We have a shiny new trailer for Lightyear, the latest animated feature from Pixar. It’s a spinoff from the studio’s hugely successful Toy Story franchise, with Chris Evans replacing Tim Allen as the voice of titular protagonist Buzz Lightyear. (The character’s name honors Apollo 11 astronaut Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin.) Pixar is calling Lightyear the “definitive origin story of Buzz Lightyear,” following the legendary Space Ranger on an intergalactic adventure.
“Buzz’s world was always something I was excited about,” said director Angus MacLane in a statement. “In Toy Story, there seemed to be this incredible backstory to him being a Space Ranger that’s only touched upon, and I always wanted to explore that world further. So my Lightyear pitch was, ‘What was the movie that Andy saw that made him want a Buzz Lightyear toy?’ I wanted to see that movie. And now I’m lucky enough to get to make it.”
Pixar debuted a 90-second teaser trailer last October, which racked up 83 million views in the first 24 hours, despite featuring almost no dialogue. Instead, the focus was on exploration and a variety of interstellar locales (the teaser also showcased Lightyear‘s distinctive animation style). As Ars’ Tech Culture Editor Sam Machkovech wrote at the time: