Chris Evans is taking over the role of Buzz Lightyear for Pixar's upcoming Toy Story prequel spinoff, Lightyear. After serving as the debut film for the animated studio in 1995, Toy Story went on to spawn three hit sequels. While the original series seemingly came to an end with Toy Story 3, Pixar moved forward with a fourth installment. Even if 2019's Toy Story 4 served as the final entry, Disney continues to reassure fans that the characters will live on through Pixar shorts and specials. For the first time, the franchise will travel back in time well before Buzz and Woody toys took center stage.
Toy Story followed a vintage cowboy doll named Sheriff Woody (Tom Hanks) struggling with the fact that he's been replaced by a Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) action figure. As their young owner Andy focused all of his attention on the astronaut toy, Woody made a rash decision to get rid of his rival. In time, the two toys became bonded pals as they faced wild adventures involving a destructive neighbor, a greedy toy collector, and an evil Teddy Bear. Buzz and Woody, along with other toys, were also forced to overcome the struggles that came with being passed on to another owner.
Seeing as Buzz remained as an integral figure throughout all four movies in the Toy Story franchise, Tim Allen remained a vital member of the voice cast. The Space Ranger's background was briefly mentioned in the debut movie, but Pixar will soon be expanding Buzz's arc with a solo prequel. Rather than bring back Allen, who is synonymous with the character, Disney has elected to move ahead with a different actor. Evans, a Disney vet thanks to his portrayal of Captain America in the MCU, will voice the astronaut. While some might consider it a recast, that's not necessarily the case with Lightyear. The Buzz featured in the prequel isn't the toy version, but instead, the human on which Allen's character was based.
Lightyear Will Serve As A Buzz Origin Story
Directed by Angus MacLane, Lightyear is set to focus on the young test pilot that served as the inspiration behind the Buzz Lightyear action figure first seen in Toy Story. The human Buzz presumably became a space hero in the fictional universe before becoming the basis for a line of merchandise. Since the prequel will follow a different version of Buzz that viewers have gotten to know, it makes perfect sense to use a different voice actor. Evans will have the opportunity to portray a human figure while expanding Buzz's in-universe legacy.
Depending on how far back the prequel goes, Lightyear could potentially lead into the events of Toy Story, explaining the decision-making process of developing a toy based on the heroic figure. If that's the case, Allen could still have a role in the prequel since another voice was evidently chosen for the Space Ranger toy. It will be interesting to see how Disney handles this meta approach to building one of its most beloved film series. Either way, having Evans involved is already a win in the eyes of many moviegoers. Lightyear is currently scheduled to release on June 17, 2022.