Chris Evans has shared a message with Toy Story fans, amid criticism of his newest movie Lightyear.
The animated spinoff sees Evans take over as the beloved character Buzz – voiced by Tim Allen in the original franchise – in a new film which has received lukewarm reviews from critics. You can read The Independent’s review of Lightyear here.
In a recent appearance on Good Morning America, Evans discussed his new role and addressed the pressures he felt taking over the iconic character.
“Look, Tim Allen is Buzz Lightyear,” the Captain America actor acknowledged. “What he did in those movies is so iconic and so loved, and I’d be a fool not to incorporate some of his choices into this role.”
Although Evans said he wasn’t able to meet Allen, he admitted that he “certainly studied what [Allen] did in those movies”.
“The character in this movie is the human version that the toy is based off of, so it makes sense to have a little bit of overlap, luckily for me,” he further praised. “What Tim Allen did was pretty untouchable.”
In a separate interview at the premiere of the film, director Angus MacLane explained that the change in actors was an intentional decision.
Released on Friday (17 June), the film’s post-credits scene features a major plot twist and teases a potential sequel.
Lightyear is in cinemas now.
