Pixar Deceived Cast and Crew About Taylor Swift’s ‘Toy Story 5’ Contribution
A meticulously crafted ‘decoy version’ of the upcoming animated film Toy Story 5 was employed to conceal Taylor Swift’s involvement in the project, even from many of its own cast and crew. The pop superstar’s contribution, a song titled ‘I Knew It, I Knew You,’ was kept under wraps until very recently, despite the film having been in production for several years.
The track, co-written and produced by Swift with Jack Antonoff, is penned from the perspective of the beloved character Jessie and marks a return to Swift’s country music roots. While the film is slated for release on June 19, official confirmation of Swift’s participation only emerged in the past few days. This secrecy comes after months of fervent speculation among Swift’s fanbase, fueled in part by a cryptic countdown she posted on her official website in May.
VFX Supervisor Reveals Deception
Thomas Jordan, who served as a VFX supervisor on Toy Story 5, revealed the extent of the covert operation during a recent panel at SXSW London. He explained that only a select few individuals were privy to the song’s existence. In an effort to maintain the surprise, Disney and Pixar presented both press and film staff with a version of the completed movie that deliberately omitted Swift’s song.
“The crew that made Toy Story 5 did not know about this secret until last week,” Jordan stated. He elaborated that a “decoy version” had been utilized for early previews, ensuring that the surprise remained intact. “Turns out, Taylor Swift is a huge Toy Story fan like many of us,” Jordan added. “She actually saw an early version of the film, she requested to see it before it was finished and she wrote the song and then asked us if we wanted it. And we said, ‘Uh, yes! Yes we do.’ That was in February, so we’ve had to keep it a secret ever since then.”
Swift’s Childhood Dream Fulfilled
Following the official announcement, Swift shared her excitement, expressing a lifelong aspiration to contribute to the Toy Story franchise. “I’ve always dreamed of getting to write for these characters who I’ve adored since I was a five-year-old kid watching the first Toy Story movie,” she wrote. “I fell instantly in love with Toy Story 5 when I was lucky enough to see it in its early stages, and I wrote this song as soon as I got home from the screening. Sometimes you just know, right?”
Accompanying her statement was a photograph of herself as a child, dressed as Jessie. Swift described the songwriting process as a “musical departure and coming home at the same time,” adding, “Creating something for Jessie was a new challenge and also felt like second nature all at once. And being a @toystory kid from the age of five til now… is an adventure I plan to be on, to infinity and beyond.”
New Characters and Plot Details Emerge
The narrative of Toy Story 5 will reportedly continue the story after Woody’s departure to join Bo Peep at the conclusion of the previous film. Jessie is now positioned as the leader of Bonnie’s toy collection, with Buzz Lightyear serving as her second-in-command. A new significant character, a frog-like tablet named Lilypad, is introduced as Bonnie’s latest favorite toy.
In addition to Swift’s contribution, music superstar Bad Bunny is also involved in the project. He is set to voice a talking pizza slice character named ‘Pizza With Sunglasses,’ depicted as a forgotten toy residing in an abandoned backyard shed.
