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| Lightyear | |
|---|---|
_poster.jpg) Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Angus MacLane |
| Screenplay by |
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| Story by |
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| Produced by | Galyn Susman |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography |
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| Edited by | Anthony J. Greenberg |
| Music by | Michael Giacchino |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures[a] |
Release dates |
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Running time | 105 minutes[1] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $200 million |
| Box office | $226.4 million[2][3] |
Lightyear is a 2022 American animatedscience-fictionaction-adventure film produced byPixar Animation Studios forWalt Disney Pictures, and starringChris Evans as the voice ofBuzz Lightyear. Presented as afilm within a film,Lightyear is aspin-off of theToy Story film series and centers on the character Buzz Lightyear, who appears inToy Story as an action figure of his character inLightyear. The film was directed byAngus MacLane and written by MacLane and Jason Headley. Besides Evans,Keke Palmer,Peter Sohn,Taika Waititi,Dale Soules,James Brolin, andUzo Aduba voice supporting roles. The film follows Buzz who, after being marooned on the hostile planet T'Kani Prime with his commander and crew, tries to find a way back home while encountering a threat to their safety.
The concept of a human Buzz Lightyear, who exists in afictional universe within a fictional universe, was first introduced in the 2000direct-to-video filmBuzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins, which was the pilot for the TV seriesBuzz Lightyear of Star Command (2000–2001). MacLane, an avid science-fiction fan, pitched the idea of a film featuring Buzz Lightyear at Pixar, after finishing work onFinding Dory (2016). The project was officially announced in an investor meeting held by Disney in December 2020. The animators gave the film a "cinematic" and "chunky" look, evoking the science-fiction films MacLane grew up watching. To design the vehicles of the film, MacLane usedLego pieces to build various ships and pitch them to the designers and artists. For itsIMAX scenes, the team used two virtual cameras, a regular camera with a 35mm equivalent sensor, and a larger sensor equivalent to 65 millimeters, a procedure earlier initiated by Pixar inWALL-E (2008). Development onLightyear lasted for five and a half years, on an approximate $200 million budget.Michael Giacchino composed the film's score, whileRen Klyce served as its sound designer.
Lightyear premiered at theEl Capitan Theatre inHollywood, Los Angeles, on June 8, 2022, and was theatrically released in the United States on June 17. It became the first Pixar film to be released in theaters worldwide sinceOnward in March 2020, and the first to include scenes specifically formatted for IMAX theaters. The film received mixed reviews from critics and was considered by analysts to be abox-office bomb, grossing $226.4 million worldwide and losing the studio an estimated $106 million.
In 1995, a boy namedAndy got aBuzz Lightyear toy for his birthday. It was from his favorite movie. This is that movie.
A Star Command exploration vessel filled with hypersleeping personnel changes course to investigate signs of life on the unknown world T'Kani Prime. Awakened from hibernation by the ship AI, Space RangerBuzz Lightyear and his commanding officer and best friend Alisha Hawthorne explore the planet with a new recruit in tow. They are forced to retreat to their exploration vessel after discovering that the planet hosts hostile lifeforms. While attempting to leave, Buzz accidentally damages their vessel, causing them and their many shipmates to be marooned on T'Kani Prime. After surveying the damage, they find that the fuel for the ship was destroyed. Buzz volunteers to be the test pilot for thehyperspace fuel crystal they will need to develop to power the ship home.
One year later, the crew has constructed a colony to extract resources from the planet and conduct repairs. However, after a four-minute test flight, Buzz finds that four years have passed on T'Kani Prime due tothe effects oftime dilation from travelling atrelativistic speeds. Alisha gifts Buzz with Sox, a robotic feline companion, and Buzz decides to continue testing the hyperspace fuel. With every test, four more years pass on T'Kani Prime, until eventually over 66 years have passed. During this time, the colony develops, with Alisha raising a son with her wife Kiko, subsequently dying of old age, while Sox improves the fuel's composition, allowing the ship to obtain faster-than-light speeds.
