (I really didn’t like that movie). He looks like the victim of a terrible accident or some hideous birth defect.

    It disturbs me.

  • http://elblogderg.blogspot.com Roberto

    I don’t think TS 3 trailer showed too much, I actually like the fact that it doesn’t give a clue about the plot, I don’t really know what’s going to happen, it seems that there are a lot of crazy things going on. I hope the bear is not the villain, that would be pretty predictable . I love his design, anyway. That Mr “prickle head” joke at the end seems to be a winner and the train and monkey scenes look pretty great (I hope those happen for real and it’s not a fantasy sequence). Looks great, except for the poo joke. Not a big fan of Ken having an extended role, but I guess he seems funny enough.

    “Despicable Me” is looking more and more dull in every new trailer, the little yellow guys are kinda entertaining, but I don’t really like Gru’s design and I haven’t really found any of the jokes in this or other trailers too funny. The very first teaser was the more enjoyable one, but the new ones are pretty “meh”.

  • http://elblogderg.blogspot.com Roberto

    I meant Mr. Pickle-Head, not prickle.

  • Mr. Semaj

    That better be the last Toy Story 3 trailer. I want to save the anticipation for when the actual film comes out.

  • http://beaudetteblog.blogspot.com Grant Beaudette

    How is it that every Despicable Me trailer looks like an entirely different movie than the others?

  • ben c

    “And just because ascot has ‘ass’ in it, doesn’t mean its an ass joke.”

    it will to all those kids that don’t know what the hell ascot means.

  • Trevor

    I’m not sure if I like or hate that after watching 3 Despicable Me trailers, I have no idea what the story is. Or that they look like 3 completely different films.

  • http://www.jtnethery.blogspot.com James N.

    I like the look of Toy Story 3. The “sneak peek” clip I saw with the toys being put in the attic was incredible.

    Not so sure about Despicable Me. Could be good, could be terrible. It’s really hard to judge it as the trailers barely show anything.

  • Ethan

    I don’t know if Despicable Me will be any good, but it’s nice to see a new major studio. But WHY do they waste precious trailer-seconds to tell us who the “executive producer” is ? After all these years, I still have no idea what an executive producer actually does.

  • http://hellohue.blogspot.com Hellohue

    The fact they’re marketing Despicable Me as a film from the exec producer of a string of animated films just indicates to me that the film is really coming from somewhere that just wants another hit and to roll in money and a wide audience, where as I don’t feel that kind of contempt for the audience from the Toy Story trailer. The colour design for Toy Story 3 is amazing too, it really has the spirit of the first film but with a real fresh yet welcoming vibrancy that’s really exciting to see.

    The innovative hit this year I think will be How to Train your Dragon, which looks fun, light, yet completely sincere and full of real heart.

  • diego c

    I didn’t like the designs of the new toys on Toy Story 3, but I like what seems to be the main plot. And about the first trailer: I don’t think Tarantino deserves such an insult.

  • http://powpowcomics.com Brooks Michael Williams

    I think both trailers are very entertaining. Absolutely love that Pixar is introducing another menacing, creepy toy into the series with the one-eyed deformed baby doll. The Crab-Baby from the first movie is one of my favorite Pixar characters and I was really waiting for the series to pull some of that scariness back into the spotlight… 2 was a little less dark to me on this note.

  • Rufus

    I’ve yet to see A=N=Y=T=H=I=N=G that will excite me about “Despicable Me”. It looks SO boring. Toy Story 3 looks pretty neat though.

  • http://www.spiteyourface.com Tony Mines

    Despicable Me gets less intriguing with each trailer. Someone needs to let Universal know that those yellow things are not as funny as they hope they are. Or in fact, at all.

    Toy Story 3, I remain hopeful through a disappointing trailer, but none of it felt true. None of the original writers have written this one, just that one guy who wrote Little Miss Sunshine, a movie I was compelled to turn off dismissively about ten minutes in.
    I like though the message that Pixar don’t like using the flat Apple keyboards any more than I do. Those things just don’t work.

  • http://chippyandloopus.com/ John S

    Trivia note: That is the great Teddy Newton as the phone in the TS3 trailer.

  • http://none Zack Mays

    Can’t wait for June !!!

