It’s been pretty obvious, these last few years, that Disney Feature Animation has finally outstripped its upstart in-house rival Pixar in the ability to deliver feature length CG animated tales that kids and parents will want to see. Pixar started to diminish its brand, I figure, with “Cars” and “Ratatouille” and has been in a kind of shame spiral ever since. “Planes” was worse than “Cars” (let’s not quibble about branding, this is Pixar pap, whoever they blame for it), a belated, bad and half-hearted “Monsters , Inc.” sequel, an announced “Finding Nemo” sequel, etc. etc.

These aren’t movies, they’re merchandising projects for toys, etc. — 3D commercials that we pay to watch.

“Rio,” “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs,” “The Croods,” this fall’s “The Book of Life,” all quite fun and original. And not made by Pixar. Or Disney, for that matter.

Look at their slate — a film inspired by “Dia de los Muertos”? That’s been done, del Toro did it, did it well and did it for somebody other than Pixar. “Cars 3”? Are you insane? “Finding Dory,” “Incredibles 3” — with fresh titles “Inside Out” and “The Good Dinosaur” (ugh).

“Brave” felt more Disney than Pixar, and it was a modest success. But “Wreck-It-Ralph,” a gem, and “Big Hero 6” have a Disney banner. Pixar’s imprint may be on the look of these films, but they don’t wear the badge or have the magic touch the company seemed to have ten years ago. The shorts — whoever is producing them — are stronger than ever. But either the talent has migrated over to Disney, escaped to other animation houses or the braintrust simply ran out of ideas. New blood is needed, and John Lasseter has to be a smart enough cookie to see that, to relax his hold on the reins. They’re not attracting fresh stories.

Because trying to revive “Toy Story,” which the studio sent out with a true classic film, “Toy Story 3” that had audiences in tears, is the most cynical production announcement since Sony’s “Spider-Man Redux” revival. Look for it in three years. The full press release announcement is below the page break.

“Nearly two decades after Pixar Animation Studios created the world’s first computer-animated feature film with “Toy Story,” it revealed plans for Disney•Pixar’s “Toy Story 4,” an adventure that returns audiences to the world of the studio’s signature characters.

John Lasseter, director of the original “Toy Story” and “Toy Story 2,” will direct the film, which opens a new chapter in the lives of Woody, Buzz Lightyear and the “Toy Story” gang. The story was dreamt up by Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter and Lee Unkrich, the storytellers who have been the driving force behind all three “Toy Story” films.

“We love these characters so much; they are like family to us,” said Lasseter. “We don’t want to do anything with them unless it lives up to or surpasses what’s gone before. ‘Toy Story 3’ ended Woody and Buzz’s story with Andy so perfectly that for a long time, we never even talked about doing another ‘Toy Story’ movie. But when Andrew, Pete, Lee and I came up with this new idea, I just could not stop thinking about it. It was so exciting to me, I knew we had to make this movie—and I wanted to direct it myself.”

Writing team Rashida Jones and Will McCormack (“Celeste and Jesse Forever”) joined the project, and Pixar veteran Galyn Susman (ABC’s “Toy Story OF TERROR!” and “Toy Story that Time Forgot”) is producing.

The film is slated for release on June 16, 2017.