An Image featuring Lightyear actor Chris Evans. Source: People.com

While The Walt Disney Studios' upcoming animated film Lightyear, starring the 40-year-old Marvel superstar Chris Evans in the titular role of Space Ranger, is all set to release in theaters on June 17, 2022, the film director Angus MacLane has revealed why he selected the Avengers: Endgame actor Chris Evans as the voice of Space Rager Buzz Lightyear in the film.

“Really early on. He was the first choice, pretty much as soon as we knew we were going to do it. And he came up, drove up to Pixar. And we hung out for a day and pitched him the movie. And he was thrilled. He really was. He totally got what we were going for. He’s been just such a part of the process of honing that voice and recognizing the reverence to what it could be, and what the character should be, and taking that seriously, and finding the comedy in the character of it, and not in mockery. But because of his gravitas and star power, because of who he is a performer, he knows how to carry that straight-laced classic movie hero. But at the same time, he’ll know how to subvert it and make fun of it at the same time, in a very knowing way. It’s not a subtraction for the character,” the 46-year-old American filmmaker explained while speaking in an interview with Rotton Tomatoes.

He also touched upon the fact that he had an amazing experience while working on the film with Evans as he was also considered as an animator at one time in his career so he could feel a connection with him. “It’s been such a wonderful experience. He’s such a joy. And he’s an animation fan. He at one time considered being an animator, so he was really interested in the process. You don’t always get that. It really helped to show him the sequence in storyboards, and he’d say, “I got it.” He could just do it. Especially action scenes. He’s so good. I can’t say enough great things about Chris Evans. I’m so glad he said yes.

MacLane in the same interview further discussed about the film. “Lightyear really is a story that’s very personal. It’s meant to be, more than anything, a really fun movie in the way that I work in movies because I like movies. I like watching movies. And I really want it to be something that’s enjoyable and fun, and it would just stay with you, and it would just be something you would go and see again. That  sense in movies like when we were kids. Lightyear is a love letter to the process, and a love letter to movies.”

An Image depicting action figure Buzz Lightyear. Source: Relevant Magazine

Lightyear is produced under the banner of Pixar Animation Studios in association with Walt Disney Pictures and it is a spin-off of Pixar's Toy Story series. The film takes its inspiration from the action figure of the same name Buzz Lightyear and its story will revolve around the origin of the fan-favorite human character Buzz Lightyear.