The high concept for Pixar’s Lightyear is that the character in Toy Story was a toy based on something, the same way a Spider-Man action figure is based on the comics or the movies. So this new Lightyear movie is essentially supposed to be the film that inspired the toy? Got it?
With that in mind, I think the actual concept they hit upon is actually pretty clever for the ways that it echoes the original Toy Story. The “real” Buzz (voiced by Chris Evans, not Tim Allen) gets marooned on a mysterious and isolated planet, just like the toy one. But instead of hooking up with an old timey cowboy and a slinky dog, this Buzz works with another team of astronauts to battle the nefarious Zurg. (Yes, the evil toy from Toy Story 2 is in Lightyear as well.)
The new trailer gives us our best look yet as the film; check it out below:
here is the film’s official synopsis:
The definitive origin story of Buzz Lightyear, the hero who inspired the toy, “Lightyear” follows the legendary Space Ranger after he’s marooned on a hostile planet 4.2 million light-years from Earth alongside his commander and their crew. As Buzz tries to find a way back home through space and time, he’s joined by a group of ambitious recruits and his charming robot companion cat, Sox. Complicating matters and threatening the mission is the arrival of Zurg, an imposing presence with an army of ruthless robots and a mysterious agenda. A new poster and images are also available.
Lightyear is scheduled to open exclusively in theaters — and yes, it’s premiering in theaters, not on Disney+ — on June 17.