  • http://tigerhawk01.deviantart.com Sam Filstrup

    Despicable me always seems to give me a good laugh with there trailers, looking forward to the film. As for Toy Story I’m feeling a bit underwhelmed after this new trailer. The two crude jokes felt out of place for this type of film, more of something you’d see in a Shrek film. Where in it works for the main character because well he’s an ogre. Seems as if there’s just way to many characters in Toy Story 3 and the line with Andy at the end was just corny. It still won’t be a flop but probably won’t land in my top 3 either.

  • Paul N

    “I meant Mr. Pickle-Head, not prickle.”

    I’d be willing to bet that the pickle-head is Potato Head with his bits stuck on a cucumber. Originally, Mr. Potato Head came with hard plastic features that could actually be jabbed into a potato, carrot, or any other vegetable. When you bought Mr. Potato Head, you only got the parts, and had to supply your own potato.

    There’s no way the current rubber parts could do it, but I’m sure Lasseter & Co. remember the good ol’ days of Potato Head, and they’re probably riffing on that.

  • Uli Meyer

    It all looks the same to me.

  • NoTimeForThat

    @Uli: Then I suggest actually opening your eyes while watching it. I’ve heard that helps.

  • http://tresswygert.blogspot.com Tres Swygert

    I’m more excited for Toy Story 3 after watching the trailer. I’m still wondering what ever happened to Little Bo Peep….seeing she was at the end of Toy Story 2. Nothing has been said or explained about her whereabouts yet, so hopefully they’ll give a reason when the movie finally comes out.

    As for Despicable Me…the last trailer was a little bit more entertaining than this one…and it’s irritating that nothing has really been explained a bit of what this movie is about. So I don’t know…it hasn’t 100% sold me as a “I gotta go see this!” movie.

  • Kyle Maloney

    Paul, its meant to look like Kooky the Cucumber. A cucumber, not a pickle. (I know, their pretty much the same thing, but I just wanted to point that out)

    As for what I think, Toy story 3 looks great. Yes, I could do without the ascot pun, but other than that I have no complaints. having too many characters does have me a slightly concerned, but I think they’ll downplay them enough in the final film. Remember, a lot of Sid’s toys were never even mentioned by name outside of marketing, so Im betting a lot of these characers will have little screen time. their mainly for the merchandising. I agree with someone else the lines from Andy at the end were cheezy, but I think that is just a dream of fantasy sequence or something. or he could be passing Woody off to a kid, which would explain why he talks about him that way.

    Its worth noting that pixar usually sucks at trailers. They pack them to the brim with gags.

    As for Dispicable Me…I went from pretty intriqued to being very meh on it lately. We’ll see.

  • NDTW

    I still feel the the trailer for The Incredibles was one of the best I have seen in terms of selling an animated film. The whole trailer was produced seperately and just gave the public enough of a glimpse into the story to peak our interest.

    These two trailers…..not so much.

  • Tedzey

    I though that one trailer to despicable me with him trying to break into the evil geniuses house was great! Reminded me of a roadrunner cartoon! I think they’re relying on the same marketing strategy that godzilla used in the 90s that got people to see the god-awful movie, and that was barely explaining the plot. This probably means what some other commenter said on this blog, and that universal wants to make a movie thats assured of making bucks.

    as for ts3, im watching it for the nostalgia. Ken and Barbie was a turnoff for me, but that’s not keeping me from reliving my past!

  • Tanna

    I think it would be interesting to see a grown up Sid and Hannah in TS3.

  • http://Mr.FunsBlog Floyd Norman

    Good Old Sid Phillips. I still have my Sid T-Shirt from the first “Toy Story.”

  • Paul N

    Kyle, I quoted the “pickle” comment from someone else. Yes, I said “pickle” too, in order to tie it to the previous comment, but switched to cucumber at the end of the sentence.

    Trust me, I know the difference. Love pickles, hate cucumbers… :0)

  • Scarabim

    Toy Story 3 looks very intriguing. I can’t wait to see it.

    Despicable Me still doesn’t….read. For one thing, I still have only the vaguest idea what it’s about (would-be villains, apparently). Plus, its character design is the flip side of Pixar/Astro Boy-type charm. In other words: bleah!