Against the orders of Alisha's successor Commander Cal Burnside, Buzz, accompanied by Sox, uses the new fuel composition for a successful hyperspace test. However, he and Sox skip 22 years into the future during which T'Kani Prime has been invaded by Zyclops robots led by Zurg, the robots' commander. Buzz and Sox meet up with members of the colony's defense forces: Alisha's now-adult granddaughter Izzy Hawthorne; Mo Morrison, a fresh, naïve recruit; and Darby Steel, an elderly paroled convict. While initially reluctant to work with them, Buzz eventually warms to them after they escape from a nest of insects and investigate a mining facility to repair their ship. Together, they plan to destroy the invading force at Zurg's mothership.
As they head back to the ship, Zurg intervenes and captures Buzz, then reveals himself to be an older version of Buzz from an alternate timeline, which split upon Buzz's return to the planet after the successful hyperspace test: soldiers from the colony attempted to arrest him under Burnside's orders, forcing him to flee into space. This Buzz and his Sox escaped at full speed and, via time dilation, flew hundreds of years into the far future, where he encountered and stole extremely advanced technology, and eventually developed a way to travel back in time to prevent himself from stranding the Star Command crew upon the planet. Having worn out his own fuel, Zurg needs fresh fuel to travel further into the past and complete his mission, so he requests it from his younger self. Realizing this would erase Alisha and Kiko's life together, along with Izzy and the lives of all the other colonists, Buzz refuses.
Aided by Zurg's Sox, Buzz and the cadets escape Zurg's ship and set it to self-destruct. On their return to the planet via a crash landing, Zurg attacks and takes the fuel for himself. Buzz ejects to shoot the fuel, causing an explosion that seemingly kills Zurg. With the fuel gone, Buzz finally accepts T'Kani Prime as his home. Burnside arrests the group with the intention of detaining them for their actions, but relents in light of Buzz's bravery against the robot armada. Allowed to revive the Space Ranger Corps, Buzz selects Izzy, Mo, Darby, and Sox as his team. With a new fuel crystal, Buzz and his team embark on a mission to investigate an unknown signal from the Gamma Quadrant of sector 4.
In a post-credits scene, Zurg is shown to have survived the explosion.[4]
Additionally,Tim Peake appears in an uncredited cameo as a worker at themission control center.[8]
Development ofLightyear began following the production ofFinding Dory in 2016. After co-directingFinding Dory withAndrew Stanton,Angus MacLane was allowed topitch the idea of making aBuzz Lightyear film, having always wondered what movie Andy Davis saw in the originalToy Story (1995) to get interested in a Buzz Lightyear action figure. MacLane, ascience fiction fan, had felt attracted to the character of Buzz since he started working atPixar, feeling that the film's story was very "personal" for him, whose favorite movie since childhood had beenStar Wars (1977).[9][10] An aspect present in theToy Story films thatLightyear explores is Buzz's disagreement over the nature of reality, which, coupled with his heroic ideals, made an amalgam of sci-fi clichés that MacLane intended to make more than just a punchline.[9][11]
In February 2019,Tim Allen, who voiced Buzz in the films, expressed interest in doing another film as he did not "see any reason why they wouldn't do it",[12] while in that May, onThe Ellen DeGeneres Show,Tom Hanks, who voicedWoody, said thatToy Story 4 (2019) would be the final installment in the franchise,[13] but producer Mark Nielsen disclosed a possibility of a fifth film, as Pixar was not ruling out that possibility.[14] In December 2020 at a Disney Investor Day meeting,Lightyear was announced as aspin-off film depicting the in-universe origin of the human Buzz Lightyear character, withChris Evans providing the character's voice.[5]
When asked about the relationship betweenLightyear andBuzz Lightyear of Star Command, aToy Story spin-off series that also serves as an in-universe production starring the Buzz character, MacLane, who directed the CG opening sequence forStar Command,[15] said that he did not have it in mind while working on the film, but always pictured the series being developed in-universe after a trilogy ofLightyear films.[16][10] He later explained thatLightyear serves as a "live-action" film within theToy Story universe, whereasStar Command serves as a hand-drawn animated series based on the film, from which the toy versions of Buzz and Zurg derive.[17][18] On May 4, 2022, production ofLightyear was completed after spending five and a half years in development.[19] The budget was approximately $200 million.[20]
