‘Toy Story 4’s’ Keanu Reeves Character May Be An ‘Incredibles 2’ Easter Egg

As happens every couple of years, a new Toy Story movie upends the emotions of film fans everywhere and raises anticipation for the next chapter in the lives of some talking toys. With the recent release of the Toy Story 4 trailer, as The Inquisitr covered, everyone is all abuzz (no pun intended) with the returning favorites as well as new characters. One of those new characters is being played by Keanu Reeves, and the toy is a classic Canadian toy from the ’70s, as detailed by Screen Rant. But audiences may already have seen the character in Incredibles 2.

The Toy Story franchise has been incredibly epic and a milestone for audiences, some of whom grew up watching the films. Toy Story was the first film that introduced audiences to a world of toys in a child’s bedroom that came to life when they were left alone. It was a wonderful world that’s been expanded upon with the subsequent films. Toy Story was also crucial to the current animation landscape given the film’s contribution to the launch of Pixar as one of the film industry’s most dominating production houses. Toy Story was also the first movie to feature the type of animation that Pixar has become synonymous with. Toy Story 4 sees a reinvention of childhood memories and a similar kind of relatability that the first film so successfully showcased.

The Toy Story 4 trailer sees a new age and a new kind of story for a new generation of kids. While early teasers and featurettes saw the introduction of some of the new characters, such as Ducky (Keegan-Michael Key) and Bunny (Jordan Peele), another new character is that of stuntman Duke Caboom (Keanu Reeves), a classic Canadian toy. Caboom appears only briefly in the trailer but is said to have some significance in the overall movie itself. An official synopsis of the character, as reported by Screen Rant, describes who he is and how he fits into the story of Toy Story 4.

“In the all-new story, Duke Caboom is a 1970s toy, based on Canada’s greatest stuntman, whom Woody meets in an antique store. Riding his powerful Caboom stunt-cycle, Duke is always prepared to show off his stunt poses with confidence and swagger. However, Woody learns quickly that Duke has an Achilles heel: He has never been able to do the awesome stunts advertised in his own toy commercial. For years, Duke has been sitting in the antique store, constantly reliving the failures of his tragic past.”

Reeves made a comeback a few years ago with his starring role in the action thriller John Wick. The film has spawned a sequel and a third installment is on the way. However, Reeves is also known for his comedic chops, having first become a household name in Bill And Ted’s Excellent Adventure, the second sequel to which is already in pre-production. When speaking about how Keanu came on board in the same Screen Rant report, Toy Story 4 producer Jonas Rivera describes Reeves’ reaction and contributions

“The first time [director Josh Cooley] and I talked with Keanu about the role, Keanu became Duke Caboom. Keanu was asking great questions that dug deep to find the soul of the character. At one point he stood up on the table in the middle of Pixar’s atrium and struck poses while proclaiming victory. It was so funny. It’s all in the movie and it’s all Keanu.”

Some fans have already noticed that the character may be an Easter egg featured in Incredibles 2, even before his appearance in the latest Toy Story 4 trailer. Redditor Shallacatop theorizes about the character long before the trailer.

Duke Caboom (Incredibles 2’s Toy Story Easter Egg) from Pixar

The character of Caboom is said to have a lot of heart, but also regret. His interaction will mostly be with Woody (Tom Hanks), so it’s presumed that the character’s past may be a cautionary tale for Woody to not regret his own actions during this story.

Toy Story 4 releases on June 21.