Disney and Pixar have kicked the door down on a unique film genre that's both original and meta with Lightyear. As a movie set in the world of Toy Story, Lightyear is the film that inspired the toyline Andy got. That same film changed his interest from cowboys and westerns to space battles and adventure. But with Lightyear acting as Pixar's first official space epic, there's no reason the meta franchise should stop at one. In fact, now is a great time to touch on Andy's other best friend, Woody, in his own exciting Pixar western.
Lightyear acted as an origin story for Buzz Lightyear, where a young and daring member of Star Command got stranded in the future with his only way of getting home opposed by the evil Emperor Zurg. Since the film's characters weren't limited by being toys, it's allowed for even more action, peril and exciting moments revolving around the titular hero. But by nailing the landing on space films, especially after an entry like Wall-E, westerns are another genre that Pixar could inject life into, just like how The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett brought the genre to Star Wars.
In the Toy Story universe, Woody got based on an old TV show titled Woody's Round-Up, which starred Woody, Jessie, Bullseye and Prospector Pete. Throughout the series, Woody would protect his town as the sheriff and become caught up in a host of dangerous situations, including stopping bank robbers and saving damsels tied to railroad tracks. And like Lightyear, a Woody film could bring all of this back with a modern twist.
Narratively speaking, Woody would be a great origin film as well. At first glance, Woody never had a hugely commanding presence, leading many to assume he had to have earned that over time. Therefore, his movie could start with him as a hesitant deputy who wanted nothing more than to be a hero to the town and protect them from threats like someone poisoning the watering hole. But, by the film's end, he'd find his inner strength, earning his sheriff's badge.
Unlike Lightyear, which had little to know expansion about the lore or why Andy was obsessed with the character, Woody's story as an iconic brand got told in Toy Story 2. Because of this, the film would have an even stronger foundation as fans would already be aware of the tone and cast of characters. In the end, all that would be necessary is a touch of detailed animation to bring everything from Woody's story to life in a way that's both striking and nostalgic.
Lightyear shouldn't start a craze of unique spin-offs set in the worlds of Pixar's films. But that shouldn't mean that Woody should also never get a shot at the silver screen. Like Buzz, he's a character with a rich history and characters that would undoubtedly be just as beloved now as they were when they first appeared in Toy Story 2. Woody deserves a shot at the silver screen, as he has the chance to breathe life back into the western genre.
To see Buzz's origin story, Lightyear blasts into theaters on June 17.