Tim Allen, a well-known Hollywood actor, and comedian has been credited with playing some of the most memorable roles. However, others contend that the character of interplanetary Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear is Allen’s most recognizable part, even though you never see his face in it.
However, when the conservative comedian didn’t land the role of Buzz Lightyear in the “Toy Story” spinoff movie “Lightyear,” many fans and colleagues of Allen were appalled and confused.
The film billed as the animated character’s origin story was generally considered a bust. The fact that “Captain America” actor Chris Evans took over the titular role of Buzz Lightyear is assuredly another reason; as “Lightyear” tanked at the box office for a litany of reasons, including some questionable LGBT agenda shoehorning into the film’s plot.
Evans’ performance was still a far cry from the recognizable gravitas of Allen’s voice-over, although it was largely fine Allen’s absence was felt; he had been voicing Buzz Lightyear since the 1995 debut of the franchise. And now, it appears that Disney will attempt to fix at least one mistake with its “Toy Story “cinematic universe by bringing back Allen to reprise the iconic role, whether because of the middling box office performance of “Lightyear” or general fan outcry.
Pixar and Disney are bringing out Toy Story 5, with Tim Allen returning as the voice of Buzz Lightyear in the new film. With a cheeky tweet filled with “Toy Story” references, Allen posted an excited tweet on his return, quoting one of Buzz Lightyear’s more infamous lines, “See ya soon Woody, you are a sad strange little man and you have my pity, and off we go to a number 5! To infinity and beyond!”
See ya soon Woody, you are a sad strange little man and you have my pity. And off we go to a number 5! To infinity and beyond! pic.twitter.com/bwRzE487Vi
— Tim Allen (@ofctimallen) February 9, 2023
Ever since he made his silver screen debut in 1995, “To infinity and beyond” has been Buzz Lightyear’s catchphrase.
Allen’s conservative leanings ultimately soured his relationship with the House of Mouse as many fans had presumed but when Allen reprised his role as Santa for the Disney+ series “The Santa Clauses,” such talk was then largely evaporated.
This is undoubtedly a welcome return to form, for Allen and his fans. The Hollywood celebrity has mainly been out of the public spotlight aside from the aforementioned “The Santa Clauses,” with his last performing job being Mike Baxter in the sitcom “Last Man Standing.” Late in 2021, that show came to an end.
However, this will likely be a Band-Aid for a shotgun wound for Disney. Announcing a slate of layoffs and restructuring Wednesday as the company grapples with fiscal and subscription losses, the media titan has been having a rough go of it as of late.
It’s a positive first step, whether the return of Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear will assuage any of these rampant concerns at Disney is not at all clear.
Sources: WesternJournal, MSN, Mirror
