Toy Story 4 features an intriguing newcomer to the toy box : Keanu Reeves. That according to franchise co-star Tim Allen, who shared the tidbit Wednesday on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
Allen, who plays the gung-ho space ranger Buzz Lightyear, was cryptic about the Reeves plays but he hinted that its a toy with an intense personality — which sounds appropriate for the star of John Wick, Speed and The Matrix.
“They really will surprise you with the toys they came up with,” Allen said. “Characters came back, new guys in it that are great. Keanu Reeves has got a great part.”
Allen continued: “Actually, a little inside story [about Reeves]: Even he said — gentle, wonderful guy that he is — ‘This sounds too much like Buzz Lightyear.’ And his character does have an edge to that. And the guy said, ‘So we calmed him down a little bit,’ and they reminded me his toy is only that big.”
No matter the size of the character, the role represents a big departure for Reeves. Despite a long and illustrious career — he made his breakthrough performance in River’s Edge in 1986 — Reeves has never had a voice role in an big-studio animated feature film.
Thursday marked the 23rd anniversary of the release of Toy Story, the first computer-animated feature film. The 1995 hit was also the first feature from Pixar Animation Studios. The Disney-owned studio will release its 21st film, Toy Story 4, on June 21, 2019.
