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Is ‘Lightyear’ Suffering from Tim Allen, Same-Sex Kiss Controversies?

'Toy Story' spinoff gets 'soft' opening as movie theaters roar back to life

The summer box office is performing as if a global pandemic never happened.

Witness (all figures U.S. box office via Box Office Mojo):

Yet Disney’s “Lightyear,” the high-profile spinoff from Pixar’s “Toy Story” franchise, opened to a “soft” $5.2 million Thursday night. That’s the take from Scott Mendelson, a progressive film scribe at Forbes.com.

Lightyear | Official Trailer 2

For context, “Toy Story 4” generated a whopping $12 million in 2019 from its Thursday preview screenings.

Based on the opening figures, Pixar’s “Lightyear” could earn $52 million, according to Mendelson. It’s a far cry from earlier estimates, and a number he says would be lower than “most non-event Pixar ‘originals.'”

What happened? Let’s start with two self-inflicted controversies.

RELATED: Unwoke Disney Employees Have Had Enough 

First, Team Disney cut ties with “Toy Story” voice artist Tim Allen, who memorably played Buzz Lightyear in four installments. “Avengers” mainstay Chris Evans, a prominent progressive, got the call instead.

The move seemed odd given Allen’s connection to the saga and outstanding performances. Observers quickly noted Allen’s conservative bona fides may have hurt his chances at a new “Lightyear” production.

In Disney’s defense, the studio is re-teaming with Allen for an upcoming “Santa Clause” series.

The change still made little sense and generated ill will on social media, coming at a time when many Americans are furious with Disney’s progressive agenda.

Next, the film’s creative team not only made the movie’s one romantic relationship a same-sex union but included a lesbian Space Ranger named Hawthorne (Uzo Aduba) kissing her long-time partner.

That gender-based buss, which comes early in the film, outraged some parents who prefer family-friendly content avoid culture war skirmishes. Talk of an audience boycott over the sequence greeted the film’s release. Outside the U.S. a dozen Muslim nations already banned “Lightyear” from showing in local theaters.

Evans didn’t take the diplomatic route over the kerfuffle, saying the film’s critics will “die off like dinosaurs.”

It’s hardly the first film to endure social media-fueled outrage, from the Left or Right. Typically these digital dustups don’t damage the box office totals. That’s especially true for bulletproof franchises like the MCU and, up until now, Pixar.

Did something change? 

Disney is having a horrible, no good year from a cultural perspective. Progressives raged against the company for not immediately protesting Florida’s falsely named “Don’t Say Gay” legislation. Conservatives, in turn, howled over news that Disney will be actively using its content for propaganda purposes.

Is this a rare case of Twitter actually being like real life?

RELATED: Kevin Sorbo: Walt Disney Is Spinning in His Grave

It’s very early “Lightyear’s” release cycle. Word of mouth may still ride to the rescue, although early reviews are far from glowing by Pixar standards. The film should have the kiddie market to itself, at least for now (both “Bad Guys” and “The Bob’s Burgers Movie,” already in theaters, pose no economic threat at this point).

Should “Lightyear” underperform, though, Hollywood may realize stirring controversies can impact the bottom line. 

UPDATE: Two days ago, Variety predicted “Lightyear” would earn between $70-80 million on its opening weekend, far below what “Toy Story 4” earned in its debut frame ($120 million).

Now, Deadline.com says the film is tracking for a $55+ million haul.

54 Comments

  1. Yes, that is exactly why it’s an extremely soft open. My kids won’t be seeing Lightyear, specifically because of the Hollywood woke agenda. And they’ve seen most of Pixar’s other movies. Disney’s loss, unnecessarily preventing plenty of kids from having what otherwise might have been a good night out. Take heed before virtue signaling unnecessarily Disney. It won’t end well for you.

      1. I can tell you where the world is heading with this agenda. It is heading into a society where everyone can be who they want to be, a society where they each accept and support one another, and everyone feels free to be themselves without everyone telling them they are wrong. This movie showed a world where this is normal, because it is normal and there is nothing wrong with being gay or lesbian. Unfortunately, people like you have made this world impossible because of your unwillingness to change, even if it’s for the better.

