Disney Reveals Buzz Lightyear Was Nearly Called Lunar Larry With Unseen Sketches
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It's been 25 whole years since we were introduced to Woody, Buzz and the rest of the clan - feeling old?
To celebrate the occasion, Disney has released unseen sketches of Buzz Lightyear and, much more shockingly, what could have been. In the form of a similar looking character called Lunar Larry - just isn't the same, is it?
The pencil drawings, and one colour design, show different appearances, including an 'LL' symbol on his suit and even a Johnny Bravo-esque hair-do. They then evolve and transform into the Buzz everyone knows and loves.
The collection of sketches have been released to mark the 25th anniversary of Disney and Pixar's Toy Story as well as celebrate the 20 years of support Disney has provided to the charity MediCinema.
Speaking about the artwork, 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."
Ever since Woody and Buzz landed in movie theatres in 1995 in the first fully computer-animated feature film, Pixar movies have become favourites of fans across the globe.
To date, there have been 23 full-length Pixar films and 21 shorts, collecting an amazing 37 Academy Awards with Disney Store's top-selling Pixar merchandise of all time including its Buzz Lightyear talking action figure.
As well as releasing the sketches, Disney has also announced the launch of a virtual family festival.
Pixar Fest will premiere on Sunday 9 August with an epic collection of Pixar movies on Disney+, weekly watchalongs, animator masterclasses, quizzes for movie buffs, arts and crafts for kids, and new product releases.
Tasia Filippatos, SVP Disney EMEA said: "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.
"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."
The perfect chance to revisit the adventures of Buzz - or Larry, if you prefer.
Featured Image Credit: Pixar
Topics: Disney, Entertainment, TV and Film, Pixar, Toy Story
