Toy Story 2 is a 1999 American computer-animated comedy adventure film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Directed by John Lasseter and co-directed by Lee Unkrich and Ash Brannon, it is the sequel to the 1995 film Toy Story. Woody is stolen by a toy collector, prompting Buzz Lightyear and his friends to vow to rescue him. However, Woody finds the idea of immortality in a museum tempting. Many of the original characters and voices from Toy Story returned for this sequel, and several new characters, including Jessie (voiced by Joan Cusack), Barbie (voiced by Jodi Benson), and Mrs. Potato Head (voiced by Estelle Harris), were introduced. Disney initially envisioned the film as a direct-to-video sequel. Toy Story 2 began production in a building separated from Pixar, on a small scale, as most of the main Pixar staff were busy working on A Bug's Life (1998). When story reels proved promising, Disney upgraded the film to theatrical release, but Pixar was unhappy with the film's quality. Lasseter and the story team redeveloped the entire plot in one weekend. Although most Pixar features take years to develop, the established release date could not be moved and the production schedule for Toy Story 2 was compressed into nine months. Despite production struggles, Toy Story 2 opened in November 1999 to wildly successful box office numbers, eventually grossing over $485 million, and highly positive critical reviews. Toy Story 2 has been considered by critics and audiences alike to be one of few sequels that outshine the original, and it continues to be featured frequently on lists of the greatest animated films ever made. The film has seen multiple home media releases and a theatrical 3-D re-release in 2009, 10 years after its initial release. The film's success led to the production of Toy Story 3 in 2010, which was also highly successful.