        1. Inclusion is fine sure. I worked for the company myself, but they’re so full.of themselves, they’re NOT here to uphold rights of specific groups. That is NOT Disney’s tradition either. They are infusing a political agenda there. They are hurting themselves to make things so blatant. It is NOT normal to many of society still. Hard truth. Like the bartender Larry King voiced in Shrek 2

        2. Ha ha ha ha ha oh my god if you think the world will actually be anything like that if we keep traveling down this path you’re nuts! Go visit San Francisco sometime and see where these policies lead, Charlie!

        3. The problem is it is NOT normal by any definition. Look at any scientifically honest study and the LGBQT community is no more than 3 % of the population and almost half of that is people who claim to be bisexual. Normal means you see it every day in real life. No matter how many letters you add it does not change the fact that it is not normal. Thus the large percentage of people who just don’t care to be force fed this behavior in EVERY TV show and movie, will be reacting with our business just going elsewhere.

        4. Why do I have to have a conversation with my child about a girl kissing another girl when we are going to a movie to enjoy ourselves. You can not force people to drink what you’re serving and expect it to go down easily.

          1. Exactly thank you for this! Leave the kids out of all this BS. There doesn’t need to be any sexualization or sexuality in kids movies.

          2. Yeah but I bet you wouldn’t care if it was some random ass prince kissing a sleeping princess in her sleep. Cause that’s completely normal and safe. Good parenting

        5. How stupid to open a movie with this message on Father’s Day. And you wonder why today’s kids are the target of your agenda to confuse kids that you don’t need a male father figure!!!

        6. Yeah, except there is such a thing as reality. Men cant get pregnant. If I say I am a toaster, I am still not a toaster. Its fine to accept other people. Its quite another to force your morals on other people, especially on other people’s children. Where we are going is suicide for children spiking. Kids learning less and less in school. There is nothing wrong with queer couples. However, kids are better off just seeing very simple, easy to understand male and female role models. Its best not to risk sexualizing them, or exposing them to things that make them uncomfortable. Their minds are like sponges, and we need to be careful what we let in. In fact, Hollywood has gone so woke, they rarely even represent the average family. Its like they try to show anything except that.

        7. You do realize that liberals are possible the most closed minded, anti free speech and free thought people out there, right? Liberals would never allow anyone to be who they want, unless they think exactly as prescribed by liberals. For example; Someone who believes that if you work hard, and get ahead, you should be allowed to keep what you made rather then be forced to hand it over to the government is pretty much not allowed to exist. Someone who believes that children should be allowed to be children and not sexualized for the benefit of the LGBT community isnt allowed to exist. Someone who believes that all races should be treated equally, and no one has any privilege simply because of their appearance isnt allowed to exist. Even someone who believes our border should be closed, so that at least if our government insists on giving hand outs at our expense, its not to the entire world isnt allowed to exist….and so much more.

    1. Here here my siblings don’t want to watch that movie, even they know what’s wrong and what’s right

    2. Can I ask you, in all Ernest, if it were a heterosexual kiss in the movie, would you have had this same level of outrage? Or is it just because it is a same sex kiss?

      1. Its not the same. But the point is did you see a heterosexual kiss? I didn’t. So the movie is telling kids that a gay family is more normal then a traditional one. Maybe if it was a movie with lots of kissing, it wouldn’t stand out. As it is, I dont think I want to discuss sexual attraction to the same gender with my kids at all. I want to go enjoy a movie. The characters look boring and creepy anyhow. Its like Star Command is made up of the people who you avoid on twitter.

    3. They won’t miss anything. I sadly took my nephew to see it. he wanted to leave after 30 minutes.

  2. Loved the Toy Story movies, took my daughter to the theater for Toy Story 4. We won’t be seeing Lightyear tho, he looks different, sounds funny, and the lesbian kiss is a no fly zone for this dad’s 6 yo kiddo.

  3. I hope this movie dies! It is unnecessary to have things like this, a woke agenda shown to kids. Walt Disney would so disappointed with his company. I hope Disney, crashes from its mistakes because the left completely brainwashed this company.

