Disney initially envisioned the film as a direct-to-video sequel and Toy Story 2 began production in a building separated from Pixar and was much smaller scale, with most of the main Pixar staff working on A Bug's Life (1998). When story reels proved promising, Disney upgraded the film to theatrical release, but Pixar was unhappy with the film's quality. Lasseter and the story team re-developed the entire plot in one weekend. Although most Pixar features take years to develop, the established release date could not be moved and the production schedule for Toy Story 2 was compressed into nine months.
Despite production struggles, Toy Story 2 opened in November 1999 to wildly successful box office numbers, eventually grossing over $485 million, and highly positive critical reviews. Toy Story 2 has been considered by critics and audiences alike to be one of few sequels that outshine the original, and it continues to be featured frequently on lists of the greatest animated films ever. The film has seen multiple home media releases and a 3-D re-release in 2009. The film's success led to the production of Toy Story 3 in 2010, which was also highly successful.
Plot
About three years after the events in Toy Story, Woody prepares to go to cowboy camp with Andy, but his arm is accidentally ripped. Andy decides to leave him behind, and his mother puts him on the shelf. After Woody has a nightmare about Andy throwing him in a trashcan full of arms, he discovers that a penguin toy named Wheezy has been on the shelf for months because of a broken squeaker. When Woody saves Wheezy from a yard sale, he is stolen by a toy collector who Buzz Lightyear and the other toys recognize from a commercial as Al McWhiggin, the greedy, avaricious owner of a shop named Al's Toy Barn. Buzz, Hamm, Mr. Potato Head, Slinky Dog, and Rex set out to rescue Woody.
In Al's apartment, Woody discovers that he is a valuable collectible based on an old 1950's TV show called Woody's Roundup, and is set to be sold to a toy museum in Tokyo, Japan. The other toys from the show - Jessie the yodeling cowgirl, Woody's horse Bullseye, and Stinky Pete the Prospector, are excited about the trip but Woody intends to go home because he is Andy's toy. Jessie, who is afraid of the dark, is upset with him as the museum will only be interested in the collection if Woody's in it; without him, they will go back into storage. That night, when Woody's whole arm comes off, his attempt to retrieve it and escape is foiled when the TV comes on. Woody, seeing the remote in front of Jessie, accuses her of sabotaging his escape. The following morning, Woody's arm is reconnected and he decides to stay when Jessie reveals that she was once the beloved toy of a child named Emily who eventually outgrew and gave her away and Prospector warns him that the same fate awaits him when Andy grows up.
Buzz and the other toys reach Al's Toy Barn. While searching the store for Woody, Buzz is captured and imprisoned in a box by a newer Buzz Lightyear action figure which thinks itself a real space ranger, as Buzz did in the original film. The new Buzz joins the other toys, who do not notice the switch, as they make their way to Al's apartment. Buzz escapes and pursues them, thinking they have also been captured by Al. When he gets out of Al's Toy Barn, he unknowingly and accidentally releases an action figure of his archenemy Emperor Zurg who follows him. Buzz rejoins the others as they find Woody, who initially refuses to return because he does not want to abandon the rest of the Roundup Gang. After Buzz reminds Woody of "a toy's true purpose", and he is moved by seeing himself sing "You've Got a Friend in Me" on the television, he changes his mind and asks the Roundup toys to come with him. However, Stinky Pete prevents their escape and reveals that he wants to go to Tokyo because he spent his life on a dime store shelf and was never sold. To ensure this, he made sure Woody would not go home, and was also responsible for sabotaging his escape the previous night. Al arrives and takes Woody and the Roundup toys with him, forcing both Buzz Lightyears and Andy's toys to follow him. They follow Al to an elevator where they encounter Zurg who fights the new Buzz until he is knocked off the elevator by Rex. When they reach the ground floor, the new Buzz stays to play with Zurg once he discovers that Zurg is his father (echoing The Empire Strikes Back) while Buzz and the other toys continue their pursuit of Al.
Accompanied by three toy Aliens, they steal a Pizza Planet delivery truck and follow Al to Tri-County International Airport where they enter the check-in area, the baggage processing area to find Woody and the Roundup toys. During a fight with Woody, Stinky Pete rips his arm and tries to mutilate him, but is captured and stuffed into a little girl's Barbie backpack by Buzz and the other toys. While Woody and Bullseye are saved, Jessie ends up on the plane for Tokyo. Assisted by Buzz and Bullseye, Woody boards the plane and convinces Jessie to come with them to Andy's house, telling her that he has a little sister. However, the plane starts up before they can escape but they leave through an emergency hatch just as the plane gets onto the runway. Woody lassoes his string over a nut on the plane's wheels, and swings with Jessie between the plane wheels before landing on Bullseye just as the plane takes off. Buoyed up by living "Woody's Finest Hour," the toys go home.
Andy returns home, repairs Woody's arm, and accepts Jessie and Bullseye as his new toys. The toys also learn from a commercial that Al's business has suffered due to his failure to sell the Roundup toys. As Jessie and Bullseye delight in having a new owner, Woody tells Buzz that he is not worried about Andy outgrowing him, because when he does, they will always have each other for company "for infinity and beyond." Meanwhile, Wheezy has also been fixed and ends the film with a Sinatra style version of "You've Got a Friend in Me."
