Pixar’s Lightyear excited fans around the world in the months leading up to its release. Trailers seemed to tease this spinoff as a glimpse into Buzz Lightyear’s past, so many expected it to be about the beloved character from Toy Story.
©Pixar
However, the movie wasn’t like that at all. Millions of Disney fans were unsatisfied with this story because of the lack of connection between this story and the classic Toy Story characters. Ultimately, the movie was a bit of a flop compared to other Pixar films. Why? What went wrong? Pixar Chief Creative Officer Pete Docter recently explained.
An article by The Wrap tells us that Docter was clear about the downfall of the film Pixar producers worked so hard for. Ultimately, there was a “disconnect between what people wanted/expected” and what the movie ended up giving them.
©Pixar
“I think probably what we’ve ended on in terms of what went wrong is that we asked too much of the audience,” Docter explained. “When they hear Buzz, they’re like, great, where’s Mr. Potato Head and Woody and Rex? And then we drop them into this science fiction film that they’re like, What?”
Where were these guys?!
Lightyear ended up being just that — a science fiction that had virtually nothing to do with the classic Toy Story plot. Instead, it ended up being an entirely different film with all new characters and portrayals. One aspect that upset viewers was the fact that Buzz Lightyear was voiced by Chris Evans rather than Tim Allen, who has voiced Buzz in each of the Toy Story movies.
Chris Evans ©Mega
“Even if they read [about the movie] in press, it was just a little too distant, both in concept, and I think in the way that characters were drawn, that they were portrayed. It was much more of a science fiction,” Docter said.
©Pixar | Obtained via Variety
Would this film have done better if viewers hadn’t set the high expectation that this would tie a nice bow around the Toy Story franchise? Maybe so! At least now we have Toy Story 5 coming soon to take care of that job for us.
For more Disney entertainment news, make sure to follow along so that you never miss anything! Click the link below to learn more about Toy Story 5, which is set to premiere later in 2023.
Click here to learn more about Toy Story 5.
Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe!
Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun!
Order Your Copy of the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today!
![](https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/DFB-guide-3-guides-in-one-image-copy.jpg")
With more than 900 pages, the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs!
You'll get a Reference Guide, a 101 Plan, and a Printables and Resources Guide! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis; and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet.
Click here to order your copy of the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2023 to save 25% off the cover price today!
Use code WDW2023 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today!
Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. 🙂
Did you love Lightyear? Let us know in the comments!
TRENDING NOW
Disney has confirmed the opening timeline for Journey of Water -- Inspired by Moana in...
Will Disney CEO Bob Iger make a huge change and reverse one of Chapek's biggest...
Come with us as we bring you our full review of Roundup Rodeo BBQ in...
There are a few Disney World spots you may want to avoid if you're wandering...
See what's new at EPCOT right now!
Bookings for the 2024 summer season aboard Disney Cruise Line will be available SOON.
Orlando International Airport is about to get even busier this weekend!
Disney released pictures of the new 'Little Mermaid'-themed rooms coming to Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort!
The wait times are wild during spring break -- beware of these rides in Disney...
Disney CEO -- a great job or one that you should leave? See what one...
Just a reminder that next week will be a week of GOODBYES at Disney World.
See how this overlooked Disney tool can help you see the future!
Find out what's going to be CLOSED at the Disney World parks and hotels this...
Check out the park hours and park pass availability for Disney World next week.
Learn about some Starbucks changes that could come soon!
Duffy and friends are getting their own show on Disney+!
There's a NEW 100th anniversary popcorn bucket in the Disney parks and it's fit for...
When TRON Lightcycle / Run opens in Magic Kingdom as a pay-per-ride attraction, will Seven...
We've got some tips you need to see before your April trip to Disney World!
One particular sandwich is the #1 seller at a Disney Springs Restaurant -- and we...
Our handy (and portable!) ebook guides make sure you get the best deals and can plan a vacation of a lifetime.
Subscribe via RSS
Subscribe via email
My issue wasn’t Chris Evans. My issue was Zerg being Buzz Lightyear was the dumbest premise they could’ve come up with.
The disconnect was the fact that the creators and contributors put adult content into a pretty much “disney” animated movie. There is always a time and place for such subjects, but when someone is paying real money to see something that is suppose to be entertaining and you get this – you want your money back. This guy has no clue as to what the average person wants. It really is a shame. Just ask a normal audience human. That is the same concept from the movie “turning red.” Again, Disney lost their target audience. Don’t blame Covid for your choices or the fact you didn’t cast Tim Allen. It was the movie script no the lack of former actors or characters. I’m getting a little tired of individuals thinking what I feel about a movie and the reason it flopped. You messed up. Own it and move on.
