Here's how the film's creators managed to bring the comedy legend back for the film!
Although Don Rickles passed away in 2017, thanks to some movie magic, he’ll be once again be the voice of Mr. Potato Head in Toy Story 4.
In a new interview, director Josh Cooley explained how they managed to bring the late, beloved comic back to life for the animated spud’s latest adventure with Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), Little Bo Peep (Annie Potts) and the rest of the gang.
“Of course we loved Don obviously, and after he passed, his family contacted us and asked if there was any way that we could create a performance using the recordings that we had,” Cooley told Entertainment Weekly. “Now, he signed to be in Toy Story 4. Unfortunately we did not get a chance to record him for the film.”
“But we went through, jeez, 25 years of everything we didn’t use for Toy Story 1, 2, 3, the theme parks, the ice-capades, the video games — everything that he’s recorded for Mr. Potato Head, he added. “And we were able to do that. And so I’m very honored that they asked us to do that, and I’m very honored that he’s in the film. Nobody can replace him.”
This time round, the gang is heading out on the road with some new friends, like Ducky and Bunny (voiced by Jordan Peele and Keegan Michael-Key) as well as a homemade toy named Forky (Tony Hale).
In February, ET’s Leanne Aguilera spoke with Allen at Fox's Winter Television Critics Television Critics Association gala where he teased that the fourth installment in the franchise is going to be an emotional ride.
"These writers have done something amazing. The characters they've developed are amazing," Allen teased. "It's a love story between Tom and his love interest… and then Buzz has to make a decision on how to move on with his life ‘cause Woody's making some different decisions… It's so funny and so bright and so interesting and so affecting, towards the end."
"It's a wonderful, full-bodied movie," he gushed. "They've taken this in a direction that is spectacular."
Toy Story 4 heads to theaters on June 21.
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