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Producer Galyn Susman said that the creative team did not discuss bringing back the original voice actor for Buzz Lightyear,Tim Allen, in any capacity for this film because they believed that his voice would have tied the film too closely toToy Story when the film aims to be its own stand-alone story while also saying: "Tim really is the embodiment of the toy Buzz, and this isn't the toy world, so it really doesn't make sense. There's not really a role. It would just cause more confusion for audiences instead of helping them understand the movie we're trying to tell."[21]
Chris Evans was announced as the voice of the human Buzz Lightyear along with the project's announcement in December 2020.[5] Evans was the first and only choice MacLane had for Buzz;[22] MacLane defended the recasting as "Tim's version of Buzz [Lightyear] 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 [...] Chris Evans 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 inToy Story."[23]
Evans visited Pixar's offices one day and they pitched him the project during a visit; he accepted the offer immediately, given his love for animation.[9] Evans credited Allen as his guideline and also wanted to "create his own understanding of the character, and try to make some fresh tracks in the snow while paying homage to his work in the film".[23] He eventually felt comfortable with his own interpretation and had to lower his voice for the role.[23]
Keke Palmer,Dale Soules,Uzo Aduba,James Brolin, Mary McDonald-Lewis,Efren Ramirez andIsiah Whitlock Jr. were reported to have been cast in supporting roles in February 2022, following the release of the official trailer.[24] On May 6, 2022,European Space Agency astronautTim Peake was revealed to have a cameo as "Tim from Mission Control".[8] On May 25, it was revealed thatFormula One driversCarlos Sainz Jr. andCharles Leclerc would cameo in the film; both playing the same undisclosed character for the Spanish and Italian dubs of the film, respectively.[25]
The animators wanted the film to look "cinematic" and "chunky" in order to evoke the feeling of the science fiction films MacLane grew up with.[22] In order to achieve this, they asked a formerIndustrial Light & Magic employee to build a spaceship model for them, from which the animators drew inspiration; this technique was inspired by designers for early science fiction films using models as inspiration for their sets and props.[22] MacLane said the animation took several "visual lessons" from early science fiction andspace opera films such as those of theStar Wars franchise, though without intentionally imitating such films.[26] The visual effects studio Perception helped with the opening and end credits of the film.[27] To design the vehicles of the film, MacLane usedLego pieces to build various ships and pitch them to the designers and artists.[28] Zurg was redesigned for the film, influenced byanime robots, to look more grounded and menacing than his previous appearances which MacLane believed were too comical.[29]
Korean animators Chun Sung-uk and Lee Chae-yeon worked on the animation process in their homes during the COVID-19 pandemic. They said that it is "overwhelming to see the full scale of what computer animation can do on the big screen".[30] The animation team went toNASA to research about spaceships, space suits and overall set pieces as they wanted "everything to look like a live-action film rather than an animation".[30] According to Lee, a 3D animator, who also worked onToy Story 2 (1999) and3 (2010), said "The director wanted to make a film that felt true so he asked for a much more toned-down version of Buzz's personality. Being part of the team required an enormous amount of responsibility, but it was really exciting for me professionally".[30]
"If you're watching the film in a regular theater, you may not notice. But when you see the film inIMAX, those shots are actually shot "in IMAX," for lack of a better word [...] all of that stuff started back onWALL-E, and each film has kind of had its own version. Like, how do we want to shoot this film? What's the aspect ratio? What do we want the feel of it to be from the lens? And it all sounds like kind of small, little things. But they all add up.
