The Real Reason LIGHTYEAR Cast Chris Evans Over Tim Allen
By Movieguide® Contributor
Pixar’s much anticipated LIGHTYEAR is due out later this summer with CAPTAIN AMERICA’s Chris Evans voicing popular astronaut made famous in the TOY STORY franchise.
Buzz Lightyear in the TOY STORY movies is an action figure based on a famed astronaut.
LIGHTYEAR is the origin story of the toy, and will feature Lightyear’s cinematic space adventure that later inspired the toys.
Director Angus MacLane said the decision to cast Evans over Tim Allen, who voiced Lightyear in TOY STORY, was to differentiate between human and toy.
“Because (Buzz’s) voice is so iconic, you run the risk of imitation,” MacLane explained. “And I never wanted someone that was going to imitate that character’s voice; I wanted something to be different.
“I wanted somebody who was not going to be goofy, funny,” he continued. “It is so hard to make a character that is a side character to a main character. You need to kind of step back and rethink it a little bit. I knew that the character was iconic enough that you needed someone with the gravitas and seriousness and the balance of comedy and drama for the actor was a very, very narrow window of actor that could do it.
“And there was a lot of comedy and serious action stuff that we’d seen Chris Evans do and and had always exemplified, and it was always impressed by his ability to not seem too goofy, but be able to laugh at himself. And it is really essential for the character,” MacLane concluded.
Despite this distinction, fans pushed back when they learned of Evans’ casting.
Movieguide® previously reported:
Buzz will hit the big screen again in Pixar’s upcoming animated prequel, LIGHTYEAR, four movies, and several TV shorts later.
However, Chris Evans will voice Buzz in the upcoming movie.
Some TOY STORY fans have speculated why Allen was not invited back to reprise his iconic role.
The LAST MAN STANDING star is vocal about his conservative values, which some people note as the main reason for Evans taking the reins.
“So glad Tim Allen isn’t voicing Buzz Lightyear. His political beliefs will negatively influence children who watch the film and he sounds like he’s 90-years-old anyways,” a Twitter user wrote. “Sorry, not sorry. Chris Evans is the perfect fit.”
Author Brigitte Gabriel tweeted: “Tim Allen is the only person capable of being Buzz Lightyear. Did Disney cancel him for being a Republican?”
However, others have pointed out that the two characters are not the same person and should be voiced by different people.
“Tim Allen is the TOY buzz lightyear and Chris Evans is voicing the man the toy is based off of…why is this becoming a political debate #Lightyear,” said another fan.
“The Buzz Lightyear that Tim Allen played was a toy not the actual guy, that was the whole joke of his character in Toy Story, Chris Evans is paying the actual Buzz Lightyear, so not the same character – not everything is political,” another echoed.
LIGHTYEAR has also been the focus of significant controversy this year. Pixar employees previously complained that Disney made them remove a same-sex kiss from the movies. Unfortunately, Disney then backtracked and edited in the kiss once more.
Parents should be aware that while there are some ties to the original TOY STORY franchise, the movie so far promises to not be as family friendly. Please check back to movieguide.org this summer for a full review.
- Content: +2Share:
- Content: +4