News Chris Evans to Voice Buzz Lightyear in Origin Movie, Lightyear

During the investor's presentation, Disney announced that they are making, Lightyear, an origin story for the real Buzz Lightyear, with Chris Evans voicing Buzz. According to Pixar's Chief Creative Officer, Pete Doctor, it will be "original sci-fi/action movie that tells the story of the actual Buzz, the young test pilot who finds himself catapulted into the stars to become a one-day-legendary space ranger."
I have to admit, I'm mildly disappointed they aren't sticking with Tim Allen, but I can see going for someone younger and more serious for this.
This could be a lot of fun.

 

So an origin story for the character the toy in-universe is based off?

 

I'm actually excited for this. I'm ready for something different in the Toy Story franchise, and Tim Allen is a complete asshole anyway so I won't miss him. This premise seems like it could be fun, and at least its not Toy Story 5.

 

I'm disappointed they're not bringing back Patrick Warburton to reprise the role from the cartoon series. That was a huge part of my childhood. Since it's not even available on Disney+ I'm guessing it will be ignored completely.

 

Actually, that can work as a sort of meta joke, by explaining the toy company just got some random guy to do the voice because they couldn't afford/get access to Buzz Lightyear's actual voice actor. Kind of like those voice chips that came with the Phantom Menace action figures which sounded nothing like the actual actors.

 

That's an idea, did they use replacement voices in any of the original Toy Story figures?

 

The only other character we saw the source material for was Woody, and I believe Tom Hanks did voice him in the clips from the show.

Yes.

 

So this is the fictional Buzz Lightyear movie or TV series or whatever that exists within the Toy Story universe? I don't see how there could be an actual Space Ranger in the TS continuity, as it was apparently set in the present day.

I always figured the Buzz Lightyear of Star Command animated series was supposed to represent the in-universe show that the toys were based on. Although that falls apart because the show included the little green men from the pizza place's claw-grabber thingy, and I don't think those were intended in-movie to be part of the Buzz toy line.

 

There's nothing in Toy Story to indicate one way or another if they had anything to do with Buzz, so it's easy enough to assume that they do. Actually, the hard thing to reconcile is that the intro to the pilot movie shows that the Buzz toyline predates the cartoon since Rex says it's a brand new movie:

So then in-universe there must be a previous property that Buzz is based on.

 

So the cartoon would be the second Buzz Lightyear series, a reboot of the original. I guess that's possible.

 

Honestly don't remember. But talking toys having a different voice than the actors who played/voiced the characters they're based on is very common, so it can work to settle the argument if anyone feels inclined to worry over Buzz being voiced by Chris Evans here despite being Tim Allen in the Toy Story movies.

 

No, this is going to be the origin for the character who the action figure in the Toy Story movies was based on. It's basically an in universe movie in the Toy Story universe.

 

Buzz Lightyear- Wow! Hey Mr.Potato head! Look at this movie they made about me!

Potato Head- Ehhh. Another soulless cash grab. Hand me the remote.

 

Umm.. I think more like a toy first, like Barbie or GI Joe, before they got a TV show/movie.

 

The press release only says "the original Buzz Lightyear," not "real." As I said, I think the idea is that this is the in-universe fictional character that the toy was based on.

 

If this movie takes place in the Toy Story universe, does that mean he's a real human in a world where toys are sentient? And there will be toys sneaking around in the background?

 

We've gotten too preoccupied with what "universe" an imaginary story takes place in. Maybe this is just a fresh take on the concept of the fictional character of Buzz Lightyear. I would expect the movie itself just to be a story about a Space Ranger named Buzz Lightyear, and the whole "this is the character that inspired the toy" thing will just be the out-of-story tagline to set it up.

 

It doesn't take place in the Toy Story universe, it's the character who inspired the toy in the Toy Story universe. Basically this would be the movie that Andy watched that made him want the action figure.