Today, Disney and Pixar announced that the Lightyear Disney Plus release date has been set for August 3, 2022. A new spot celebrating the upcoming Lightyear Disney Plus launch is now available here.
“Lightyear looks amazing on the big screen, of course, but we are so excited to bring it to Disney+,” said Angus MacLane, who directed the film.
He added: “We devoted years of our lives to this film, and we are so proud of it. We want to share it with as many people as possible.
“Disney+ not only gives more fans an opportunity to see ‘Lightyear,’ it gives us all the means to see it again and again.”
A sci-fi action adventure and the definitive origin story of Buzz Lightyear, the hero who inspired the toy, Lightyear follows the legendary Space Ranger after he’s marooned on a hostile planet 4.2 million light-years from Earth alongside his commander and their crew.
As Buzz tries to find a way back home through space and time, he’s joined by a group of ambitious recruits and his charming robot companion cat, Sox. Complicating matters and threatening the mission is the arrival of Zurg, an imposing presence with an army of ruthless robots and a mysterious agenda.
The film features the voices of Chris Evans as accomplished Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear, Uzo Aduba as his commander and best friend Alisha Hawthorne, and Peter Sohn as Sox.
Keke Palmer, Taika Waititi, and Dale Soules lend their voices to the Junior Zap Patrol’s Izzy Hawthorne, Mo Morrison, and Darby Steel, respectively, and James Brolin can be heard as the enigmatic Zurg.
The voice cast also includes Mary McDonald-Lewis as onboard computer I.V.A.N., Isiah Whitlock Jr. as Commander Burnside, Efren Ramirez as Airman Díaz, Keira Hairston as Young Izzy, and Tim Peake as Tim/Mission Control (in U.K. release).
Directed by Angus MacLane (co-director Finding Dory), produced by Galyn Susman (Toy Story That Time Forgot), and featuring a score by award-winning composer Michael Giacchino (The Batman, Up), Disney and Pixar’s Lightyear is in theaters now.
“Buzz’s world was always something I was excited about,” said MacLane previously. “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.
He added: “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. The cast for ‘Lightyear’ is truly a dream team,” added MacLane. “Each of the performers immediately inhabited their character, which gave us the opportunity to play a bit during recording sessions.
MacLane continued: “This resulted in a level of specificity that elevated the material and brought additional depth to the characters’ relationships. It has been a privilege to work with such a talented and generous cast.”
“The phrase ‘a dream come true’ gets thrown around a lot, but I’ve never meant it more in my life. Anyone who knows me knows that my love for animated films runs deep,” said Chris Evans. “I can’t believe that I get to be a part of the Pixar family and work with these truly brilliant artists who tell stories unlike anyone else. Watching them work is nothing short of magic. I pinch myself every day.”
Mirko Parlevliet has been reporting on the entertainment industry since 1998 and founded Vital Thrills in 2018 to cover the latest news on streaming, movies, TV, and video games.