Pixar reveals never-before-seen Buzz Lightyear sketches to celebrate launch of Pixar Fest

Disney and Pixar have shared previously unseen sketches of iconic Toy Story character Buzz Lightyear, and they show the Space Ranger looking very different.

One version sees the character – voiced by Tim Allen in all four Toy Story films – when he was called Lunar Larry, another sees him donning a pair of holstered ray guns on both hips.

These new images were released as Pixar and Disney announce Pixar Fest, a month-long celebration of 25 years of Toy Story and the animation studio’s 20 years of support for the charity MediCinema.

Pixar historian Christine Freeman said: “Buzz is one of our most popular characters, and it’s fascinating to see the different ways that Pixar’s artists imagined him during the evolution of his design.

“Even his name changed over time – from Tempus of Morph to Lunar Larry, to Buzz Lightyear. You can see the LL belt buckle (for Lunar Larry) in a few of these early designs.”

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2020 marks the 25th anniversary of Pixar’s Toy Story, the pioneering CGI film that would change animation and Hollywood forever.

The virtual festival will premiere on Disney+ UK from Sunday, 9 August with an epic collection of Pixar movies, and will feature weekly watchalongs, animator masterclasses, quizzes for movie buffs, arts and crafts for kids, and new product releases.

“Pixar revolutionised the art of animation 25 years ago with the release of Toy Story and since then has brought us some of the most iconic and unique moments in filmmaking history,” says Tasia Filippatos, SVP Disney EMEA.

“Pixar Fest will give fans of all ages the chance to celebrate their favourites through a host of activities and even cast their vote in ‘The Golden Lamp Awards’. We hope the line-up brings some summer holiday fun and movie magic to homes across the UK.”

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Pixar Fest’s line-up on Pixar’s Facebook page @PixarUK includes:

• Sunday watchalongs on Disney’s social channels, with movies streamed on Disney+ including Toy Story (9 August), Cars (16 August), Inside Out (23 August) and The Incredibles (30 August), plus Pixar quizzes hosted by Edith Bowman. Patients in MediCinema hospitals will be able to watch along on bedside screens at the same time and will also receive specially designed activity packs.

• Talent including Tony Hale, animators and celebrities including Katie Piper, Danny Jones, Myleene Klass and Aston Merrygold will be unveiling their favourite Pixar moments over the last 25 years as part of ‘The Golden Lamp Awards’– with MediCinema nurses and volunteers shortlisting a special Moments that Matter category for fans to vote for their top Pixar moment.

• shopDisney’s Pixar Fest Party At Home packs, which include everything fans need to host their own Pixar party will also be up for grabs via weekly competitions.

• An online masterclass with a Pixar animator, hosted by film aficionado Mark Kermode, to teach fans how to draw Pixar characters and learn some of the secrets behind the animations, hosted on Disney’s social channels on 12 August.

• BAFTA Kids will put on a virtual animation masterclass on 15 August where children submitted their questions to discover everything that they need to know about how to become a top animator.

• Fans can also help to raise funds for MediCinema through Pixar Fest’s Charity Tuesdays to win money-can’t-buy Pixar prizes, including a drawing lesson with a Pixar artist and an exclusive piece of Pixar artwork through prize draws run by MediCinema.

As part of its ongoing worldwide commitment to provide comfort and inspiration through movie moments and help reduce isolation for seriously ill children in hospitals, Disney has pledged £750,000 to MediCinema to help reach more children by developing and building additional state of the art hospital cinemas in UK and Italy. Visits to these cinemas help improve wellbeing, and combat isolation and the anxiety of spending time on the wards.

Kat Mason, Chief Executive of MediCinema said: “In our 20th anniversary year and 20 years of working with Disney, we are incredibly happy to be the recipient of this donation that will help ensure our cinema services can impact so many more children and their families.

“ In addition, all money raised from the prize draws will help to make sure we can keep our current services running, which is more important now than ever for children and their families facing time spent in hospital."

Pixar fans can also look forward to a range of brand-new products from Mattel, Funko and Pandora. Also launching is a new range of merchandise honouring the heritage of Pixar at shopDisney, including a new line of Aliens products that feature the Toy Story favourites as different characters from Pixar movies.

Pixar Fest will run from 9 August - 6 September in support of charity MediCinema. For more information, visit Pixar’s Facebook page @PixarUK.

Following the celebration of Pixar Fest in the UK, the virtual festival will kick off in the U.S. on 5 September with another month-long celebration of all things Pixar. The U.S. festival line-up will feature Disney and Pixar’s Onward, Inside Out, The Incredibles, Toy Story and Up. The festivities will also include new product launches, giveaways, Pixar-inspired recipes and other digital activations.