Which pioneering 1995 animated film, featuring a cowboy doll named Woody and a space ranger action figure named Buzz Lightyear, was the first feature film to be entirely computer-animated?

The groundbreaking 1995 film that introduced audiences to the delightful duo of cowboy doll Woody and space ranger Buzz Lightyear was indeed Toy Story (Review). This pioneering movie holds the significant distinction of being the first feature film to be entirely computer-animated. While earlier films had incorporated computer-generated imagery (CGI) for specific effects, Toy Story was the first to create its entire world and characters using this revolutionary technology from start to finish.

Produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures, Toy Story marked a pivotal moment in cinematic history. Before its release, animated films were primarily crafted through laborious hand-drawn techniques. Pixar took a bold leap, building intricate 3D computer models of characters and sets that were then manipulated frame-by-frame to create the illusion of movement. This monumental undertaking required immense technological innovation, including the design of Pixar's own RenderMan rendering software, and involved a team of animators working over 800,000 machine hours to render the finished movie.

Toy Story's success proved the commercial viability of 3D computer animation, irrevocably altering the animation industry forever. It not only earned critical acclaim and significant box office success, grossing over $373 million worldwide, but also garnered Academy Award nominations, including the first animated film to be nominated for Best Original Screenplay. The film's impact resonated deeply, ushering in a new era of CGI dominance across films, television, and beyond, and setting the stage for countless computer-animated masterpieces that followed.