Pixar has introduced a new character for Toy Story 5: a pizza slice with sunglasses named Pizza with Sunglasses, voiced by Bad Bunny. But the news hasn't gone down well everywhere. Peter Browngardt, creator of the series Uncle Grandpa, has accused the studio of copying his character Pizza Steve, also a slice of pizza with glasses. The resemblance is, at the very least, suspicious.
From 3D modeling to the bone of contention 🍕
From a technical standpoint, the design of Pizza with Sunglasses follows Pixar's line of stylized realism. The 3D modeling seeks to texture the dough and cheese, while the sunglasses add a touch of personality. However, the basic structure of the character (an anthropomorphic pizza slice with glasses) is identical to the design of Pizza Steve, created in 2013 for Cartoon Network. The main difference lies in the materials and lighting, but the core concept is the same. Pixar would have had to innovate more in form to avoid this comparison.
Pizza Steve demands royalties, Bad Bunny demands extra cheese 🧀
Now we just need Pizza Steve to sue Pizza with Sunglasses for identity theft and for the trial to be decided in a boxing ring between pizzas. Meanwhile, Bad Bunny is already recording a track for the soundtrack titled Una slice pa' la movie. The funny thing is that no one has complained that both pizzas look cold and have been sitting on a counter for hours. At least in Toy Story 5 they'll have movement, because otherwise, it would be better to just order a real pizza.