Viewers will be treated to an animated intergalactic adventure this weekend when Lightyear, the brand new Buzz Lightyear origin story from Pixar Animation Studios and releases in cinemas this Friday.
The movie, which is a spin-off from the studio’s legendary film series, will show Buzz as the astronaut the toy is based on, who winds up stranded many lightyears from Earth and on a desperate mission to return home.
Development started way back in 2016, when director Angus MacLane pitched to Pixar executives the idea of an ‘in-universe’ film about Buzz Lightyear that Andy Davis (Woody’s owner from the original series) would watch in cinemas.
Here’s everything you need to know about who voices Buzz.
Who voices Buzz Lightyear in the Toy Story films?
In the Toy Story saga, we know Buzz best as the adversary-turned-best-friend of Woody (Tom Hanks).
Introduced as a new toy in the 1995 Pixar film, Woody is initially hostile to Buzz but, over the course of the next three films, the pair become fierce friends.
Buzz is voiced by Tim Allen, the 69-year-old American actor and comedian (except for the hilarious bit of Toy Story 3 that features “Spanish Buzz”) and has been since 1995.
Allen also appeared as Buzz in the 2000 direct-to-video film Buzz Lightyear of Star Command, as well as the TV series of the same name.
But, has he come back for Lightyear? The answer, sadly, is no. Speaking to Vanity Fair, director MacLane has said: ‘Tim’s version of Buzz is a little goofier and is a little dumber, and so he is the comic relief’.
‘In this film, Buzz is the action hero. He’s serious and ambitious and funny, but not in a goofy way that would undercut the drama.’
So, with Tim Allen not involved on this occasion, there are big shoes left behind for someone else to fill.
Who voices Buzz in 2022’s Lightyear?
Voicing Buzz in Lightyear is none other than Marvel star Chris Evans.
Just three years after playing Captain America for the final time in Avengers: Endgame, Evans, 40, is ready to take on the role of another action hero that’s very dear to several generations.
Also speaking to Vanity Fair about his latest role, he said, ‘I used Tim Allen as a guideline. He did such a good job, and I’d be a fool not to acknowledge the work he did. But I couldn’t just do a shameless impression.’
‘I had to somehow create my own understanding of the character, and try to make some fresh tracks in the snow while paying homage to the great work that he did.
MacLane was also quick to praise Evans for his work, stating that, ‘[Chris] has the gravitas and that movie-star quality that our character needed to separate him and the movie from Tim’s version of the toy in Toy Story’.
