Video Credit: CNN

FILE – Character Buzz Lightyear stands near the entrance to the Aliens Swirling Saucers ride at Toy Story Land in Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., June 23, 2018. (AP Photo/John Raoux, File)

In “Lightyear,” actor Chris Evans fills the considerable shoes of actor Tim Allen, who provided the voice of beloved ‘toon Buzz Lightyear in the four “Toy Story” features.

“Lightyear” tells Buzz’s origin story, before he met up with Woody and the gang in the “Toy Story” adventures.

At first, taking on the role was daunting, even for Captain America.

“You know, you’re a little nervous at first because, you know, you’ve got big shoes to fill,” Evans explained at the “Lightyear” premiere Wednesday (9 June 2022) in Hollywood.

“I don’t know Tim. I’ve never met him. I just said we share a birthday, which feels a little kismet. But you trust Pixar. You trust that they know what they’re doing. They protect their properties with, you know, a lot of honesty and integrity. So, you trust that if there’s a story here worth telling, that they’ll do it right.”

“Lightyear” reveals a lot of intel about Buzz, including the story behind his catchphrase, “To infinity and beyond.”

Noted Evans’ co-star Uzo Aduba, “Yeah, to say it, the first time, I said this to everybody, I think I ruined that take because I said it, and I started jumping up and down because I could not believe that those words were leaving my mouth in seriousness to be in a movie somewhere. I genuinely could not believe it. It stopped my heart.”

Added actor Keke Palmer, “I mean, to say ‘To infinity and beyond,’ it has so many different meanings to me now, especially growing up in the industry, going from doing Disney Channel to now doing Disney and Pixar with ‘Lightyear’ — like, the sky is the limit. And then even that’s not the limit. It’s nostalgic and it’s just, it’s iconic. So, I’m so glad I get to see it in this movie.”

The film’s co-writer Jason Headley said working the phrase into the “Lightyear” script was a case of trial and error.

“We tried different things. There was a moment where we had a lot of people doing it and saying it and every actor who said it like needed a moment. It was really cool to like, see them go, ‘OK, hold on.’ And Uzo recorded herself. She’s like, ‘You mind if I film this?’ And so it was everybody. Everybody just was like, ‘Oh, I cannot believe I’m saying this.”

“Lightyear” premiers in the United States on Friday, June 17, 2022.