Lightyear movie age rating: Is the newest Toy Story film still for kids?

When Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story was first released in 1995, Astronaut Buzz Lightyear and Cowboy Woody became cinema’s most unlikely duo. While they might not have been the best of friends in the beginning, they quickly learned to respect one another, and over the course of 4 films. However, while their friendship may have been the driving force of the franchise, it was always Woody first, and Buzz second.

Buzz playing a proverbial second fiddle to Woody is no more, as with Lightyear, this franchise looks to dive into the origin of one of Star Commands’ very best. Lightyear is led by Chris Evans – not Tim Allen who voiced the toy version of Buzz Lightyear – voicing the fictional famous astronaut who would be the inspiration for the Buzz Lightyear toy the world has come to know.

The movie will take Buzz and his friends into the stars to take on aliens, robots, and the dreaded Emperor Zurg – who fans of this franchise should already know. This film is geared more toward the action genre, so the question remains: Is this franchise still for kids?

What is Lightyear’s MPAA rating?

Lightyear was officially given a PG rating for scenes of action/peril from the MPAA. When the first trailer was released, it was initially questioned if this movie would be the first Pixar film to receive the PG-13 rating.

Ultimately, the MPAA decided there was not enough “adult” material to go in that direction. However, with the “action/peril” sentiment given to it, it is safe to say this could be a more intense Pixar film when it comes to visuals. Pixar primarily stays away from the action genre as a whole with The Incredibles 1/2  being their only true dip into that realm.

Given the PG rating, it is safe to say that this movie should be okay for kids. The animation seems friendly enough for younger viewers, and Pixar has their signature “animal relief” character – this film includes a talking robotic cat – to hopefully ease some of the more tense moments on screen.