A creator of Toy Story has dismissed this popular fan theory

Andy's absent Dad is a big point of contention for Toy Story fans.

Despite it being 22 years since the film came out, new theories about the Pixar film are always emerging.

Most popular fan theories emerge around Andy's parents getting divorced shortly prior to the events of the first film in the series, or speculating that Andy's Dad is deceased.

This week, a new theory dropped by way of Mike Mozart, a toy collector who was friends with the film's creator Joe Ranft until his death in 2005.

Mozart claims that Ranft, who won an Oscar for his work on the film, told him the whole origin story once.

In an interview with Jonathan Carlin, a YouTuber, Mozart says that Andy’s dad was sick with polio as a child, but recovered and grew up into a healthy middle-aged man who married Andy’s mum, and had two kids before developing post-polio syndrome and dying.

The theory, outlined in the video below, would make a lot of sense, filling in some of the franchise's plotholes.

Before you reach for the tissues, Andrew Stanton, a producer who worked on the film, has debunked the theory.

He called it "complete and utter fake news".

It's a shame, because it would make for an interesting prequel.

It's possible however that Stanton did not know the backstory - the interview claims that Ranft may have only told one person.

The theory

The origin story, according to Mike Mozart is very, very sad.

It states the house that Andy lives in first Toy Story film, is the house Andy's Dad grew up in. So all the pictures you see in the house that are Andy are actually Andy's father (which explains why he's wearing glasses in one of them).

To make things extra confusing, Andy's Dad is also called Andy.

The story states, Andy Senior came from a poor family but really loved the TV show Woody's Roundup.

Andy Sr. had a tough childhood, as well as coming from a very poor family, he was also sick as a child (with polio) and he was bullied by a childhood version of Al (from Al's Toy Store).

Andy Sr. saved up a box tops from cereals to get his own Woody doll (which was the only way you could get one).

Andy's dad was actually the only kid to get his hands on a Woody toy, because the show was cancelled, and all the other kids got "space toys".

However, a nice secretary sent the protype Woody doll to Andy Sr. who had written lots of letters to the show.

Because he had polio, Andy's dad's toys were all burned, but he rescued his Woody doll, Slinky and Mr. Potato Head.

Then, while Andy's mum was pregnant since his sister, Andy Sr. gets sick with post-polio disease.

While lying on his deathbed, Andy Sr. told him to get a box of toys from the attic but died before Andy came back downstairs.

The toys, which are sentient, don't realise Andy isn't Andy's dad because they look so similar as kids.

Is your mind sufficiently blown?

It certainly chimes with other theories that suggest Andy's father having died.

Speaking to indy100, Mozart stands by his story stating that:

My story is true... is exactly as told to me, by Joe Ranft, the best I can remember, and my memory is very good.

I have even left out a lot of details! 

He added that the origin story solves a lot of inconsistencies in the film.

Who are the people represented in the pictures on the walls going down the stairs? Why was the moving truck almost empty?

Why does Woody not remember any previous owners, or the Woody's Roundup TV Show?

(Jessie the Yodeling Cowgirl did not forget her original owner.)

Why was Woody unaware of any other toys being in the "Woody's Round Up" product line?

If he had been in a store, he would known. (The toys in Al's Toy Barn were all having a great time EXCEPT the Buzz Lightyear dolls because they were in 'Hyper Sleep'). 

He also pointed out inconsistencies with other Pixar films which have later released prequels, such as Monsters Inc. and suggested that Stanton would deny the origin story because Pixar may want to write a different origin story.

Pixar is currently working on at least two Toy Story related projects.

If they decided to make a prequel, the original intended story makes a mess for changing anything in any future 'Prequel' version.

I refer to the inconsistencies between Monsters Inc and the PREQUEL Monsters University.

In one of the trailers, Sulley chastises Mike for spending ALL his time in fifth Grade passing notes back and forth to Susie Boils

In the Actual Movie "Monsters Inc", Mike reminds Sulley that he has been jealous of his good looks since fourth grade. 

​Yet, in Monsters University, The Prequel, they first meet at College.

I believe that the true original intentions for the original, could produce a film like Up, which was a licensing disaster, compared to Toy Story, Monsters Inc, etc. 

The Toy Story Movies were and still are a licensing bonanza.

I feel Pixar is sacrificing story for the value of happier movie licensing revenue

He also claims that two cafe workers were present when the story was told to him by Ranft.

My retelling of this over a decade old conversation with Joe Ranft creates a large problem for a billion dollar franchise. I never intended that at all.

Pixar has only confirmed they are working on one project, Toy Story 4, at present.

It's due to be released in 2019 and will be a separate story from the original trilogy.

indy100 has reached out to Pixar and to Stanton for comment and clarification.

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