Time marches inexorably forward, and thus, the release of Lightyear gets closer and closer. The Toy Story prequel goes back in time to tell the story of the person who inspired the Buzz Lightyear toy. Apparently he gets marooned in space? And in the process of trying to get everybody home, there’s a robot attack?
Nothing about this trailer justifies the use of David Bowie and therefore I propose Lightyear stay marooned.
Lightyear, according to the summary, is the “definitive origin story” of Buzz Lightyear, but if I’m reading Pixar’s YouTube page right, it’s also the in-universe movie that inspires Andy to want a Buzz Lightyear toy. So… it’s a biopic? Is this the Walk the Line of the Toy Story universe? Let’s let Angus MacLane try to explain:
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“Buzz’s world was always something I was excited about,” said director Angus MacLane. “In Toy Story, there seemed to be this incredible backstory to him being a Space Ranger that’s only touched upon, and I always wanted to explore that world further. So my Lighytear pitch was, ‘What was the movie that Andy saw that made him want a Buzz Lightyear toy?’ I wanted to see that movie. And now I’m lucky enough to get to make it.”
If it’s a biopic, is Chris Evans actually playing the role of Buzz Lightyear, who maybe was a real human with a less dominating chin? Or are we pretending this movie is facts? Possibly I should put a lot less thought into this.
At any rate, the trailer came with more details about the cast. Keke Palmer, Dale Soules and Taika Waititi play “a group of ambitious recruits,” while Peter Sohn voices the robot cat, Sox, which is destined to transform into about ten million toys. Uzo Aduba, James Brolin, Mary McDonald-Lewis, Efren Ramirez and Isiah Whitlock Jr. are also voicing unspecified roles, and—unsurprisingly given his track record for Pixar—Michael Giacchino will provide the score.
Lightyear is in theaters on June 17th.
