Lightyear revolves around the origin story of the fictional Buzz Lightyear, the character who inspired the action figure in the Toy Story films. In this film, Buzz does his first test flight in order to explore new galaxies for Star Command to come in peace. However, when the evil Emperor Zurg threatens the universe’s safety, Buzz may be its only hope to save it.
Lightyear is an American computer-animated science fiction film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and Walt Disney Pictures, and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It is a spin-off of the Toy Story film series, serving as an origin story for the fictional test pilot / astronaut who the Buzz Lightyear toy featured in the previous films was based on, presented as a film within a film the characters in Toy Story would watch, a concept previously adapted as the 2000 direct-to-video film Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins and its spin-off television series Buzz Lightyear of Star Command (2000–2001).
The film is directed by Angus MacLane and stars Chris Evans as the voice of the title character, with Keke Palmer, Dale Soules, Taika Waititi, Peter Sohn, Uzo Aduba, James Brolin, Mary McDonald-Lewis, Efren Ramirez, and Isiah Whitlock Jr. in supporting roles.
Lightyear is scheduled to be released in theaters in the United States on June 17, 2022 by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, in RealD 3D, Dolby Cinema and IMAX formats. It is expected to be the first theatrical exclusive release for Pixar since Onward (2020) after Soul (2020), Luca (2021) and Turning Red (2022) were assigned direct-to-streaming releases on Disney+ in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Animation and Music
The animators wanted the film to look “cinematic” and “chunky” in order to evoke the feeling of the sci-fi films MacLane grew up with. In order to achieve this, they asked a former Industrial Light & Magic employee to build a spaceship model for them, from which the animators drew inspiration; this technique was inspired by designers for early sci-fi films using models as inspiration for their sets and props.
On January 25, 2022, it was announced that recurrent Pixar composer Michael Giacchino would compose the score for the film; he previously scored the Toy Story TV specials Toy Story of Terror! (2013; also directed by MacLane) and Toy Story That Time Forgot (2014), and would be the second film (and fourth overall production) he would score an installment to a film franchise from Pixar that is traditionally scored by Randy Newman, after Cars 2.
Lightyear (2022)
Directed by: Angus MacLane
Starring: Chris Evans, Keke Palmer, Dale Soules, Taika Waititi, Peter Sohn, Uzo Aduba, James Brolin, Mary McDonald-Lewis, Efren Ramirez, Isiah Whitlock Jr
Screenplay by: Pete Docter
Production Design by: Tim Evatt
Art Direction by: Paul Conrad, Maria Lee
Music by: Michael Giacchino
MPAA Rating: PG for action / peril.
Distributed by: Walt Disney Pictures, Pixar Animation Studios
Release Date: June 17, 2022
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