Bo Peep Is a Main Character in Toy Story 4

Fans of the Toy Story franchise jumped for joy when it was revealed that Bo Peep would be returning to the fold in Toy Story 4, appearing in the franchise for the first time since 1999. However, exactly what kind of role she would have in the new movie remained up in the air. There was a notion that Bo could be appearing for just a couple of scenes to bring Woody's story full circle, but that won't be the cast. As we now know, Bo Peep will be one of the main characters in Toy Story 4.

Earlier this year, ComicBook.com had the chance to head out to Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, California, to learn about the new movie. While there were plenty of takeaways from the visit, one of the things that stood out the most was the bold and exciting directions that Bo Peep has been taken in this time around.

In addition to being more of a nomadic warrior in Toy Story 4, Bo will join Buzz and Woody as one of the film's leads. According to producer Mark Neilsen, including Bo Peep in this sort of role was always in the cards.

"Yeah, I'm trying to think of earlier versions of it. Bo Peep was always part of it," Neilsen said of the film. "But she was always either in an antique store or she had a location that was kinda like her home and so making her the thing that Woody is always been the most afraid of, was really interesting. So she has a completely new world view that's different from Woody's."

Jonas Rivera, another of the film's producers, confirmed that the early drafts of Toy Story 4 made it more of a romantic story between Bo and Woody, though that has changed quite a bit over time.

"It was sort of rooted in its romantic comedy roots when I think what was my version of it was that, you're right, we started feeling like, awe that just feels like its a human story and all that she was a worthy character and it was something that was interesting to us about playing off the relationship," he explained. "It wasn't until it was probably two years ago where we started going, we made it Woody centric. His worst fear, he said it all along is to be a lost toy. What if she represented something that would challenge his place in the world and just like lean into that. That is, it was almost even like a Lady and the Tramp analogy of like, you know, ones out in the world, why wouldn't you want all this and the other ones no I wanna be at home and Woody is that.

"So she became this catalyst to really change. All the change he's done over the years we thought she had the potential to change him more than anything ever has. And that was just the, now its just come to the story involved that lead to it."

Are you looking forward to seeing Bo Peep return in Toy Story 4? Let us know in the comments!

Toy Story 4 hits theaters on June 21st.

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