We Just Might Get a "Lightyear" Sequel, Y'all

Pixar's highly anticipated "Lightyear" explores the story of the man who inspired the Buzz Lightyear toy in the Toy Story film franchise. The film is a spinoff of the beloved movie franchise and centers around astronaut Buzz Lightyear (Chris Evans) as he embarks on a mission through space along with his partner Alisha Hawthorne (Uzo Aduba). When the pair, along with a space crew, crash onto a mystery planet, Buzz must do everything he can to get everyone back home while also fighting off the evil alien Emperor Zurg. While "Lightyear" has not hit theaters yet, the film is already generating plenty of buzz about the possibility of a sequel. Ahead of its theatrical release on June 17, here's what we know about a "Lightyear" sequel. Will There Be a "Lightyear" Sequel? Currently, there are no plans for a sequel to the Toy Story spinoff. The possibility of a sequel strongly depends on how well the film performs at the box office and how well it fares among audiences. Box Office Pro predicts that, given the film's release on Father's Day weekend, as well as the original hype it generated on social media, "Lightyear" will likely surpass $72 million just in its debut weekend. So far, the film is doing well among critics as well, currently holding an 81 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. As for any official word on a sequel from Pixar or anyone connected to the film, "Lightyear" director Angus MacLane did entertain the idea in an interview with Screen Rant. "To me, I look at it as what I liked about Star Wars is that it always allowed for the expansion of what the world could be. I think that that open endedness is often what's most exciting, it's when you start closing those doors and connecting those things that it becomes less compelling," he shared. Regarding Buzz's story and the likelihood of expanding his storyline, the director explained: "So our focus right now is honestly finishing this movie, but it's meant to be this like island of a narrative that is very much we don't start when Buzz is born. It was very much this thing that you'd imagined stuff before and afterwards, I think connecting it is risky, but you know, who knows?" Judging by MacLane's openness to exploring Buzz's story, there seems to be a possibility that a sequel could happen down the line. It depends on whether audiences are receptive to the film after its release. Catch "Lightyear" in theaters on June 17, and watch the trailer below in the meantime!