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TOY STORY’s Tom Hanks Doesn’t ‘Understand’ LIGHTYEAR Without Tim Allen

Photo from IMDb – “Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Annie Potts, Keegan-Michael Key, Ally Maki, and Jordan Peele in Toy Story 4 (2019)”

TOY STORY’s Tom Hanks Doesn’t ‘Understand’ LIGHTYEAR Without Tim Allen

By Movieguide® Contributor

Tom Hanks, known as Andy’s beloved Cowboy doll Woody in the TOY STORY franchise, doesn’t “understand” the new movie LIGHTYEAR. 

Hanks said that he wished that his co-star Tim Allen, who originally voiced Woody’s sidekick Buzz Lightyear had starred in LIGHTYEAR, especially because Hanks’ latest movie is in theaters now, as well.

“I wanted to go head to head with Tim Allen and they didn’t let Tim Allen do it. I don’t understand that,” Hanks said.

The change in voice actor has caused significant fallout for TOY STORY fans who view the recasting and subsequent movie as an insult to the original franchise.

Actress Patricia Heaton, for example, said the new movie “castrated” Allen’s Lightyear.

Allen has also spoken about his absence from the project, saying, “The short answer is I’ve stayed out of this ’cause it has nothing to do [with my character]. This is a whole new team that really had nothing to do with the first movies.” 

Movieguide® previously reported on Allen’s thoughts on LIGHTYEAR:

Actor and comedian Tim Allen stayed silent about the upcoming LIGHTYEAR movie, which sought to expand the lore of the TOY STORY character Buzz Lightyear.

Allen starred as the iconic toy from 1995 to 2019 in TOY STORY, TOY STORY 2, TOY STORY 3, and TOY STORY 4. However, because LIGHTYEAR is the origin movie the toy is based on, Disney Pixar cast Chris Evans for the role.

“The short answer is I’ve stayed out of this ’cause it has nothing to do [with my character],” Allen told Extra. “This is a whole new team that really had nothing to do with the first movies.”

However, Allen said he initially thought that the TOY STORY spinoff would be “live action” with “real humans” rather than animated.

For Allen, LIGHTYEAR “just doesn’t seem to have any connection to the toy. I wish there was a better connection.”

But Allen was not the only one disappointed with Pixar’s portrayal of Andy’s favorite toy.

Out of 26 movies in the Pixar franchise, LIGHTYEAR pulled in the fourth-lowest critic score on Rotten Tomatoes. The other four TOY STORY movies are in the Top 7 highest scores on the site for Pixar movies.

LIGHTYEAR is struggling at the box office. According to Movieguide®:

LIGHTYEAR was yet another Disney disappointment in its opening weekend.

According to Variety, “For Pixar, ‘Lightyear’ ranks as one of the studio’s lower starts, behind 2017’s ‘Cars 3’ ($53 million) and ahead of 2015’s ‘The Good Dinosaur’ ($39 million) and 2020’s ‘Onward’ ($39 million). It’s also one of the rare Pixar films to not take the top spot at the domestic box office, landing in second place.”

While critics blame the less-than-impressive box office on the struggles spin-offs often face or that the movie failed to make a connection with the original TOY STORY franchise, the truth of the matter is simple: LIGHTYEAR pushed an immoral and unbiblical agenda that went directly against the narrative the original movies so beautifully told.

The original TOY STORY, for example, is “overflowing with heroism, virtues and moral messages, not the least of which is that while envy can only destroy, friendship can overcome. The double entendre in the film will make it just as appealing to teenagers and adults as it is to younger children. TOY STORY has a heart of gold. It is funny, clean, wholesome, and virtuous. It is a classic beginning to a new genre — a masterpiece which is sure to capture the imaginations of young and old alike.”

Had LIGHTYEAR shied away from such a progressive agenda, it could have seen the box office success of its predecessors. Instead, Disney and Pixar chose to cater to a small but vocal minority when they could have banked on families.

Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.

What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.

You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.

Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.


Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.

What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.

You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.

Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.