Released last summer to fairly decent reviews but a poor box office performance, Lightyear has essentially fallen to the wayside for many people who saw it. The movie has by no means been completely forgotten, but it has not managed to gain the kind of traction Disney was hoping for upon its release. Even its availability on Disney+ in August 2022 didn’t boost its popularity following its theatrical release just two months prior. It clearly hasn’t reached the same heights as its Toy Story predecessors, nor does it seem likely such aspirations will ever be achieved on its own.
Warranted or not, there were a few criticisms surrounding Lightyear upon its release. It faced backlash for a same-sex kiss briefly shown during a montage featured in the movie, and the plot line itself was cited as being too complicated and contradictory to what was already known about the beloved character, Buzz Lightyear. Furthermore, rather than stick with the original Buzz, voiced by Tim Allen, Chris Evans took over the role for the new movie. Such criticisms ultimately led to its low performance at the box office. Despite the lackluster response to Lightyear, a Disney+ series focused on the feline robot Sox, voiced by Peter Sohn, would surely be received in a much more positive light.
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Sox Was the Best Part of Lightyear
Disney/Pixar
One universal takeaway from Lightyear was the admiration for Buzz’s robot feline sidekick, Sox. He instantly stole the show upon Buzz’s return from the initial failed attempt to achieve hyperspeed and managed to maintain viewer attention throughout the entirety of the movie. The feline robot was witty, smart, resourceful, and kind. After all, without Sox, Buzz would have never discovered the correct crystallic fusion formula needed to achieve hyperspeed. The story’s plot hinges on Sox himself.
It’s safe to say Sox was the best part of Lightyear and expanding his story with a series on Disney+ makes sense given how well-received the character’s debut was following the release of the movie. Audiences across the world instantly fell in love with the robot cat and for good reason. He was always on Buzz’s side no matter what and did his best to keep Buzz and the team moving forward throughout the movie. He was the glue holding it all together. His cat characteristics, like chasing the infamous red dot, coupled with his comedic timing made for a funny and entertaining movie that otherwise might have felt too drab. Without Sox, Lightyear would have easily been forgotten. His presence is why the movie is still relevant at all.
There’s A Lot of Storytelling Opportunities With Sox
Audiences will recall that Sox spent the majority of his time on the planet without Buzz. While Buzz was busy trying to achieve hyperspeed, multiple years would pass by for Sox and the others when only a few minutes would pass for Buzz. It’s worth exploring what Sox was up to during that time via his own series. Although, the series could also pick up where the movie left off and be just as entertaining. Buzz and his fellow Space Rangers, including Sox, begin to explore space, and diving deeper into their adventures through the eyes of Sox would delightful.
Needless to say, the opportunities for a Sox spinoff are endless and would draw audiences back to a universe they might not otherwise revisit. Furthermore, maybe a Sox series would boost the lifespan of Lightyear in the years following its release. Either way, given the landscape provided by Lightyear, a Sox series could explore multiple avenues with ease without running into the same kind of controversy and criticism of the original prequel.
It Would Be Smart Business for Disney
The merchandise opportunities for Disney following a spinoff series focused on Sox would be abundant. If the company knows how to do anything, it knows how to capitalize on merchandise of beloved characters, and Sox is probably one of the best characters Disney has made in recent years. It would be smart business for Disney to continue the love and admiration for Sox without having to rely on Lightyear when it hasn’t gained the same kind of traction other Toy Story movies have. Disney could make a killing on Sox merchandise via a spinoff series and should capitalize on such an endeavor.
Furthermore, such a move isn’t unprecedented for Disney when it comes to beloved pet-like characters. Dug from Up has his own series on Disney+ called Dug Days, which has been met with overwhelming positivity despite its short list of episodes. Expanding on the character of Sox would surely garner the same type of response if not a greater one.
While there’s no word on whether Sox will ever receive his own spinoff, viewers can currently watch him in Lightyear, which is now streaming on Disney+.
