Moonfighter (film) (Johnsonverse)

Moonfighter is a 2022 American computer-animated science fiction action-adventure film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and distributed by Buena Vista Pictures Distribution. The film was directed by Angus MacLane, written by Tim Johnson, and produced by Johnson and Galyn Susman, and stars Chris Evans, Keke Palmer, Dale Soules, Taika Waititi, Peter Sohn, Uzo Aduba, James Brolin, Mary McDonald-Lewis, Efren Ramirez, and Isiah Whitlock Jr.
Moonfighter tells the story of astronaut Phoenix Moonfighter, who, after being marooned in space with his commander and crew, tries to find a way back home while confronting a threat known only as Leviathan. After finishing work on Finding Dory (2016), MacLane, a science fiction fan, pitched the idea of making a film about Buzz Lightyear at Pixar, with the Buzz Lightyear idea being dropped in favor of an entirely original story. To evoke the science fiction films he grew up watching, the animators wanted to give the film a "cinematic" and "chunky" look. Michael Giacchino composed the film's score.
Moonfighter premiered at the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles on June 8, 2022, and was theatrically released in the United States on June 17 in RealD 3D, 4DX, Dolby Cinema, and IMAX formats. It is the first Pixar film to be filmed in IMAX. The film grossed $450 million worldwide against a $200 million production budget, and received generally positive reviews. Critics praised the film's animation, story, voice acting, and entertainment value.
==Plot==
==Voice cast==
* Chris Evans as Phoenix Moonfighter, a young test pilot and UIP fighter.
* Keke Palmer as Izzy Hawthorne, Alisha's granddaughter, whom Phoenix meets.
** Keira Hairston as a young version of Izzy.
* Peter Sohn as Sox, a robotic cat that is Phoenix's companion.
** Sohn also voices an older, worn-out version of Sox used by Leviathan.
* Taika Waititi as Mo Morrison, a fresh, naïve recruit in the colonial defense forces
* Dale Soules as Darby Steel, an elderly paroled convict who has been conscripted into the colonial defense forces.
* James Brolin as Leviathan, a nihilistic former colleague and childhood friend of Phoenix's. His real name is Link Benedict.
* Uzo Aduba as Alisha Hawthorne, Phoenix's best friend and commanding officer, who is one of Izzy's grandmothers.
* Mary McDonald-Lewis as I.V.A.N., a voice-activated virtual assistant.
* Isiah Whitlock Jr. as Commander Cal Burnside, the officer who succeeds Alisha Hawthorne.
* Angus MacLane as ERIC, DERIC, and the Zyclops.
* Bill Hader as Featheringhamstan / The Rookie, a new recruit partnered with Phoenix and Alisha.
* Efren Ramirez as Airman Diaz, an acquaintance of Phoenix.
Additionally, Tim Peake appears in an uncredited cameo as a worker at the mission control center.
==Production==
===Development===
Development on Moonfighter started after finishing work on Finding Dory (2016). After co-directing Finding Dory with Andrew Stanton, Angus MacLane was allowed to pitch the idea of making a science fiction film, with an idea for it being an origin story for Buzz Lightyear being shot down. MacLane, a science fiction fan, felt that the film's story was very "personal" for him, whose favorite movie since childhood had been Star Wars (1977). In December 2020 at a Disney Investor Day meeting, Moonfighter was announced.
===Casting===
===Animation===
As
==Music==
==Marketing==
=== Video game ===
A video game based on the film developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Disney Interactive was released on the same day as the film, using a 16-bit style inspired by video games of the mid 1990s.
==Release==
==Reception==
===Box office===
===Critical response===
Category:Johnsonverse