For the IMAX release,Lightyear is the first ever animated feature film to have its aspect ratio opened up from 2.39:1 to 1.43:1 for select sequences of the film.[32] Jane Yen, who served as the film's visual effects supervisor, spoke to/Film stating that the team had developed virtual IMAX cameras to shoot the sequences in 1.43:1 and then would be cropped to standard-definition.[33][34] The film includes 30 minutes of IMAX animation.[35] The team shot this footage using two different virtual cameras, a regular camera with a 35mm equivalent sensor and a 65mm equivalent sensor, which was earlier initiated by Pixar inWALL-E (2008).[31][35]
Recurring Pixar composerMichael Giacchino was announced to compose the score for the film, marking his eighth collaboration with the studio and the second time he would score an installment to a film franchise from Pixar that is traditionally scored byRandy Newman, afterCars 2 (2011).[36] He earlier scored for theToy Story television specials:Toy Story of Terror! (2013) andToy Story That Time Forgot (2014), the former was written and directed by MacLane.[36]
Following the announcement of the film, a first look was shown at the Disney Investor Day on December 10, 2020.[37][38] The marketing campaign forLightyear began on October 27, 2021, with the release of ateaser trailer, set toDavid Bowie's "Starman", that received 83 million views in its first 24 hours.[39] Compared to other Pixar films, the teaser's viewership ranks second behind a teaser forIncredibles 2 (114 million).[40][41] It was positively reviewed by commentators, withCNN-based editor Leah Asmelash writing, "the trailer filled many millennials with sentimentality".[42] The first trailer was released online on February 8, 2022,[43][44] and was then aired atSuper Bowl LVI on February 13, 2022.[45][46]ComicBook.com's Aaron Perine opined that "the animated movie will be as comedic as expected of these family movies" and further stated "Chris Evans' version of the Space Ranger takes shape as he gets used to some alien surroundings. Also of note would be Lightyear's new companion, a robot cat that will also end up being comedic relief played byPeter Sohn."[43] Aaron Couch ofThe Hollywood Reporter had stated "TheLightyear trailer reveals that Buzz is sent on a rescue flight after he and a group of people are stranded on a planet. After a year of hard work, they've managed to send Buzz off world for help."[47]
On April 27, 2022, the first 30 minutes of the film was premiered atCinemaCon along with the second trailer,[48][49] which released online six days earlier.[50][51] It was positively received by critics, who referred to the film as "Pixar'sStar Wars" and a "beautifully animated, fun, and emotional journey", and appreciated the cinematic qualities, including animation and visuals.[49][52] Critics further went on to praise the robotic cat Sox voiced by Sohn, and called him "the standout performer."[53]CNBC's Sarah Whitten compared Sox, withK-2SO fromRogue One (2016) andBaymax fromBig Hero 6 (2014), attributing the character with a "dry sense of humor and blunt vocal delivery and also an innocence and caring nature".[53] On May 5, 2022, a poster, stills from the film, and a "special look" trailer was released online.[54][55]
Fandango Media's managing editorErik Davis, and John Rocha, film critic forOutlaw Nation, predicted a demand for Sox toys, even before the film's release.[53]Mattel, which had the master toy license forToy Story franchise, had announced a newLightyear toy line consisting of action figures, playsets and vehicles.[56][57] After Sox's character in the film received praise from insiders, Mattel created "an animatronic interactive version" which costs $80, apart from the plush and action figures. Mattel's executive lead, PJ Lewis had said "We knew he was much more than a sidekick and offered multiple ways to drive product innovation for the 'Lightyear' line. Plus, we have a few cat people on the team who were smitten."[53]
Lego released three sets based on scenes from the film, which were released on April 24, 2022.[58] On May 29, 2022,Ferrari announced thatLightyear would be a sponsor on their cars starting at the2022 Monaco Grand Prix. In addition,Charles Leclerc andCarlos Sainz Jr. would also be cast for roles in the film, respectively voicing for the Italian and Spanish versions.[59] American food manufacturing companyLightlife, collaborated with Disney and Pixar for launching several food packages inspired from the film. It also planned for a sweepstake promotion, which enable customers to win several prizes, including private film screening and Disney merchandises.[60][61]Singapore-basedWE Cinemas announced the debut of "Lightyear Premium Pack" with refreshments marketed with stills and images from the film.[62] A half-hour-long documentaryfeaturette entitledBeyond Infinity: Buzz and the Journey to Lightyear was released on theDisney+ streaming service on June 10 in anticipation of the film's release, chronicling the conception and production ofLightyear.[63]
