Disney's 1st trailer for 'Lightyear,' a Buzz Lightyear origin story, looks amazing

By Tariq Malik
last updated

It tells the origin story for Buzz Lightyear, Space Ranger, from the "Toy Story" films.

Buzz Lightyear is headed back to space. 

Disney and Pixar just launched the first teaser trailer for a new origin story of Buzz Lightyear, the iconic Space Ranger from the "Toy Story" film franchise and it's packed with stunning space action. 

"To infinity and … 🚀 Experience the origin story of a Space Ranger in Disney and Pixar’s #Lightyear, in theaters Summer 2022," Pixar wrote as it unveiled the trailer on Twitter and YouTube today. The film will launch into theaters on June 17, 2022. 

The trailer, set to a stirring soundtrack of "Starman" by David Bowie, starts off with a younger Buzz Lightyear (voiced by Chris Evans) suiting up in a spacesuit very different from the winged green and purple hard suit we saw in the "Toy Story" films. He then launches into space in a sleek space plane that appears to whip around a star. 

Related: Cosmic Toy Story: Buzz Lightyear in Space (Photos)

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Buzz Lightyear launches into space in Disney's new "Lightyear" film from Pixar, an origin story for the iconic Space Ranger.
Buzz Lightyear launches into space in Disney's new "Lightyear" film from Pixar, an origin story for the iconic Space Ranger. (Image credit: Walt Disney Pictures)

"The sci-fi action-adventure presents the definitive origin story of Buzz Lightyear—the hero who inspired the toy—introducing the legendary Space Ranger who would win generations of fans," Pixar wrote. The film is directed by Angus McLane ("Finding Dory," "Toy Story of Terror") and and produced by Galyn Susman. 

The "Lightyear" trailer shows Buzz Lightyear as an astronaut, not a toy. It includes stunning scenes of spaceships, a vast spaceport and a touching unveiling of Lightyears' Space Ranger spacesuit. He also appears to team up with an adorable cat that just might be a robot (it says "beep, boop" and spins its head around) and a female partner who suits up in a Space Ranger suit of her own by the trailer's end. 

All in all, the trailer offers a tantalizing glimpse of what "Lightyear" will bring to Buzz Lightyear's legacy. 

Related stories:

—Disney Donates Space-Flown Buzz Lightyear Toy to Smithsonian
—NASA's Z-1 Spacesuit: Buzz Lightyear's Duds (Photos)
—NASA, Disney Celebrate Buzz Lightyear's Return From Space

It's worth a mention to say that Buzz Lightyear the toy is no stranger to space.

NASA launched a Buzz Lightyear action figure to the International Space Station in May 2008 on the space shuttle Discovery. It was returned to Earth in August 2009 and now is on display as a real-life space artifact at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. in 2012.

Apollo 11 moonwalker Buzz Aldrin, the astronaut Buzz Lightyear is modeled after, even recorded a video to "train" the Buzz Lightyear action figure for spaceflight.

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Tariq Malik
Tariq Malik
Editor-in-Chief

Tariq is the Editor-in-Chief of Space.com and joined the team in 2001, first as an intern and staff writer, and later as an editor. He covers human spaceflight, exploration and space science, as well as skywatching and entertainment. He became Space.com's Managing Editor in 2009 and Editor-in-Chief in 2019. Before joining Space.com, Tariq was a staff reporter for The Los Angeles Times covering education and city beats in La Habra, Fullerton and Huntington Beach. In October 2022, Tariq received the Harry Kolcum Award for excellence in space reporting from the National Space Club Florida Committee. He is also an Eagle Scout (yes, he has the Space Exploration merit badge) and went to Space Camp four times as a kid and a fifth time as an adult. He has journalism degrees from the University of Southern California and New York University. You can find Tariq at Space.com and as the co-host to the This Week In Space podcast with space historian Rod Pyle on the TWiT network. To see his latest project, you can follow Tariq on Twitter @tariqjmalik.