Movies

Fans Are Still Angry Disney Is Trying to Erase This 25-Year-Old Animated Series

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Initially appearing on screen in 1995 as Woody’s companion in Toy Story, Buzz Lightyear has since seen a significant expansion of his character. To this day, he continues to be highly regarded within the realm of animation. In 2022, Pixar decided to delve deeper into Buzz’s origins and explore more about the true backstory behind the toy.

This film was a fair hit, but viewers found themselves recalling a familiar tale. The animated show Buzz Lightyear of Star Command, which debuted in 2000, also explored Buzz’s true backstory. However, fans assert that this series has vanished from the archives and suspect that Disney is attempting to diminish its influence.

Buzz Lightyear of Star Command Has Been Scrubbed From Streaming Services

Following the massive success of Toy Story 1 in 1999, Disney was eager to keep reaping profits from this profitable endeavor. Consequently, they released a minor spin-off film titled Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins in August 2000. This film presented the authentic tale of the toy, detailing his journey to Earth and depicting his life as a Space Ranger. Unsurprisingly, children were captivated by this direct-to-movie sequel and appreciated seeing Buzz in a more advanced space setting. In an attempt to cash in on its success once more, Disney developed a spin-off series called Buzz Lightyear of Star Command. This series bore a resemblance to the film, focusing on the protagonist and his companions as they strove for intergalactic peace while battling the malevolent Emperor Zurg. Overall, this spin-off was quite well-executed. Despite using traditional 2D animation, the style felt innovative, and the characters were developed to a satisfactory level.

Just like many other productions, the show “Buzz Lightyear of Star Command” was discontinued after a single season. Despite its initial excitement, it seemed Pixar had minimal involvement in the series, leading to a lack of the charm that made the first two films so beloved. Whether or not it was popular in the 2000s isn’t the main concern. Instead, what bothers fans is its absence – it’s nowhere to be found, whether on streaming platforms like Disney+ or even in DVD and VHS formats. This is puzzling given that physical copies of the Toy Story movies are still available for purchase, as well as many original action figures being sold in toy stores. After debating this extensively on social media, fans suspect that Disney might be distancing itself from this spin-off series to focus on promoting its latest spin-off, Lightyear.

In much the same vein as “Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins,” our protagonist finds himself stranded on an unfriendly planet as a space ranger. With his freshly assembled team, he embarks on a mission to return to his native world while eluding the vengeance of Zurg. Despite boasting stunning visuals in “Lightyear,” it appears that this wasn’t enough to captivate audiences. Regrettably, despite an initial investment of $200 million, the film only managed to gross $226.4 million at the box office, marking a significant financial disappointment.

Fans presume that Disney is erasing traces of the 2000s spin-off series for a strategic reason, making Lightyear appear as the definitive origin story to newer audiences. It’s not seen as a conspiracy theory, but rather a calculated move in Disney’s marketing strategy, given the prominence of Disney+ in their current business model. However, fans find it puzzling that such a popular series is being overlooked despite its success.

Disney Also Had Grave Issues With Merchandise Sales

One issue with the Buzz Lightyear of Star Command series is that it failed to generate significant revenue in the merchandising market compared to its counterpart, the original Toy Story. Initially, retailers showed little interest in Buzz and Woody from this spin-off series. However, once the initial film was released, stores were eager to stock them. This led to high sales of related toys, boosting Disney and Pixar’s earnings at the box office. Unfortunately, the Buzz Lightyear of Star Command video games for platforms like the GBA and Dreamcast also experienced a decline in popularity when newer consoles emerged. Consequently, while some merchandise was produced for the series, it didn’t resonate strongly with children. Instead, they preferred toys based on the actual Toy Story films because they could more easily recreate scenes from those movies. However, Disney had to split the profits from these toys with Pixar, which somewhat diminished the financial appeal of the deal.

It’s no surprise to picture that, much like how fans might envision it, the movie Lightyear faced a similar predicament. Prior to its premiere, Mattel was swift in their action, offering a vast array of action figures, playsets, and vehicles. However, kids saw these toys as robots rather than connecting them with the entire Lightyear narrative. Consequently, it’s understandable why Disney might have aimed to divert viewers’ focus away from Buzz Lightyear of Star Command. Unfortunately for Disney, Lightyear underperformed at the box office, suggesting they may not have anticipated such significant financial losses from merchandising. In a way, this scenario is reminiscent of the spin-offs. Disney discovered, albeit strangely, that Buzz Lightyear wasn’t as popular beyond the Toy Story realm, but unfortunately made the same oversight with Lightyear.

Fans Believe That Buzz Lightyear of Star Command Is the Hero’s True Origin Story

At first glance, the notion that the film “Lightyear” is an outright duplication of “Buzz Lightyear of Star Command” might seem far-fetched. However, some fans propose that “Lightyear” was initially intended to be a distinct film altogether. Many viewers commented on the unique aesthetic and how it deviated from anything presented in the “Toy Story” series or its subsequent spin-offs. Additionally, it’s quite somber and struggles to capture the appeal and delight that Pixar is renowned for. Consequently, some fans speculate that “Lightyear” was originally planned as an entirely different sci-fi movie, but at the last moment, the team added a neon Buzz Lightyear element to it.

As a fervent admirer, I can’t help but believe that this theory sheds light on why the creators chose to heavily incorporate elements from “Buzz Lightyear of Star Command” into “Lightyear.” Without Buzz or Zurg, “Lightyear” might have been just another run-of-the-mill film. Amidst an era dominated by reboots and live-action productions, Pixar might have hesitated to launch a brand new franchise, particularly during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic. Interestingly, Disney produced a behind-the-scenes documentary about “Lightyear,” which delves into its evolution from a seedling idea to a full-fledged film. Strikingly, this documentary seems to deliberately avoid mentioning the impact of “Toy Story,” as if it’s intent on distancing the movie from its origins.

Lightyear IMDb ScoreLightyear RT Score
6.1/1074%

Following careful consideration of all the details presented, it becomes apparent that Buzz Lightyear of Star Command, rather than any other origin story, stands out as superior and more genuine. It’s hard to comprehend why Disney, given its platform hosts numerous spin-offs from the Toy Story universe, such as Toy Story of Terror and Toy Story Toons: Small Fry, has not revived this show. This suggests that the audience’s appetite for this type of content remains strong. Similarly, shows like TaleSpin and DuckTales from the ’90s are also available on the platform, demonstrating that viewers still crave older content. However, it seems that despite Disney’s focus on nostalgia, they seem to favor their latest box office disappointment over bringing back this beloved show.

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2025-05-17 23:21

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