  4. Lost four tickets here. I don’t think sexuality has any place in a kid’s movie. Plain and simple. However this will be spun that it “lost” to Jurassic or that they didn’t market like a Pixar movie. The simple truth is that most Americans don’t want their kids shows to focus on sexuality.

  5. Since children rarely have money to burn on movie tickets, Mom and Dad (and Gramma and Grampa) are the ones paying for this.. HENCE(!) crash and burn. Parents and guardians are fed up with this sexual grooming going on from Disney and the insane leftists in general. Stop the crazy indoctrination of children, Groomers. America (and the world) has HAD it.

    Disney needs to re-learn the lessons of it’s founder.

    1. If kids had a choice they wouldn’t go see it either. There were a lot of kids wanting to live after 30 minutes. Read the IMDB reviews of it. Very humorous.

  6. Tim Allen should be Buzz ! We will not pay for woke agenda. Disney/Pixar can do what they want , but so will we.

  7. Am I the only one actually looking forward to seeing this movie? Claims of grooming children and the “woke agenda” are complete nonsense! How is it that the intimate kiss in Tarzan and the non consensual kisses in sleeping beauty and Snow White are ok But one same sex peck is deemed sexual and inappropriate for children? This representation could help queer people young and old alike know that they are valid.

    1. But they are not valid.
      It is inappropriate for children to discuss sexuality. A “G ” rating means the film is acceptable for ALL audiences. Regardless of your political “agenda”, including the proposed normalization of deviant social behavior means it is NOT acceptable for everyone. First, it’s a mental disorder, and not their fault. Not everybody is buying that. Then, it’s genetic, and contributing to mental disorder. Again, not everyone is on board. Let’s see, how do we get others to support our deviant lifestyle and stop saying things that give us hurt feelings? I know, let’s finally admit that it is a personal lifestyle choice, and use social media to condemn anybody that disagrees. The only thing about this movie that reminds you of Toy Story, is the opening line that infers Andy actually liked this movie. Not in 1995. That would mean the movie was made before Toy Story. They didn’t just add a “same-sex” kiss. They also added the time travel twist. It all came together to make Buzz Lightyear weak, and the villain of his own story. Leaving the grand-daughter of an african american lesbian, to be the hero of the story. So, white guys are morally corrupt / minorities, criminals, foreigners should team up to show the white male leaders what they are doing wrong. / gays matter / women strong / minorities matter / men weak / Heroes need help from those they are to champion. / robot cats are funny. The point being: Buzz Lightyear should be the hero of his own movie. He is not.

    2. Well what about those who are not queers, we must think of the kids and one thing for sure that small peck can send a big message. I don’t wanna walk in my kid’s room and see rainbows and butterflies and some gay singer on her wall.

      So a good day to all of you smart parents.

    3. Same sex kisses are not OK. Gay is not OK. Many of us still consider homosexuality immoral. All your “pride” garbage and bullying won’t change that!

    4. Your right, I take big issue with any kissing in movies. You wouldn’t sit and gawk at a couple right in front of you kissing yet we watch it in movies. I have my kids cover their eyes. Or avoid the movie all together. Especially since most Disney and kids movies promote disobedience to parents with “the means justifies the end” results.

    5. Sleeping Beauty is a story from before people went nuts with woeness. Back then, the idea of rising a sleeping woman without permission when it literally saved her life would have been considered a positive, because back then people still had common sense. No one fell like they needed a signed permission to touch someone. Also, the fact is the majority of mammals on earth( not just humans either) are heterosexual. And while liberals are so dense, they mistake dominance displays for sexuality, no mammals outside humans ever have sex with a same gender creature. This is because a male and a female procreate naturally as this is what creates other life. Comparing the two is absurd. Im dine with people doing whatever makes them happy, but there is no reason to teach young children and try to influence them. Its not good for kids. Inclusivity is simply not as important as children well being.

  8. Was going to go to this movie, but my wife told me about the kiss, so I decided against going and paying for this crap.