    Speaking of “bleah”, my sister had a Ken doll and I don’t remember him looking that…um…sexually ambiguous. Although I have to admit, GI Joe he wasn’t.

  • elan

    “It all looks the same to me.”

    Thats just an attempt to make us all think you’re super-smart, or super-artistic, or super-elitist or something. Whatever it is, it’s self-serving garbage.

    We can see right through it, so stop wasting everyone’s time.

  • Jessica Britton

    So far, I’m really liking the music used in the Despicable Me trailers, suggesting kind of a sixties vibe, as does the main character Gru. The design is reminiscent of Uncle Fester by way Bond’s Blofeld (not to mention all the various cartoon spy villains based on him). Is it just me, or does he also look a lot like the british comics character Grimly Feendish, with a pointed nose?

  • Sam Sleiman

    I don’t know what to say about TOY STORY 3, except that I hope that Pixar won’t disappoint.

  • http://kellytindall.blogspot.com Kelly Tindall

    Fingers crossed that they’ll both be worthwhile. Last year was a super year for animated movies, here’s hoping for a strong (albeit Miyazaki-less) 2010.

  • squirrel

    Trailers always show too much. The only reason it seemed like it was too much was because we compared it to the trailer of Despicable Me, which have all been TEASERS instead!

    Now I am still not looking forward to DM as much as TS3. For one, this just gets me MORE confused as to what kind of film it should be, and who it’s marketed towards. I feel like I NEED to know what creatures his minions are supposed to be, and because there is no answer, it just leaves me puzzled.

  • Ed Thompson

    What I read a while ago about the original idea behind Despicable Me made it look like a potentially funny idea, but it seems that there are too many cooks in the kitchen for it to work. I haven’t really paid any attention to Toy Story, but I hope it lives up to it’s pedigree.

  • c-bauble

    TS3 looks great, I’m seeing a lot of Woody having dream sequences, I hope they don’t rely on that too much.

    That DM trailer didn’t have anything unique in it, gag or acting-wise.

  • http://artofguy.blogspot.com/ Guy

    Man, CGI looks so lousy to me now.

    I can’t think of anything else to say. Toy Story 3 looks like a powerful nothing to me.

  • http://artofguy.blogspot.com/ Guy

    elan: Or, that’s just how he actually feels.Same for me. I can’t tell a difference between these things. Just nothing with toys or nothing with an evil genius or whatever. Then I watch them and can tell that Pixar has better artists working for them. That’s it.

  • Justin

    for a second there I thought Disney was pushing the gay agenda with Ken’s fabulous neck bandanna and hiked up khaki shorts.

  • Chris Sobieniak

    Just watching the beginning of the TS3 trailer, I kept thinking back to Brave Little Toaster all over again, if only for the “grown-up kid going to college but still wants his ol’ buddies with him” theme. Many Ghibli-ites will definitely get a kick out of the Totoro cameo here, but the Barbie and Ken thing is just not my thing (very obvious to stick there). Matter of fact, I still didn’t see the last movie, so what am I to know? :-)

    “There’s no way the current rubber parts could do it, but I’m sure Lasseter & Co. remember the good ol’ days of Potato Head, and they’re probably riffing on that.”

    I was thinking that too, and rather stunned if the new potato head toys are using hard plastic parts these days. That shows you how old I am, when I can still remember the way things were and ignorant of any new additives!

    Still not really sold on “Despicable Me”. I feel very polarized by these trailers for it. Obviously those little yellow guys aren’t doing it for me.

  • http://mymedicatedlife.blogspot.com/ Bitter Animator

    Hmmm… I have bought a couple of different Mr.Potato Heads recently and the pieces are strong enough to stick into a cucumber. I’ve never even rubbery parts. Is it possible it’s just some specific version that has rubber parts?

    Man, I hope they did their homework on that because this issue could make or break the movie.

  • http://elblogderg.blogspot.com Roberto

    >>I’d be willing to bet that the pickle-head is Potato Head with his bits stuck on a cucumber. Originally, Mr. Potato Head came with hard plastic features that could actually be jabbed into a potato, carrot, or any other vegetable. When you bought Mr. Potato Head, you only got the parts, and had to supply your own potato.>>

    Yeah, I’m also sure he’s really Mr. Potato Head, and that’s why I think this gag would probably be pretty funny. What could have happened to him that night so he end like that, it’s quite funny.

    I really like the idea of the evil baby toy menacing Mr. Potato Head too. It would be awesome if there’s some sort of conspiracy between the toys, but please, don’t make Lots-O-Huggin-Bear the villain, it would be too similar to Stinky Pete (a character I really didn’t like too much to begin with). I’d rather make Ken the villain or one of the villains.

  • http://www.ulimeyer.com Uli Meyer

    No, looked again and it still looks the same to me :)

  • Cyber Fox

    Toy Story 3 looks good

    as for Dispicable Me, I might as well see it as it’s released on the same day as my birthday (July 9th)

  • Mitch Kennedy

    I dunno guys, TS3 looks pretty great.

  • purin

    Those little pill things are kind of cute. I don’t know what’s going on, but they’re cute.

    Oh, great. I’m one of those types who built up a whole pile of toys in her youth and hung onto them for years despite only playing with a few. How can I donate with a clean conscience?!

    At first I was applauding Pixar for having the balls to actually deal with the “What about when Andy grows up?” elephant in the room. Sure, in 2 they chose a mortality of play over immortality in a box, but that’s not quite so bright and sunny, especially in a culture where kids just get covered in toys and distractions instead of treasuring a few.

    But I don’t know how I feel about the element of Andy still wanting Woody. Sure, I hold on to certain nostalgic toys, but even if he does keep his favorite toys, they’re going to have to watch him read porn from a dusty shelf or something. Does Woody really want that?

  • http://www.tomkurzanski.com Tom Kurzanski

    @purin: I get the sense that, from the way Andy is describing Woody while holding him, he wants to pass the toy on to someone he knows rather than a random daycare.

  • calartskid

    why does TS3 look like a dreamworks shrek trailer

  • purin

    @Tom Kurzanski

    Ah, now that monologue makes sense! That’s actually very, very sweet. Andy grew up into a nice guy.

  • captainmurphy

    Ah Poop Jokes. Now THAT’S entertainment. Looks like Ken is going to get his ass caught.

    Seriously, I thought TS3 might be going direct to DVD/BluRay, but it might be interesting (that is I might see it in a theatre) as 3d iMax. And it looks like a more intriquing story than I imagined, less of a retread. Want to take bets on any being sold on eBay gags?

    The real art of the Toy Story films is in the color guidance, the virtual lighting.

  • http://comemeetjesus.blogspot.com Chris powell

    Im still excited about toy story 3 – I hope its not the spider man 3 for toy story. I hope there’s a real emotional payoff and a good story.

    despicable me’s first trailer was REALLY unique and interesting. All the ones after it seem pretty bland –

    only time will tell for both.

  • Tim Schuit

    Toy Story 3 trailer looked pretty good until the Ken/Barbie characters were introduced, along with the pop music (well….music that would have been “pop” music 20 years ago). Then everything went downhill from there. I didn’t see any characters from the daycare toys that were the least bit memorable-looking, besides maybe the ocotpus (which isn’t even a typical kind of toy. Just some kind of jelly/putty thing??) Looks like they’re trying to get the potato heads to carry the bulk of the comedy.

    Despicable Me trailer looks awful. Omg! Little guys with high-pitched voices!! So funneh!!! Kids will love this, right? Nice to see they’re setting the bar extremely low.

  • Damon

    I’m not an animator just a regular person who watches movies. So I’m looking at these two films from this angle.

    Toy Story 3 is a film I wanted to see yesterday.

    Despicable Me is a film I can wait to see.

  • Andrew Kieswetter

    The Despicable Me guy looks like a cross between Dr.Evil & Uncle Fester.

    Toy Story 3 looks great. I really like the Totoro cameo.

    On the subject of Disney-linked sequels,I would really LOVE to see a Bolt II.

  • Adam Oliver

    Bolt 2, are you kidding?!

    Dispicable Me just highlighted how little the big studios know about making something new. It’s all formula. The main character reminds me of that Igor chap from a few years ago, and the little things are like a cross between the aliens in Toy Story and the birds in Pixar’s short film.
    The fighting joke was weak, but obviously what the studio think is a good way of getting in a big crowd, and they sound like chipmunks!

