Don Rickles Is Still Voicing Mr. Potato Head In 'Toy Story 4,' Director Confirms
Don Rickles' passing in April 2017 marked a great loss for the comedy community and for fans of the Toy Story franchise, who had grown up with the legendary comedian as the voice of the crotchety Mr. Potato Head. As he didn't record dialogue for the upcoming Toy Story 4 before his death, it was assumed that another actor would take on the mantle as the lovable grouch. But director Josh Cooley confirmed that when the highly anticipated fourth entry in the Toy Story series rolls out, it will be Rickles' iconic voice that you will hear coming out of Mr. Potato Head's lopsided mouth.
Director Josh Cooley confirmed on Twitter today that Rickles will be voicing Mr. Potato Head in Toy Story 4:
"Some people say funny things, I say things funny." -Don Rickles
All of his pieces may be replaceable, but his voice is not. Honored he signed on for TS4, honored he's in TS4. pic.twitter.com/Q7cTRSQNwh— Josh Cooley (@CooleyUrFaceOff) March 28, 2019
Rickles passed away in April 2017 from kidney failure, following a decades-long career as a stand-up comedian, actor, author, and one of the best insult comics of all time. His work as Mr. Potato Head in the Toy Story franchise endeared him to millions of young audiences everywhere, and his was an indelible presence in the star-studded cast, as the grumpy skeptic who added a much-needed dose of snark to the group dynamic. Following his passing in 2017, the cast and crew of Toy Story honored his legacy with an outpouring of sympathy and kind words.
As of now, it's not clear if Rickles completed all of his voice work before he passed away two years ago. If not, there's likely plenty of recordings from the first three Toy Story movies that they can use to bring Mr. Potato Head back. Since there's a much larger cast now and he's not as prominent as before, it wouldn't be hard to use the character sparingly.
Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Annie Potts, Tony Hale, Keegan-Michael Key, Maddie McGraw, Christina Hendricks, Jordan Peele, Keanu Reeves, Ally Maki, Jay Hernandez, Lori Alan, Joan Cusack, Bonnie Hunt, Kristen Schaal, Emily Davis, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Blake Clark, June Squibb, Carl Weathers, Lila Sage, Don Rickles, Jeff Garlin, Maliah Bargas-Good, Jack McGraw, Juliana Hansen, and Estelle Harris.
Woody, Buzz Lightyear and the rest of the gang embark on a road trip with Bonnie and a new toy named Forky. The adventurous journey turns into an unexpected reunion as Woody's slight detour leads him to his long-lost friend Bo Peep. As Woody and Bo discuss the old days, they soon start to realize that they're worlds apart when it comes to what they want from life as a toy.
Toy Story 4 hits theaters on June 21, 2019.