Bad decisions lead to bad movies. This movie missed on so many levels.
I personally think it caught too much hate for not being a toy story movie and a lot of people dismissed it before even watching it. It was a solid film, and my kids absolutely adore Sox. The advertising for the movie was not on point at all, I don’t think anyone really knew what the basic plot was before they went to see it. Also, the time debt element of the story (from a sci FI nerd point of view) was a cool inclusion, but my kids had no idea what was going on. If anyone hasn’t watched it, it’s definitely worth a shot, but it should have been pitched almost totally separately from the toy story franchise
I disagree. The sci-fi wasn’t the problem, at least for me: It was the *type* of sci-fi. Leading up the film, I heard a lot about this being a 90s-style sci-fi action adventure. They even say that in the opening shot: This is the movie that got Andy into Buzz Lightyear.
And I was onboard with that – I figured it would be tongue-in-cheek, maybe poke fun at some of those tropes from like in Men in Black or Independence Day. THAT’S what I think when you say “90s action adventure sci-fi”. I didn’t need the other Toy Story characters. But Lightyear didn’t feel like a 90s movie – it felt like a 2010s moody, introspective sci-fi movie pretending to be a fun 90s sci-fi movie. Like… it was basically Interstellar for kids with a happier ending.
To be fair, I never thought it was all that awful either, I just… it wasn’t as fun as it could have been? Like, it was fine? So, Docter is maybe right about asking too much of the audience, but not for the reasons he thinks.
Ummm…nah. that’s not it, chief lol.
I’m fairly sure it wasn’t “the movie Andy watched as a kid” or however they put it.
The movie was barely even about Buzz in my opinion. I thought it was gonna be an action-packed movie not a (kind of?) Coming of age story. I wanted to see Buzz kick some butt like in that one animated series.
Not much fun for a boy in the 90s
If Pete Docter missed the points as to why this film bombed worldwide, then Disney execs need to bench him.
Loved the movie.
The movie panders to a small segment. Disney needs to return to traditional family style movies truth be told
Did Pete Doctor just blame us for not being smart enough to get his movie? Wow. I agree with the previous comment. Don’t blame us because you made a bad movie and tried to sneak in adult subject matter into a kids movie.
Is this guy delusional? Did he not read any of the comments about the movie, need I say more?.
The premise that Buzz has been fighting himself all these years fell flat for me!
I think the tone and concept of the movie was really “out of left field” as they say. It wasn’t bad, it just didn’t seem like a movie that kids would watch repeatedly and like so much they’d want to have toys from it. I don’t think it’s fair to suggest that audiences can’t handle the idea of an origin story for a toy, just something that fits the light-hearted vibe or just don’t advertise it like it’s for little kids.
This movie was a flop from the beginning because Disney has lost their way on what topics are acceptable to parents. Moral standards and beliefs are principles that should be taught to children by parents not “family” movies.
I personally liked the movie and had no issue with it, it had a good story and it was funny. I understood that it was a stand alone movie not directly connected to Toy Story, so why some people thought it would be another Toy Story movie doesn’t make sense to me.
Disney seems to care more about pushing social agendas than creating content that the audience wants to see.
And, It seems we’re being blamed for not yet being sophisticated enough to embrace their vision.
It appears everyone except Disney knows why Lightyear bombed.
Docter is completely wrong. We did not expect this movie to have any Toy Story characters. I was even glad that the voice actor was Chris Evans. We wanted to see the movie that made Andy & supposedly millions of other kids fall in love with Buzz Lightyear. There was absolutely nothing in this movie that would make a 6 year old child in 1995 think Buzz was the coolest man in the galaxy. There was nothing to make a 6 year old from today fall for this character. This was completely the failure of Pixar and not those of us who bought tickets.
If that is why they think this movie failed, then they have lost complete touch with their customer.
Typical out of touch elitists , calling the audience too unsophisticated to understand the movie. No we got it , we just didn’t like the movie. This is what happens when political agendas take over entertainment. The Disney elites are just a sad sorry group of little people that have lost any idea of what the average American viewer wants to see. We go to the movies to be entertained, you failed ! Maybe ask Tom Cruise to give you a few pointers on how to make successful entertaining movies.
Sox was the best part of this movie. Don’t let him fade away.
I agree that if Andy watched this movie, he would have asked for a Sox action figure.
Just wow. Blaming the audience for your flop of a movie. Maybe stick to producing family-oriented films and not your woke agendas.
😆 hahaha
That is NOT why it bombed…