  9. Basically every movie has kissing scenes, and just because it involves two characters of the same gender doesn’t make it more sexual at all. Kids need to learn about this stuff because, like it or not, this is a part of our lives now and it’s not going away anytime soon. The LGBTQ+ society encourages people to accept people for who they are, and in more ways than just who they love, people also express themselves in personality and hobbies more than ever before. Also, keep in mind that there was also a time when people would react this same way to a movie showing a woman or a black character a certain way. Just because it’s new and different doesn’t mean it’s wrong, and I know many people in the LGBTQ+ society who are very smart and amazing, and there’s nothing wrong with them just because they have a new part of their identity. I love that Disney is finally taking this leap to include more diversity in sexuality, and it shows kids that they can be whoever they want to be and express themselves however they want. The new generations are so much more accepting and loving because of this, and the community on social media is so much more exciting because people have grown more confidence in who they are. I speak as a straight woman, but I am forever an ally to every member of the LGBTQ+ community who put themselves out there even when people like you feel this way about them. It’s a very brave thing to to and to open yourselves to, and you all would benefit from considering changing and seeing things from someone’s else’s point of view.

    1. Diversity in sexuality is not normal and is immoral. I’m tired of having deviancy shoved in my face 24/7! LGBT bullies have nothing to be proud of and contribute nothing positive to society! Brave? Brave is Christians standing up against the constant hate from the intolerant gay community

      1. There is nothing brave about hating people who just want to be loved and accepted for who they are. You are not getting constant hate from the LGBTQ+ community, you are only occasionally getting shamed because you are telling people that they are unnatural and mentally ill when they have done nothing wrong. I know you’ll never understand, but don’t teach your kids that this is wrong. The most toxic thing you are exposing them to is your own bad attitude towards innocent people

        1. And also, don’t assume that you can use the excuse of being Christian to defend yourself. I’m Christian to, and one of my friends, a lesbian, is one of the most loyal Christians I know, and her religion has nothing to do with her sexuality. Europeans in 1636 murdered and tortured innocent native Americans because they thought God told them to. Christians aren’t always right, and god has given you no reason to hate anyone who loves someone the same gender as them.

          1. If you are a true Christian then preach the gospel to those who you say you love. Acceptance is not love… you are condemning them not loving them.

            If salvation comes through Christ… and you tell someone that sin is ok and you will go to heaven and not confront them in love to change their ways then your not loving them.

            We are all sinners but we shouldn’t be proud of our sin. We should be ashamed and come to God for forgiveness.

            If you are a Christian then love your friend and bring her to Christ in love.

            A True Christian doesn’t Hate anyone… and not accepting homosexuality is not equal to Hate…. On the contrary… we are fighting for their soul and eternal salvation.

            I’m sorry but if you are a Christian you need to review your believe and come back to the Word…

            “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”
            ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭6:9-11‬ ‭ESV‬‬

        2. No one is talking about hating anyone. Not allowing someone to sexualize kids and indoctrinate them into hedonistic behavior is not a sign of hate. How does it harm queer people by not allowing them to influence children? I agree. Liberals are the most closed minded, and the most hate filled people I can think of. Its either think exactly like them, or you will be attacked. Well, we are all fighting back. How did it go from “We just want to be accepted” to “We demand access to your children”?

    2. LGBTQ+ isn’t NEW to the world. It has always been here! We all should not have a problem with individual choice. Being that said this movie is being used as a political agenda, Disney/ Pixar choose to included the same-sex scene and distributed it to the masses. Now it is our turn to respond in kind. If you support the LGBTQ+ community then go see it, if you do not then do the opposite. For many the choice is clear for others not so much but for certain one thing is, if we evolve to endorse this view of normalizing LGBTQ+ we devolve the importance of where we come from or how individually we come to be. We should be trying to protect our children from adult views and let them grow into free thinking individuals. They need to know that choices have consequences but let’s make sure they enjoy their childhood all the while not subject them to such extremist political agendas.

  10. 40+ tickets lost from this family.
    Don’t need my kids getting groomed by Disneys political woke agenda’s.
    No thank you.
    Will be cutting Disney+ And further Disney movies if they can’t get over their child grooming crave!!

