Get Tickets LIGHTYEAR opens on June 17th
What, exactly, is Pixar’s LIGHTYEAR? It appears to tie into the animation studio’s TOY STORY franchise, though how it connects has been a mystery. We know that Chris Evans is lending his voice to Buzz Lightyear, and that the animated feature will dive into the sci-fi genre, something Pixar once perfected in the whimsical WALL-E.
But now, thanks to a presentation of footage at CinemaCon 2022, we have a much better understanding of the story behind LIGHTYEAR, and the reasons why you need to be very excited for this family-aimed adventure comedy when it comes to AMC Theatres on June 17.
Lightyear Is Andy’s Favorite Movie
You remember Andy, the little boy at the center of Pixar’s groundbreaking TOY STORY who owned a Cowboy Woody (Tom Hanks) doll until he replaced him with a new Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) action figure. The rest was history. But while TOY STORY 2 brought up the concept of “Woody’s Round Up” as an explanation for Woody’s popularity, the TOY STORY franchise never explained why kids would want to play with Buzz.
Well, LIGHTYEAR is the movie that Andy would have gone to see as a kid that made him fall in love with Buzz as an action hero. Imagine coming home from STAR WARS as a child and immediately wanting Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia action figures. That’s what happened to Andy.
Because of that, there are no real nods to TOY STORY as a franchise —- no mention of Jessie or Ham or Rex and the playhouse friends. This is just an original, sci-fi adventure story that audiences would have watched in 1995, and then purchased the corresponding toys.
There’s Surprising Heart To Lightyear
This is Pixar, after all. The animation giant isn’t afraid to tug at our heartstrings in movies such as INSIDE OUT, SOUL and the NEMO and DORY one-two punch. So while I didn’t quite expect to get an emotional hook, when it arrived —- and I wiped away my tears —- I knew that Pixar had gotten me once again.
No details to the plot for LIGHTYEAR. I want you to be able to experience the thrills and surprises in the theatre. But know that it’s not just a TOY STORY spinoff. It’s actually acting as its own original sci-fi story with roots in Buzz Lightyear’s hunger for adventure, his stubbornness, and his belief that he alone is capable of doing stuff for the people around him. He’s a Space Ranger. That’s what they do.
Still, if you need a TOY STORY fix, Buzz does say lines that will be part of the toy, because they are things he says in the movie. You are sure to smile when he says, “You’re mocking me, aren’t you?” I can see why Andy loves this movie, though, because it is action packed, and has the right amount of comedy and plot twists to keep audiences of all ages guessing.
See Lightyear On The Big Screen
We learned, from Pixar, one very cool reason why it’s worth seeing LIGHTYEAR in a movie theatre when it opens in June. The feature will be the first animated one to utilize IMAX aspect ratios, meaning that the movie was animated to fill more areas of the IMAX screen. And, given the outer space setting, this should lead to some eye-popping visuals that will only be appreciated on the biggest screens possible. The kind you will find at AMC Theatres.
Look for LIGHTYEAR when Pixar puts it into multiplexes beginning on June 17.
Get Tickets LIGHTYEAR opens on June 17th
