Chris Evans Sounds As Heroic As Ever In New 'Lightyear' Trailer

Fans couldn't contain their excitement to see Chris Evans go on an adventure "to infinity and beyond!" as Buzz Lightyear in the 2022 science fiction movie "Lightyear." The trailer for the upcoming "Toy Story" spinoff, which Disney and Pixar recently released, showed a version of Buzz Lightyear that fans can't wait to meet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwZs3H_UN3k

This offshoot especially excited fans because the movie director Angus MacLane was also the director of all four of the "Toy Story" films and several other successful Pixar movies, including the 2003 film "Finding Nemo" and its 2016 sequel "Finding Dory."

While the action figure version was voiced by Tim Allen, the trailer revealed Evans as the voice of Buzz in the 2022 movie, and he was thrilled for the opportunity. Please keep reading to see what he had to say.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Evans shared his initial reaction to the news. While his team was very excited to tell him about it, he was initially confused because "Tim Allen is Buzz Lightyear, and no one could ever touch his performance." He had to find out how this Buzz differed from the "Toy Story" Buzz and "why the story was worth telling."

He also expressed his excitement and promised that the movie would turn out great. "I can say two things with absolute confidence: 1. I didn't stop smiling through the entire pitch, ear to ear. 2. Everyone can rest easy and get very excited. Trust me when I say that they really know what they're doing over there," he said.

He explained how special the movie made him feel and that it couldn't compare to anything else. "I can't even put my excitement into words. I smile every time I think about it," he said.

Upon the release of the trailer, he shared it to his Instagram and captioned it "To infinity…💙🤯," referencing Buzz's catchphrase, "To infinity and beyond!" which implied his excitement for the role.

Disney first announced in December 2020 that Evans would voice buzz, and fans were super excited for this, almost as excited as the star himself. A few moments after, he shared a post on Instagram confirming the news. He also revealed in the post that he'd been a huge Pixar fan for the longest time.

In a press release in October 2021, he noted that the chance to voice Buzz in "Lightyear" was a "dream come true." "Anyone who knows me knows that my love for animated films runs deep," the star said. He was also excited to work with "the Pixar family" and "brilliant artists" who "told stories unlike anyone else." Comparing their skill and his time on the set to magic, he said, "I pinch myself everyday."

In an interview with Disney News, MacLane explained that in deciding who Buzz's voice would be, Evans was their first choice. He also added that the production team intended "Lightyear" to be a blockbuster film, and therefore, they needed someone with experience. "This is a big movie," he said, "and we wanted a big star," he continued.

While looking for "big stars" isn't Pixar's usual route, it was apparently a successful one. MacLane noted that a lot was expected from this particular character, and not only was Evans a great fit for the role, but he played it almost perfectly. He was "funny," "understood the character," and was happy to be there.

"When we pitched the movie, he totally got it. He's been such a great creative partner and has been so excited about the project," MacLane said. He also commended Evans' contributions and noted that the actor was eager to get the character right and "figure him out" as the directors "built him" in the "Lightyear" universe.

Though fans were familiar with the Buzz Character in the Toy Story universe, MacLane Explained that this movie would view Buzz Lightyear from an entirely new perspective. He clarified that "Lightyear" told the story of Buzz himself, who inspired the "Buzz Lightyear" toy and not the Buzz character from the Toy Story films.

"Set in the world of Toy Story' is kind of weird. Another way to get at it, it's a straightforward sci-fi action film about the Buzz Lightyear character," he explained. Relating it to the "Toy Story" universe, he explained that "Lightyear" would be like a movie that inspired Andy (the toy owner) to want a Buzz Lightyear figure.

Also, while the movie was inspired by "Toy Story," he noted that "Lightyear" was "its own thing," a "standalone," and not strictly related to the "Toy Story" universe. "The movie doesn't end, and then you see Andy eating popcorn," he said, "It's the Buzz Lightyear movie. It's that character but as the space ranger, not as the toy."

"Lightyear" will be released in theaters on June 17.