Pixar Lightyear’s new film is a oddity for the studio. This is a link to the Toy Story movie series, although it doesn’t take place in the same universe or continuity and doesn’t include toy characters. (No, the Sox robot cat doesn’t count as a toy, although you can obviously now buy toy versions of the Sox.) The film is intended more for science fiction for adults than for children, although it’s safe for children and full of humor. along with serious problems with loss, grief, and moving forward. Perhaps the strangest thing about it is that it’s full of opportunities for the kinds of great emotions that Pixar shares in the market, but it doesn’t address them in the way that longtime Pixar fans might expect.
But another oddity about this is that it seems perfectly prepared to create any number of sequels or spinoffs, in a way that is not usually true of Pixar movies. This comes more from the end of the film than from the teasers after the teasers, but a moment after the titles it really looks like an announcement of an “upcoming sequel”, which is much more typical for other film studios, whether working in animation or live.
[Ed. note: Major spoilers ahead for Lightyear, including end spoilers.]
Does Leiter have a scene after credits?
Image: Pixar Animation Studios
You know it is, otherwise we would not have published this article. Don’t get us wrong: “Does this movie have a scene after the credits?” publish “Is there a Top Gun: Maverick scene after credits?” articles when the answer is “No!” and there is not much to say after that.
But this is not true in this case. Lighter has three scenes after the credits – two quick jokes and then the shortest possible teaser for the future. The latest teaser comes at the end, even after the familiar Pixar animated logo with the bouncing baby lamp, so don’t be fooled into heading for the door before it’s over.
The first two credit scenes are just short, slight jokes to call back: In a scene in the middle of the title, the new senior officer of Buzz Lightyear, Commander Burnside (Isa Whitlock Jr.) sits at his desk behind him, one of the giant alien beetle creatures this attack of Buzz and his friends throughout the film is overshadowed by their colony’s giant new defense system, a dome made of lasers. Burnside, who has spoken of the laser shield several times in previous scenes, just smiles and repeats “Laser Shield!” To himself, apparently feeling justified.
And after the subtitles, the film returns to the square robot Derrick (or as the chassis calls it, “ERIC”, with a scratched “D” in front of the acronym), who was last seen trying to give Buzz and his new junior – Friends of Rangers Easy, Moe, and Darby head to an outpost outside the site. It is not clear what Derrick’s role is in the team, but they obviously don’t think much about him, as they leave and still leave him to look at a map and advise them on distances and turns. At the end of the film he is still there, now he directly captures the picturesque views that he can see on his way.
Then he finally turns around and notices that everyone is long gone, and is disappointed. Unhappy, especially after the triumphant end of the film, with an emphasis on connection and friendship. It’s pretty sad to be Derrick, to think he’s part of a team when that team can’t even bother to tell him he’s leaving. Treat your artificial intelligence better, people!
But after the captions, after the animated logo of Pixar Animation Studios, after it really seems like it’s all over and over, there’s a fraction of a second shot of the villain from the movie, Zurg, floating lifeless in space … while his red LED eyes suddenly a lighted spear indicating that he is still alive, kicking and ready to return for the sequel.
Will there be a sequel to Lightyear?
Image: Pixar Animation Studios
Good question! It’s too early to ask – it may depend on how the film performs at the box office – but it certainly seems that Lightter is preparing for it. Not because Zurg is still there, but because the end is as clearly defined as “Now that all the main characters have learned their lessons in confidence, teamwork and life in the moment, the real adventures can begin!” When Buzz, Izzy, Moe and Darby set out on their first mission as recently authorized space rangers, with the feeling that their true story is just beginning.
Asked if Pixar was planning a follow-up, producer Galin Sussman told Polygon: “We haven’t closed the door on this. And yes, after a few weeks of sleep we will discuss it further. Director Angus McLain hinted that there is much more to Buzz Lightyard’s story that needs to be told: “We don’t go into so much of his academic years and we don’t go into the adventures after it. But it is certainly open enough [for spinoffs]”
Is Lightyear a sequel or a prequel to Star Command’s Buzz Lightyear?
Image: Walt Disney Television Animation
McLain tells Polygon that Star Command’s 2000 animated series Buzz Lightyear and the film that launched it are not related to Light. He compares these shows to the 1980 Star Wars animated series Ewoki and the Droids, non-canonical series that draw on the same myths as Star Wars movies but do not develop in the same continuity. So he and the others at Disney don’t need to link any potential Lightyear spins to this story, which is much more about the battle against Zurg. He is free to design his own course for future Lightyear sequels that could potentially go to infinity … and beyond.
Background or sequel Lightyear can take any number of forms. Since Disney Plus launched, Disney has done more with TV spinoffs on Pixar projects, from Up-related short series Dug Days to the Pixar Popcorn collection of micro-shorts to the full-length sequel to Monsters, Inc. Monsters at Work. There is also the TV series Cars and the original Pixar TV series. The end of Lightry seems particularly suitable for an approach from space series, as Buzz and his rangers travel from planet to planet, meet new life and new civilizations, boldly go somewhere, etc., etc., etc., you know the exercise.
But given Pixar’s tendency to franchise its more successful outings, four Toy Story films and three Cars films to date, all including The Incredibles, Finding Nemo and Monsters, Inc. also receive additional films – Lightyear can also create a theatrical sequel. Its end is completely open for a big rematch with Zurg or a series of clashes over time.
What exactly Zurg would like from Buzz at this point is not clear, as Buzz no longer has the source of energy that Zurg was looking for. Maybe the story is just becoming “Zurg is trying to get his perfect source of energy from a bunch of different colonies and alien civilizations, and the space rangers are trying to stop him.” Or maybe, like Buzz, Zurg decides to start living in the present and just focus on becoming a tyrannical military leader – and emperor! – He was in the animated series.
By the way, does Top Gun: Maverick have a scene after the credits?
no!
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