Lightyear premiered at theEl Capitan Theatre inHollywood, Los Angeles, on June 8, 2022,[64] and was theatrically released in the United States on June 17, 2022,[65][66] byWalt Disney Studios Motion Pictures in RealD 3D, 4DX, Dolby Cinema, and IMAX formats.[67][65] It is Pixar's first film sinceOnward (2020) to receive a theatrical release afterSoul (2020),Luca (2021) andTurning Red (2022) were assigned direct-to-streaming releases onDisney+ in response to theclosure of cinemas due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[68][69]Lightyear also became Pixar's first film to have virtual IMAX cameras in its progress.[70]
Lightyear was banned in theMuslim world (includingBahrain,Brunei,[71]Egypt,Iraq,Jordan,Kazakhstan,[72]Kuwait,Lebanon,Malaysia,Oman,Palestine,Qatar,Saudi Arabia,Syria,Tunisia,[73] and theUnited Arab Emirates)[74][75][76] due to a scene featuring a same-sex kiss between Uzo Aduba's female character Alisha Hawthorne and her partner Kiko.[77] ThePeople's Republic of China (PRC) also requested that the scene in question be removed;[78][79] however Disney declined to make the cuts.[80]Indonesia stated that they did not ban the film, "but suggested the owner of the movie think about their audience in Indonesia where an LGBT kissing scene is still considered sensitive."[76] InSingapore, the scene resulted in the film being allowed only for people above 16 years of age (NC-16).[81] Despite bans across most of the Arab world,Morocco refused to ban the film and showed it in cinemas, despite a petition requesting a ban on the film.[82][83]
The specific scene was initially cut from the film in mid-March 2022, but following then-Disney CEOBob Chapek's response to Florida'sParental Rights in Education bill and the internal polarizing uproar it caused within Disney, the scene was reinstated.[84][85] Speaking toVariety, Evans stated about the scene: "it's nice, and it's wonderful, it makes me happy. It's tough to not be a little frustrated that it even has to be a topic of discussion [...] The goal is that we can get to a point where it is the norm, and that this doesn't have to be some uncharted waters, that eventually this is just the way it is. That representation across the board is how we make films."[86]
Lightyear was made available on Disney+ on August 3, 2022, with the option to view the theatrical version of the film or the IMAX Enhanced version.[87][88] The film was also released onDisney+ Hotstar in Indonesia and Malaysia as the film did not release theatrically in these territories following the demand of removing the same-sex kiss.[89] The movie was released under the ratings of 18+ for Malaysia and 21+ for Indonesia (both Indonesian and Malaysian equivalents of the adults-onlyNC-17), with mature content warning included prior to the start of the film.IGN Southeast Asia also confirmed that the same-sex relationship remained untouched, even for the previously mentioned same-sex kiss.[90] Disney+ in theMiddle East and North Africa region (excludingIsrael) did not include the film as they decided to align with local censorship rules, meaning that content aimed at children that include LGBTQIA+ references, including this film, will not be released in these territories.[91]
It was streamed by 1.7 million U.S. households during its first five days on Disney+ according toSamba TV.[92] According toNielsen, it was viewed for 1.3 billion minutes and ranked third overall in streaming titles for the week.[93] Its viewership fell sharply in the second week to 700 million minutes, with the film being positioned tenth overall and third among all streaming films.[94]
Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment releasedLightyear onUltra HD Blu-ray,DVD andBlu-ray on September 13, 2022.[95]
According toWhip Media,Lightyear was the 2nd most watched movie in the United States across all platforms, during the weekend of August 5, 2022, to August 7, 2022.[96] According to the streaming aggregator Reelgood,Lightyear was the 10th most watched program across all platforms, during the week of August 12, 2022.[97] According toNielsen Holdings,Lightyear was the 9th most streamed movie across all platforms, during the week of August 29, 2022, to September 4, 2022.[98]
Lightyear was the most watched movie worldwide on Disney+ in August 2022.[99] It was on the number one spot on the platform for 35 days consecutively.[100]
Lightyear grossed $118.3 million in the United States and Canada, and $108.1 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $226.4 million.[2][3] It was the fourth highest-grossing animated film of 2022 in the U.S. and the fifth worldwide.[101]Deadline Hollywood calculated the film lost the studio $106 million, when factoring together all expenses and revenues.[102]
