Lightyear trailer takes Buzz to infinity, and... well, watch it and find out

The trailer for Disney and Pixar's next big blockbuster, Lightyear, has landed. And you can watch the new debut trailer below. Lightyear will bring us the origin story of Buzz Lightyear, a name and face that any Toy Story aficionado would recognize.

But where Buzz, up until now, was a toy based on a (we assumed) fictional figure in the Toy Story movies, in Lightyear we're given a full back story to the 'Space Ranger' himself.

As for when you'll be able to watch the movie, the Lightyear release date is pegged as 'Summer 2022' in the trailer itself - but we've actually got a more exact release window.

You might want to take a look at the movie poster tweeted by the movie's official Twitter account just before it dropped the trailer, which suggests the Lightyear release date will be June 2022 - so mark your calendars now in anticipation for this spacefaring adventure.

TechRadar's initial reactions to the Lightyear trailer

We asked around the TechRadar team for their initial reactions to the Lightyear trailer, and responses ran the gamut from positive and excited to confused, and even downright deadpan.

John McCann, Global Managing Editor

"I'm an absolute sucker for the Toy Story movies, so any movie that explores a character in more detail is going to grab my attention. That said, I'm a little confused as to how Buzz is being framed here. Are we to believe the toy was based on an actual person now? Ponderous."

Jess Weatherbed, Computing Staff Writer

"My inner Pixar kid / sci-fi dweeb is really excited, but his face makes me deeply uncomfortable and I can't place why. Like some bizarre uncanny valley effect.

"Plus, if we're getting this then I also demand a cowboy flick for Woody and Jessie, we have plenty of great sci-fi and a lack of any recent westerns."

Rhys Wood, Staff Writer

"I think it looks like a clever Toy Story spinoff that might put the series back in a fresher direction after Toy Story 4 (which I thought was a bit mediocre).

"I also wonder how Tim Allen feels about being replaced by Chris Evans to voice Buzz Lightyear. Evans is obviously much cooler, so I'm personally happy with this casting choice."

Adam Vjestica, Senior Gaming Writer

"That trailer did not move me at all.

"I don't care about a real life spaceman.

"I want toy spaceman."

Gerald Lynch, Executive Editor

"I very much enjoyed that Lightyear trailer. Family sci-fi!"

Hamish Hector, Staff Writer

"I think the trailer looks cool - glad that it's about the sci-fi character rather than a 'real-life' inspiration for Buzz which some fans thought it would be at first."

Axel Metz, Staff Writer

"They should do an origin story for every toy, culminating in a multiverse film called Toy Story."

Analysis: Could Lightyear give Pixar a shot in the arm?

Judging from the team's responses, positive or negative, it's fair to say the Lightyear trailer is generating a lot of buzz (ahem). And rightly so, as it's arguably the most interesting looking film Pixar has worked on since the likes of Soul and Coco.

Aside from those two excellent films, we've seen very middling movies from Pixar in recent years, from disappointing Cars and The Incredibles sequels to largely forgettable outings like Onward and The Good Dinosaur. 

Pixar could stand to reclaim some of the magic that made it so prominent in the 90s and 2000s, and Lightyear might just be one small step towards reclaiming that glory.

Of course, given the setting and context of Lightyear, we're expecting cameos and Easter eggs galore. When we watch the film next year, we'll be on the lookout for nods to other Pixar movies and characters, and also wondering where the movie finds itself on the ever-growing fan theorized Pixar timeline.

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