1 February 2008 - 10:28TOY STORY 3D

“Toy Story,” the first feature-length computer-animated film, and its 1999 sequel Toy Story 2 will be debuting in new digital 3D versions — both ahead of the release of Toy Story 3, Disney-Pixar has announced.

The revamped Toy Story, originally released in 1995, is scheduled to open on October 2, 2009; Toy Story 2 will be seen in 3D on February 12, 2010. Toy Story 3, which is being produced as a 3D motion picture, is scheduled to open on June 18, 2010.

Original director John Lasseter, who won a special achievement Oscar for the first Toy Story, will supervise the conversion. He vowed that audiences would be “blown away,” the Hollywood Reporter said.

By May 2009, an estimated 4,000 3D-ready digital-cinema screens are expected to be working in the United States. However, according to Britain’s Film Council, there are currently only 48 cinemas capable of showing 3D movies in the United Kingdom.

The Toy Story trilogy of films will offer an exciting 3D experience to moviegoers, Walt Disney Studios chairman Dick Cook said: “We think they’re going to love seeing all the wonderful Toy Story cast of characters in an eye popping and dazzling way.”

Lasseter said that he was “excited” to be going back to the original characters.

“With Toy Story 3 shaping up to be another great adventure for Buzz, Woody and the gang from Andy’s room, we thought it would be great to let audiences experience the first two films all over again and in a brand new way,” he said. “3D offers lots of great new possibilities for the art of animation, and we will continue to use this new technology to tell our stories in the best possible way.”