Toy Story 2 is an animated adventure comedy film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures in 1999. It serves as the sequel to the highly acclaimed Toy Story from 1995, continuing the adventures of a group of toys that come to life when humans are not around.
The story picks up with Woody, the cowboy doll, who is accidentally sold to a toy collector named Al McWhiggin. While trying to escape, Woody discovers he is part of a collection that includes Jessie, Bullseye, and Stinky Pete, all characters from an old TV show called "Woody's Roundup." As Woody contemplates joining this collection to be part of a complete set, his friends, led by Buzz Lightyear, embark on a rescue mission to bring him back home before Andy Davis, Woody's owner, returns from camp.
The production of Toy Story 2 was initially conceived as a direct-to-video release but was upgraded to a theatrical release due to the quality of the work. The film faced a significant crisis when, due to a computer error, the majority of the film's work was deleted from Pixar's servers. Fortunately, the film was saved thanks to a backup on the home computer of one of the animators, Galyn Susman.
Toy Story 2 was a critical and commercial success, earning over $485 million worldwide. It was praised for its storytelling, humor, emotional depth, and technical advancements in animation. The film has an approval rating of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, making it one of the highest-rated animated films.
The success of Toy Story 2 paved the way for more sequels and spin-offs within the Toy Story Franchise. It also solidified Pixar's reputation as a leader in animated storytelling, influencing the animation industry's standards for narrative depth and character development.