In the United States and Canada,Lightyear was projected to gross $70–85 million from 4,255 theaters in its opening weekend, with some estimates reaching as high as $105 million.[20][103][104] However, after making $20.7 million on its first day (including $5.2 million from Thursday night previews), estimates were lowered to $51–55 million. It went on to debut to $50.6 million, finishing second behind holdoverJurassic World Dominion.[105] Additionally, the film earned $34.6 million from 43 international markets, bringing its worldwide three-day debut to $85.2 million.[106] In its second weekend,Lightyear declined 64.1% to $18.2 million,[107] the second-lowest sophomore drop for a Pixar film afterOnward (73%), which opened at the onset of the pandemic.[108]
BothDeadline Hollywood andVariety attributed the performance to competition fromJurassic World Dominion andTop Gun: Maverick, though ultimately noted it as a disappointment given the brand strength of both Pixar and theToy Story franchise.[103][109]Los Angeles Times writer Ryan Faughnder believed that the film was at a disadvantage, since, as a spin-off film, it did not have well-knownToy Story characters such asWoody. He also noted that spin-offs tend to not gross as much as the main franchise installments, and compared the film to the spin-off filmsSolo: A Star Wars Story (2018) andHobbs & Shaw (2019).[110] Pamela McClintock ofThe Hollywood Reporter wrote that, in addition to competition fromJurassic World Dominion andTop Gun: Maverick, the lackluster opening was attributed to brand confusion in the film's marketing.[111] McClintock, Martha Ross ofThe Mercury News, andThe Washington Post's Sonny Bunch also questioned if the response from people over the inclusion of alesbian couple kissing and the decision not to castTim Allen in the role of Buzz Lightyear were the reasons for the film's low opening.[111][112][113] Other box office analysts believed family audiences might have not shown up to theaters after becoming accustomed to the availability of Pixar films at home after their three previous films,Soul (2020),Luca (2021), andTurning Red (2022), were released directly toDisney+ during the pandemic.[109][114] Some box office analysts theorized that family audiences were reluctant to attend theaters in general due to COVID-19 concerns, although this was disproven afterMinions: The Rise of Gru opened to $107 million in the U.S. and Canada two weeks later.[115][116][117]
On thereview aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes, 74% of 322 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.7/10. The website's consensus reads: "Lightyear settles for being a rather conventional origin story instead of reaching for the stars, but this gorgeously animated adventure ably accomplishes its mission of straightforward fun."[118] It is the lowest rated film of theToy Story franchise on Rotten Tomatoes.[103]Metacritic, which uses aweighted average, assigned the film a score of 60 out of 100, based on 57 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[119] Audiences polled byCinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale, while those atPostTrak gave it an overall positive score of 85% (including an average 4 out of 5 stars), with 62% saying they would definitely recommend it.[103]
Peter Bradshaw's four-star review forThe Guardian stated: "This cracking origin story forToy Story's spaceman hero is fun and clever and reminds us why we loved Pixar in the first place."[120] David Rooney ofThe Hollywood Reporter called it "a funny spinoff with suspense and heart, a captivatingly spirited toon take on splashy live-action retro popcorn entertainment."[121] Emma Stefansky ofThrillist said: "There's plenty inLightyear to enjoy, and it's one of Pixar's better efforts over the last 10 years, but it ultimately feels half-done. It feels like it ought to be the beginning of something, like its narrative is a prologue stretched into a feature awaiting the much more interesting second and third and fifth installments down the road."[122]RogerEbert.com-based critic Odie Henderson praised the score who called it as "one of Giacchino's best scores" and "a delectable spoof of bombastic space movie music that elevates every scene it plays under".[123] Valerie Complex ofDeadline Hollywood stated: "Lightyear does not rely too much onToy Story lore to build its world, but it would have benefited from showing some connection to that part of the franchise instead of using title cards." She further praised the technical aspects, and wrote: "The animation is gorgeous and hyper-realistic. The art department put their all into designing this universe and its characters and robotic villains," but criticized the screenplay saying "sometimes the story becomes convoluted and drags on, almost like there was a need to pad the runtime, causingLightyear to get into even more trouble and creating a never-ending slew of trampling obstacles."[124]
