SALT LAKE CITY — Bo Peep has seen a lot in her journey from “Toy Story 2” to the upcoming “Toy Story 4,” and her physical appearance almost reflected that in a drastic way.
According to IGN, “Toy Story 4” director Josh Cooley initially wanted Bo to have a “high-tech, post-apocalyptic” look, complete with a cyborg arm taken from another toy.
However, Pixar modeling artist Mara MacMahon said the idea was scrapped because the character is “not in a post-apocalyptic world, she's a toy.”
To better reflect that vision, the designers decided to give Bo a look that fits her status as an unpredictable lost toy. Her design pulls from real-life athletes and gymnasts while maintaining some femininity.
“She's a character who's tired of sitting on a shelf and just waiting for life to happen. She had to learn to adapt, she takes chances, she's somewhat unpredictable,” said Carrie Hobson, a story artist. “She doesn't play by toy rules. She's the lost toy, which really challenges Woody, he can't quite wrap his head around it.”
The story team also said that despite the visual changes, Bo is the same character with a bit of an edge. Instead of acting “motherly,” the character is a little rougher than Woody — but is still capable of being silly and playful.
“Toy Story 4” arrives in theaters on June 21 and will be the last Pixar sequel for a while. I reported for Deseret News that following the film’s release, the studio will focus on new, original ideas.