Lightyear is set to premiere in theaters in two days, but the creative team behind bringing the next ambitious Pixar animated film to life on the big screens is already being asked about a potential sequel.
After all, if this movie is set in a new timeline and features a brand new narrative, what’s there to stop the studio from coming up with another outing, especially if the first one turns out a box office success?
Producer Galyn Susman and director Angus MacLane were asked the same question in a new chat with Murphy’s Universe. Here’s what the former had to say about the prospects of a sequel.
“‘I would think that we could tell a second movie from all the ideas we rejected from the first movie, but that’s usually the case with our movies,’ Susman said. ‘Um, maybe? How’s that for a very definitive answer? We’re really sort of just finishing this up and launching this baby and we’re so excited to see this film out in theaters and see how people respond. And then I think we’re both going to go home and sleep for a couple weeks. We’ll think about it then.’”
After that well-earned rest, MacLane thinks that a follow-up is certainly a possibility that they’ll entertain.
“‘The movie was designed to be a snapshot in a moment in time. It’s not the first adventure of Buzz Lightyear and it’s not the last,’ he continued. ‘I wanted to do something where we weren’t beholden to a timeline that was necessary to do all things. Because what I found as an older fan, explaining everything is not satisfying. Actually, leaving some stuff for the audience to fill in is really a way to involve them and is an engagement with the fans in a way that allows them to make their own choices. So that’s part of it, is a need to be a snapshot. So it could go on, we’ll see.’”
For now, we’ll have to content ourselves with the first chapter in this new story. Lightyear is coming out on July 17.