Variety'sOwen Gleiberman wrote: "Lightyear in its eminently conventional and likable way, is a far less audacious movie than that. For what is surely not the first time,Buzz's I-can-do-anything myopic bravado has failed [...] part of that may be that in theToy Story films, heis a toy — that's part of the joke, one that Buzz is never quite in on. He thinks he's a real Space Ranger! So when you actually turn Buzz Lightyear into a Space Ranger, you enlarge him and diminish him at the same time."[125] In contrast,BBC's Nicholas Barber wrote: "The story is thin, repetitive, and almost entirely dependent on the heroes being clumsy" and gave the film two stars.[126] David Ehrlich ofIndieWire wrote: "Lightyear remains firmly stuck in the past even as it hurtles toward the future. And while screenwriters Jason Headley andAngus MacLane need that push-pull in order to tell a story about reconciling the lure of nostalgia with the potential for something new, it's hard for a movie to sell us on living in the moment when every scene feels like it's settling for less."[127] Kaleem Aftab ofTime Out called the film "a franchise low, Pixar's metaToy Story spin-off gets lost in space."[128] The film has received criticism from some conservatives, who have argued that the film's scene with a same-sex kiss is inappropriate for children, saying thatDisney sexualizes them.[129]
When asked aboutLightyear in 2023, Pixar's chief creative officerPete Docter stated that while the studio "love[s] the movie", he believed "we asked too much of the audience. [...] Even if they've read the material in press, it was just a little too distant, both in concept, and I think in the way that characters were drawn, that they were portrayed. [...] the characters in 'Toy Story' are much broader, and so I think there was a disconnect between what people wanted/expected and what we were giving to them."[130]
| Award | Year | Category | Recipient | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alliance of Women Film Journalists | 2023 | Best Animated Female Voice | Keke Palmer | Nominated | [131] [132] |
| Annie Awards | February 25, 2023 | Outstanding Achievement for Animated Effects in an Animated Production | Carl Kaphan, Cody Harrington, Hope Schroers, Jon Barry, Nate Skeen | Nominated | [133] |
| Outstanding Achievement for Editorial in a Feature Production | Tony Greenberg, Katie Bishop, Chloe Kloezeman, Axel Geddes, Tim Fox | Nominated | |||
| Art Directors Guild Awards | February 18, 2023 | Excellence in Production Design for an Animated Film | Tim Evatt | Nominated | [134] |
| Black Reel Awards | February 6, 2023 | Outstanding Voice Performance | Keke Palmer | Nominated | [135] |
| Casting Society of America | March 9, 2023 | Outstanding Achievement in Casting - Animation Feature | Natalie Lyon, Kevin Reher, Kate Hansen-Birnbaum | Nominated | [136] |
| International Film Music Critics Association Awards | February 23, 2023 | Best Original Score for an Animated Film | Michael Giacchino | Nominated | [137] [138] |
| Motion Picture Sound Editors | February 26, 2023 | Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Sound Effects, Foley, Dialogue and ADR for Animated Feature Film | Coya Elliott(supervising sound editor); Ren Klyce(sound designer); Kimberly Patrick, Jonathon Stevens,Benjamin A. Burtt(sound effects editor); Cheryl Nardi(dialogue editor); James Spencer, Dee Selby(foley editors); Shelley Roden, John Roesch(foley artists) | Nominated | [139] [140] |
| NAACP Image Awards | February 25, 2023 | Outstanding Character Voice Performance – Motion Picture | Keke Palmer | Won | [141] |
| Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards | March 4, 2023 | Favorite Animated Movie | Lightyear | Nominated | [142] |
| Favorite Voice from an Animated Movie (Male) | Chris Evans | Nominated | |||
| Favorite Voice from an Animated Movie (Female) | Keke Palmer | Nominated | |||
| Saturn Awards | October 25, 2022 | Best Animated Film | Lightyear | Nominated | [143] [144] |
| Visual Effects Society Awards | February 15, 2023 | Outstanding Created Environment in an Animated Feature | T'Kani Prime Forest – Lenora Acidera, Amy Allen, Alyssa Minko, Jose L. Ramos Serrano | Nominated | [145] |
| Outstanding Effects Simulations in an Animated Feature | Alexis Angelidis, Chris Chapman, Jung-Hyun Kim, Keith Klohn | Nominated |
Due to the box-office underperformance ofLightyear, the film's directorAngus MacLane and producer Galyn Susman were two of 75Pixar employees who were laid off in June 2023.[146]
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)Disney declined to make the cuts and is expected to put "Lightyear" out directly on streaming service Disney+ Hotstar.
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