The first teaser trailer for Disney’s Lightyear has been released, but which song plays through it and what does it mean in the context of the movie? Disney continues to be a powerhouse in the world of animation and has different projects lined up for the near future, and among those is Lightyear. Directed by Angus McLane (co-director or Finding Dory), Lightyear serves as an in-universe prequel to Toy Story, with Chris Evans voicing the title character, Buzz Lightyear.
Contrary to what most might think, Lightyear doesn’t tell the backstory of Toy Story’s Buzz Lightyear but that of the man who inspired the toy that went on to become Woody’s best friend. Lightyear, then, follows young test pilot Buzz Lightyear as he becomes the Space Ranger that everyone now knows so well. Lightyear is scheduled for a June 17, 2022 release, and even though the wait for it is a bit long, Disney has released the first look at Lightyear, and it includes a very special song that fits the vibe of the story quite well.
The song that accompanies the first teaser for Disney’s Lightyear is “Starman” by David Bowie, though with a long intro (to add to the suspense and action vibe of the trailer, of course). The chorus of “Starman” plays over the second half of the trailer, and it fits the story of Lightyear as it’s all about a man bringing a message of hope to young people on Earth, which is exactly what Buzz did and what led him to become a legend (so much that he got his own toy). Of course, the song was slightly edited to fit the narrative of the teaser, but you can listen to the full, original version of Bowie’s song on Spotify or the teaser version right here thanks to some talented YouTube users.
“Starman” was written by David Bowie and released in 1972 as part of his fifth studio album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, which tells the story of Bowie’s alter ego Ziggy Stardust, an androgynous rock star sent to Earth as a savior as an apocalyptic disaster approached. “Starman”, then, described the part of Ziggy’s story where he brings a message to Earth’s youth through the radio, with it being told from the point of view of one of those youths listening to the message. “Starman” was a major hit and is considered by many as Bowie’s finest, and as such, it has also had a huge impact on pop culture. “Starman” has been used in different commercials, movies, TV shows, and has even influenced literary works, and among its most notable appearances are in the soundtrack of Ridley Scott’s The Martian and the third season of The Crown, where it plays over the ending credits of episode 9.
With still over six months to go before the release of Lightyear, plot details are still scarce and the only bits of it that viewers have are what the teaser shows, but it’s enough to get an idea of the type of sci-fi adventure that Lightyear will be – and it couldn’t have been given a more fitting song than “Starman”, as both Ziggy and Buzz Lightyear explored space and brought hope to those who waited for them on Earth.
