Explains

"Toy Story 3" is officially turning fifteen!

However, the Tom Hanks and Tim Allen-starring string of films almost missed becoming a trilogy ... at least under Pixar's creative vision.

In honor of the feature's fifteenth anniversary, we're taking a look back at what made the Pixar-produced film series so special and enduring for fans both old and new ... and examining the studio's fighting behind the scenes before the third installment's debut in 2010.