Lightyear Director Says Chris Evans Was the "First and Only" Choice for Buzz

By Charlie Ridgely

The world's most beloved Space Ranger is returning to the big screen in 2022, as Disney and Pixar release the highly anticipated Lightyear into theaters. Buzz Lightyear, an action figure, was one of the main characters in the acclaimed Toy Story franchise. With Lightyear, Pixar will be exploring the man that the toy was based on. Not only will Buzz have a more realistic look this time around (as we saw in the debut trailer), but he will also have a different voice bringing him to life.

Tim Allen voiced Buzz in all four Toy Story films, but the "real" version of beloved character will be voiced by Captain America star Chris Evans in Lightyear. It's a change, but certainly a welcome one, as few stars are shining as bright as Evans' at the moment. While it would be easy to think that the search for the next Buzz Lightyear was a long and difficult one for Pixar, it was actually quite simple. According to director Angus MacLane, Evans was the only person considered for the role.

"I wanted the film to have like a gravitas to it and a seriousness to it, but also have an actor who could bring comedy with that seriousness. He was really the first and only choice. I didn't have a number two," MacLane told Collider. "It was very clear from the get-go. It was like, 'If you were gonna make a legitimate sci-fi film about Buzz Lightyear, who would you get? Well, Chris Evans.' You need someone that has that star power. If it had to be live-action, who would do it? He can do both. Although that chin would be so weird in live-action. You could never get around that. But he was the first choice and he's been such an amazing partner. He totally got the material right away and felt the sense of responsibility to figure out the translation to the character, for this larger context of this sci-fi movie and really deliver on it. He's just been a wonderful creative partner in the whole process."

MacLane and the folks at Pixar wanted Evans from the jump, and it was clear that Evans was more than happy to accept the offer. After the Lightyear trailer's release on Wednesday morning, Evans took to Twitter to share his feelings about the project.

"I'm covered in goosebumps," Evans wrote. "And will be every time I watch this trailer. Or hear a Bowie song. Or have any thought whatsoever between now and July cause nothing has ever made me feel more joy and gratitude than knowing I'm a part of this and it's basically always on my mind"

Lightyear is set to arrive in theaters on June 17, 2022.

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