    Toy Story 3 did give away lots, and as much as I really want this to be great, I can only think it will be average if you watch it with no preconceptions.

    Animation can do anything! Why do we stick to the same way of moving things and telling stories? It makes me depressed, and I have to admit I agree with Uli, it is all looking the same.

  • John A

    Do they ever get around to explaining what happened to Andy’s dad? Or are we just left to assume he knocked up Andy’s mom twice and then hit the road?

  • http://www.nofateandrazor.com Razor Roman

    @Tres Swygert – Little BoPeep was Molly’s toy, not Andy’s – so it’s possible Molly, who is probably just becoming a teenager, still has her? I know when listening to the TS1 audio commentary, they addressed that one of the points that they didn’t get across clearly enough to audiences seemed to be that Bo was Molly’s, and that Molly and Andy were sharing a bedroom at that point (hence the need for a new house!)

  • Pez

    Major script problem. Andy’s mom told Al in the 2nd movie that Woody was not for sale and that he had been in family for years. So why would she just dump him at a day care with the rest of Andy’s crappy baby toys. It seems like the movies don’t match up.

  • http://www.jeff-pert.com Jeff P

    I think (maybe) what Uli is getting at is that these movies, the TS series in particular, seem the same. Why do another Toy Story movie, truly? Money is the only reason, and of course money is the driving force in H’wood. But from an artistic standpoint, it’s just creative masturbation. Show us something new, new characters, new plots, new ideas. H’wood is too dependent on sequels as a sure cash cow, and it becomes extremely tedious and keeps many of us from the theaters. No risks are taken anymore. And are unlikely to be in the future.

  • http://tillmyhands.blogspot.com Adam VM

    Despicable Me has looked lame since teaser 1. Each succeeding trailer’s just kind of reinforced that. Maybe my kids will like it, I dunno. Low expectations.

    I’m intentionally not watching toy story 3, though. I want to go into a pixar film NOT knowing what will happen this time.

  • http://tillmyhands.blogspot.com Adam VM

    Not watching the trailers, that is. I’m totally going to see the movie, though.

  • Gerard de Souza

    I can only think if TS3 is to be any good, they’re not giving away the whole story. At least Woody and his round-up gang would have to be given away accidentally after establishing Woody in TS2 as a Howdy-Doody vintage collectible type toy. Even the mom acknowleges Woody being special to the family during the garage sale sequence. And that would be why Andy would rescue them.

    If I judge it by the trailer it looks like a direct to DVD by what it leads me to believe is the story.

  • Jessica Britton

    Pez says: “Major script problem. Andy’s mom told Al in the 2nd movie that Woody was not for sale and that he had been in family for years. So why would she just dump him at a day care with the rest of Andy’s crappy baby toys. It seems like the movies don’t match up.”

    Seems I remember the first trailer showing a mix-up with the boxes.

  • Greg Ehrbar

    I got a kick out of the use or Herb Alpert’s “Casino Royale” in the second trailer for “Despicable Me” and missed it in this one. As far as the movie is concerned, they’ve got their work cut out for them delivering a more amusingly self-loathing villain than Doofenschmirtz on Phineas and Ferb.

    As for the “ascot” joke in the TS3 trailer, it must be noted for historic purposes that there are two ascot jokes in the recent Scooby-Doo “Abra-Cadabra-Doo” DVD — relating of course to Fred, who is called “Ascot Boy.”

  • http://www.selcouthblog.blogspot.com/ Mesterius

    Personally, I’ve tried not to watch any more of these long trailers after seeing the Princess and the Frog trailer and getting almost the whole movie revealed to me…

  • Sylvain

    The final theatrical trailer for Dragon is out, this time it’s a very good trailer :
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1huZhKwhIQc

  • DSS

    I am disappointed with the trailer of Toy Story 3. I didn’t appreciate the innuendo. Pixar has never done this before. I expect this from Dreamworks. Dreamworks puts a lot of adult innuendo humor in their “kid” movies. Pixar is/was better then that. Pixar was a brand I could trust. I went to the theater for every movie and purchased every DVD. I am so disappointed. What is going on over there Disney/Pixar? Will I be able to take my kids to any more of your movies? Who is responsible?