The first reactions for Lightyear trailers highlight the film's time travel plot, as Buzz accidentally finds himself 62 years in the future, where he has to work with a new team of Star Command recruits and a robot cat named Sox. Lightyear is the first Pixar movie in over two years to receive a traditional theatrical release.
With its ties to Pixar's flagship Toy Story franchise, the casting of Chris Evans in the title role, and the classic sci-fi adventure vibe, Lightyear is one of the more anticipated movies of the summer. Given Pixar's track record of delivering heartfelt and entertaining films for people of all ages, the hope is Lightyear can be another winner for the studio. Back in April, early reactions to Lightyear's first 30 minutes were overwhelmingly positive, with some drawing comparisons to Up. Now, the full film has screened for critics, and Lightyear is getting more praise.
First reactions to Lightyear have popped up on social media, with critics unanimously praising Pixar's latest effort. Everyone seems to be in agreement it's a beautifully animated, fun, and emotional journey. Evans earned high marks for his performance as Buzz, but Sox in particular is being singled out as a standout. Check out posts in the space below:
Besides Sox being a scene-stealer, one of the key takeaways from these Lightyear reactions is how cinematic the film is, with people praising Pixar's state-of-the-art visuals and animation. Over the past couple of years, Disney controversially sent Pixar titles Soul, Luca, and Turning Red straight to Disney+, decisions that upset many Pixar employees. That had some wondering if Lightyear would also go directly to streaming, but based on these responses, it's evident why Disney was keen on giving it a theatrical release. It sounds like Lightyear was made to be watched on the biggest screen possible (Pixar developed a virtual IMAX camera for production), so seeing it at the multiplex should prove to be an immersive and captivating experience. Hopefully, Lightyear marks the end of Pixar's Disney+ era and their movies remain theatrical exclusives moving forward.
Dating back to the original Toy Story in 1995, Pixar has always had a stellar track record at the box office. Lightyear should be no exception, especially with this strong word-of-mouth and the lack of animated family movies in the marketplace. It should have a monopoly over its target demographic during the early part of its run, at least until Minions: The Rise of Gru releases in July. It'll be interesting to see if Lightyear's impending success influences Pixar to make similar-minded Toy Story spinoffs (perhaps a Woody's Round-Up movie) in the future.
Source: Various (see tweets)
