Tom Hanks Reacts to Tim Allen Not Being Cast in ‘Lightyear’
Tom Hanks has some thoughts on Tim Allen not voicing Buzz in Disney-Pixar’s latest release, “Lightyear.”
During an interview with CinemaBlend, Hanks, 65, was asked if it was strange to have his current film, “Elvis,” competing with “Lightyear” at the box office, considering the actor has voiced Woody in multiple “Toy Story” films since 1995.
“How about that?” the actor replied in a clip from the sit-down posted on Instagram on June 25. “Actually I wanted to go head-to-head with Tim Allen and then they didn’t let Tim Allen do it. I don’t understand that.”
“Lightyear,” which hit theaters on June 17, is a spinoff of the “Toy Story” films that focuses on Buzz’s origin story. Although Allen has voiced Buzz in all of the “Toy Story” movies, Chris Evans was cast to portray this version of Buzz.
When the CinemaBlend interviewer mentioned Evans taking over the role, Hanks said, “Yeah, yeah,” before he explained that he is more concerned about moviegoers returning to theaters.
“I want to go back into the theater with a bunch of strangers and leave with something in common,” he said. “That’s what I want to do.”
Hanks’ comments came a few days before Allen, 69, opened up to Extra about not being involved with “Lightyear.”
“This is a whole new team that really had nothing to do with the first movies,” Allen explained. “I thought it was a live-action (movie at first).”
Allen said he does not understand how the new movie connects to the toy.
He continued, “I’m a plot guy. If this was done in 1997, it would seem to be a big adventure story, and as I see it’s not a big adventure story. It’s a wonderful story; it just doesn’t seem to have any connection to the toy.”
But his “to infinity and beyond” version of Buzz isn’t the only character not featured in “Lightyear.” Allen also pointed out that Woody does not appear in the animated flick.
“There’s really no ‘Toy Story’ Buzz without Woody,” he said. “It has no relationship to Buzz. It’s just no connection. I wish there was a better connection to the original Buzz.”
Other beloved characters from “Toy Story” like Jessie, Rex and Little Bo-Peep are also not members of Buzz’s new crew in “Lightyear.” Instead, the Space Ranger works with Izzy Hawthorne, voiced by Keke Palmer, and a robotic cat named Sox.
“Lightyear” opened to $51 million and landed the second place spot at the box office, according to Variety. It was Pixar’s first big screen release since “Onward” in March 2020. “Soul,” “Luca” and “Turning Red” all debuted on Disney+.
For Fourth of July weekend, “Lightyear” fell to fifth place and brought in about $6 million, Box Office Mojo reports. The film has grossed over $105 million domestically since its release.