  11. And also, don’t assume that you can use the excuse of being Christian to defend yourself. I’m Christian to, and one of my friends, a lesbian, is one of the most loyal Christians I know, and her religion has nothing to do with her sexuality. Europeans in 1636 murdered and tortured innocent native Americans because they thought God told them to. Christians aren’t always right, and god has given you no reason to hate anyone who loves someone the same gender as them.

  12. I’m a liberal but I do not agree with this LGBTQ rainbow Woke agenda trying to change my opinion of morality. The liberal mistake was to become “tolerant” of deviant behavior which emboldened that group to try and bully the rest of us into agreeing that their lifestyle is ok! That’s where I draw the line because I will never say it’s ok. So now the irony is I’m the one “in the closet” with my opinion because if I voice opposition to this deviant lifestyle publicly or even at work my life would probably be ruined!

  13. In Snow White, Snow White was 14 and was kissed by a 31 year old prince while she was unconscious. Now try telling me some side romance of a lesbian couple is supposedly sexualizing children more than that. In addition, Stephanie Beatriz, the voice actor for Mirabel in Encanto is bisexual, and Mirabel wears a bisexual flag on her dress the entire movie. Yes, things are changing, but we need to embrace them and make the world a better place.

    1. You don’t think it’s overkill that companies like Disney and Netflix are trying to force these ideals into almost everything they make? It’s not “normalizing” anything. It’s Rainbow capitalism. The incessant pandering is actually working against the cause. The woke left does not want equality; they want to dominate through canceling, violent mobs, and bullying. The woke left has become exactly what they claim to be fighting against. Many people of all backgrounds, genders, political affiliation, and race are tired of being exploited by Hollywood. It’s now become the norm that the production companies have a queer, minority, and white devil checklist before any media can be released. It’s not inclusive or progressive; it’s highly offensive and many people are sick of it.

  14. Not falling for it Disney. Just lost 4 ticket sales. Stay in your lane and go back to your roots not what you think is on “trend” I don’t need you brainwashing my kids.

  15. What’s truly hilarious is that if Andy saw this movie in 1995 as stated in the opening text, a same sex kiss would never have been okay to include in a big budget, mainstream studio film. Ellen DeGeneres hadn’t even come out yet. Maybe tests why it was cut in the first place and should’ve stayed cut.

  16. I am heterosexual, married and with kids. The reasoning that kids exposed to a same sex kiss is going to turn him or her gay is a stupid and blatantly hypocritical way to excuse personal hate and ignorance towards other individuals. Bugs bunny in drag kissing his hunter on the lips on multiple episodes, not a peep. Sponge Bob in drag on multiple episodes kissing Mr crab….not a peep. Pepe Lepew ( a sexual pervert by the way ) chasing, harassing and pushing himself to kiss a stray cat…not a peep. Hundreds of TV shows, cartoons and movies that millions of children watch every day have not been an issue with drag or kissing until now, simply because it has been politized .
    Disney is on the right track and time will show it, I have no doubt .

    1. Well, according to the $188 billion dollar loss in their latest earnings report, I would have to respectfully disagree.

    2. Well, according to the $188 billion dollar loss in their latest earnings report, I would have to respectfully disagree.

    3. No one is saying its going to turn someone gay. Although its very obvious that societal pressure and peer pressure does have a role in people choosing to be gay or straight. Otherwise the kids of just about every Hollywood actor wouldn’t be queer. Same with kids of academia. And there is nothing hateful about not wanting kids exposed to something. Im getting very tired of this idea that either you need to expose your kids to gay lifestyle, or you hate them. I dont hate people who practice S&M. But I wouldn’t expose my kids to that either. I dont hate military snipers. But I wouldn’t expose my kid to that either. Bugs bunny in drag was 100% fine. It was pointing out the obvious; That a male dressed as a female is funny, and not normal. Thats probably why it didn’t bother anyone. same with a male chasing around females. Its natural, and didn’t bother anyone. Now we have come to a point where we want to make normal things obsolete, and deviant things wholesome? Not happening. Maybe 10 years ago, I would have agreed with you. But now we are all seeing where this is going, and how much worse society has become, and how much more unhappy and unhealthy kids have become in such a short period of time. N o one is telling you how to raise your kids. get them a lap dance from a gay pro if you want. But leave other people’s kids alone.

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