For the past 24 hours, my phone has been lighting up like a Christmas tree. It seems like every time I refresh my feed, there is yet another new reaction (always positive) to Chris Evans playing the human version of Buzz Lightyear.
Personally, I love to see it.
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In case you missed it, the trailer for the new “Lightyear” movie dropped yesterday with Evans taking over the role of our favorite spaceman.
The sneak peek at the upcoming film has garnered plenty of praise from fans online, but of course there has also been lots of discussion sparked regarding the casting choice.
Let’s address the elephant in the room: Chris Evans is NOT replacing Tim Allen.
The upcoming Pixar project Lightyear is supposed to be an origin story for Buzz, but not the toy-version of Buzz that Tim Allen portrayed on film.
Chris is playing the real-life human Buzz Lightyear that the toy is apparently based on. This is a huge caveat to consider. Not only does it allow room for two Buzzes to exist within the same universe, but Pixar is also confirming that Buzz Lightyear is real!
Chris has played iconic characters before and understands the weight they carry.
Let’s not forget that Chris was Captain America; the first freaking Avenger. He’s spent the better part of his career dealing with diehard comic book fanatics and Marvel purists; not an easy bunch to please.
There is nothing that the Toy Story fandom can throw at him that he hasn’t already experienced firsthand. If anyone has the preparedness and understanding required to be Buzz Lightyear, it’s him.
This may be the most excited that Chris Evans has ever been for a role!
If you remember correctly, Chris Evans was incredibly hesitant to play Captain America — he even declined the role when it was first offered to him.
When Chris first heard the news that Pixar had a pitch for him that involved Buzz Lightyear, he couldn’t stop smiling . He’s described the whole experience as a dream come true, one he can’t wait to share with Toy Story fans all around the world.
I don’t know about you, but I’m a firm believer that passion breeds success.
He’s also assured us that *Lightyear* will not infringe upon any canonical *Toy Story* elements.
According to a post made via Instagram, Chris was incredibly curious as to how he could be Buzz Lightyear if Tim Allen was also the iconic Space Ranger? He wanted to ensure that this story was indeed worth telling and that it would only enhance the franchise, not tarnish it.
“Everyone can rest easy. And get very excited !” Chris said.
If you can’t trust Captain America, who can you trust?!
Regardless of Chris Evans’ casting, it’s unlikely that we would’ve seen Tim Allen return.
The first Toy Story film came out back in 1995 and Toy Story 4 released just last year. That means that Tim Allen has been Buzz Lightyear for more than 25 years. He’s also 67 years old.
Toy Story 4 was always meant to be the final chapter in the story. As difficult as it is, we need to accept that Toy Story as we have come to know it, is over.
Which is good news, trust me.
Pixar can’t make another Toy Story movie without seriously risking putting a black mark on the whole franchise. But what they can do, rather easily, is to expand the incredible universe they’ve created.
If Lightyear is saying that Buzz is a real person, what else is waiting around the corner? What if there’s even a slight possibility that we could see a Duke Kaboom series starring Keanu Reeves!? It all becomes possible with the announcement of Lightyear .
And fans are already tweeting their support!
I don’t say any of this lightly. Toy Story had a serious impact on me as a kid and I consider it to be one of the defining movie franchises of my entire life. But we can’t hold on to nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake.
Characters in comics, movies, and TV shows are bigger than the actors that portray them. They are timeless — they are forever. Chris Evans as Buzz Lightyear will ensure that the legacy of our beloved Space Ranger goes until infinity and beyond!
