Ever wondered what infinity and beyond looks like? Well, you’re about to find out. Buzz Lightyear’s origin story will soon be blasting onto the big screen, bringing the iconic Space Ranger to life in a way we’ve never seen before.
But you don’t have to be a Toy Story fan to get lost in this one. Here’s why.
But you don’t have to be a Toy Story fan to get lost in this one. Here’s why.
It’s an epic sci-fi adventure – with no plastic
Sure, that may be Buzz up on our screens, but this is no Toy Story film. This is the origin story of the human Space Ranger who inspired the toy – an entirely original, stand-alone adventure that takes us on an intergalactic journey.It may be an animation, but with massive spacecrafts, hyperspace shenanigans and an army of evil robots, this looks like a proper sci-fi thriller. Andy’s playtimes with Buzz and Woody never had this much spectacle.
An iconic character has been recast (sort of)
In order to differentiate Buzz the toy from Buzz the person, Pixar knew that a new voice would be required, someone who could be both comedic and dramatic. Enter Captain America himself Chris Evans, who is now filling the iconic character’s massive space boots.As for his supporting cast, Keke Palmer and Taika Waititi lend their voices to two entirely new characters, while James Brolin plays the evil Emperor Zurg, who looks slightly more terrifying than his toy counterpart.
This is “Andy’s Star Wars”
As it turns out, Lightyear is kind of a film within a film. According to director Angus MacLane, this is the movie Andy geeked out over as a kid – the sci-fi epic that ultimately encouraged him to buy the tie-in toy. We’ve all been there…Coincidentally, many of the locations seen in the Lightyear trailer seem to be heavily inspired by the Star Wars aesthetic, while one planet in particular is a direct nod to Dagobah, the swampy home of Master Yoda. Is Lighyear set in the same galaxy far, far away? We’ll let you debate that one.
It’s got a real Hitchcock vibe
While inspiration was taken from classic sci-fi adventures, the creators mostly looked to iconic thrillers, including early Alfred Hitchcock hits like The 39 Steps, The Lady Vanishes and North by Northwest.We guess that explains why some of the scenes in the trailer look genuinely tense. From an epic launch sequence to a deadly encounter with Zurg, we fully expect to wear out the edge of our seat.
But yes, the nostalgia is still strong with this one
Lightyear may not be a Toy Story film, but it???s still bound to bring back some fond childhood memories for those of us who grew up with the loveable plastic hero. Remember that epic opening scene from Toy Story 2? We???re already getting major flashbacks.
