Actor Chris Evans is no stranger to taking on iconic movie roles, with his latest as legendary Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear in the new Pixar movie, Lightyear. However, the fan-favorite actor has another Disney role that he would love to play, though he is admittedly skeptical about his prospects.
At a press conference for Lightyear attended by CBR, Evans was asked what other Disney characters he would personally enjoy getting a chance to play. Though unsure if he was a good fit for the role, Evans professed a longtime affinity for the 1973 Disney animated movie Robin Hood. Starring Brian Bedford in the title role, the classic film reimagined the English folk hero and his supporting cast as anthropomorphized animals, with Robin himself as a charming fox, battling injustice under the tyrannical rule of Prince John.
“I don’t think I could pull it off, but I was always a really big fan of Robin Hood — the old animated Disney movie Robin Hood,” Evans admitted. “I just thought Robin Hood was so cool, you know? I think of all the animated characters in the Disney library, Robin Hood stands alone. I think he’s just smooth and charming and capable and, you know, I don’t have that cool British accent, but I’d love to give it a crack.”
Prior to taking on the role of Buzz Lightyear, Evans previously portrayed Captain America in an eight-year run for Disney and Marvel Studios in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Appearing as the Star-Spangled Avenger in ten films, including cameos in Thor: The Dark World, Spider-Man: Homecoming, and Captain Marvel, Evans has been a steady presence among Disney properties for the better part of the past decade. Prior to his casting as Lightyear, Evans reveals he was a huge fan of the Toy Story franchise ever since the first movie premiered in 1995 and how it changed and continues to influence the animation industry, relishing the opportunity to expand its mythos in Lightyear as the eponymous protagonist.
“I loved Buzz Lightyear. I loved Toy Story. When Toy Story came out, it kind of kicked the doors down in terms of a new approach to the medium,” Evans recalled. “So I was thrilled and excited to know that there was more to come. To that extent, I loved all the characters in Toy Story deeply.”
Directed and co-written by Angus MacLane, Lightyear is now in theaters everywhere.