Fans of the Toy Story franchise were surprised when Lightyear was announced, which will be as meta as they come.

There are very few franchises in the entertainment industry that are universally beloved. Usually, if a franchise gets popular enough, it warrants so many sequels and spinoffs that ultimately, the franchise loses its originality and becomes another money-maker. But, there is the choice few that can keep hold of their originality throughout the course of the sequels and remain entertaining and fresh -- Toy Story is one such franchise.

The concept that became an instant classic back in 1995 has had three sequels in the past thirty years, as well as a couple of holiday specials. The franchise has been Pixar's biggest success, and that's truly saying something. Fans of all ages still love watching the movies to this day. Toy Story was fun and original, Toy Story 2 kept the continuity perfect, Toy Story 3 was relatable nostalgia, and Toy Story 4 was a fond farewell. Everything about the franchise has wrapped itself up neatly.

So, with that being said, is it necessary for Pixar to stretch their luck with the upcoming Lightyear movie? Fans know that the film is supposed to be the Buzz Lightyear film that the toy is based on in the Toy Story universe. But with how meta film and television projects are becoming these days, is Lightyear taking it a step too far?

The heading sums it up. Regardless of how successful Toy Story has been and how much fans love the movies, the plot's premise seems to be playing with reality a bit further than most franchises would be willing to go. As stated, the film is supposed to be set around the movie that the Buzz Lightyear toy is based on in the Toy Story universe - i.e., Pixar is making a movie about a movie from one of their prior movies.

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While the premise already gives off animated Inception vibes, what makes it even trippier is that prior to the film's announcement, fans had no idea that Buzz Lightyear was based on a movie. There were never any hints in the prior Toy Story films, and it was always just assumed that Buzz was meant to be a space toy. Now, people could probably make assumptions since Woody himself was based on a television show. Still, the fact that it was never mentioned certainly has fans wondering how far Pixar is willing to go with the plotline.

Speaking of Woody's television show and how far Pixar is willing to go, where exactly will Pixar decide to draw the line if they're eager to make a movie like Lightyear? As already stated, Woody in Toy Story is known to be based on a television show. It was the entire plot of Toy Story 2 when Woody learned how rare he actually was and that Jessie and Bullseye came from the same show.

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So, with Woody coming from a television show, Pixar being owned by Disney, who subsequently owns Disney+, and both companies making it clear that they're willing to make projects set in their prior properties, exactly how long will it be before a Woody's Round-Up television series lands on Disney+? Sure, some fans will be excited just like some fans are excited for Lightyear, but it still begs the question - where will Pixar and Disney draw the line? Will Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head get their own project? Will Rex? As stated in the intro, a franchise can only last so long before it loses its originality, and Pixar is teetering on that line.

Even if you don't consider Lightyear "too meta" and are looking forward to more material from the Toy Story franchise (as most fans understandably will be), this is probably the biggest grain of salt in the wound for long-time lovers of the Toy Story universe. Again, very few franchises in entertainment history have managed to stay original and fresh after multiple sequels and spinoffs come out.

But Toy Story was a franchise that overcame all of that. The first two films have been credited as timeless classics that stand on their own two feet. Toy Story 3 waited more than a decade after the prior to arrive and gave fans a proper farewell to Andy. Toy Story 4 took another decade and allowed fans to give a final goodbye to the toys themselves.

So, with the franchise taking its time to give fans exactly what they wanted and never expanding into the realm of a "cash-grab," the arrival of Lightyear only three years after Toy Story 4 with an entirely different premise still set in the Toy Story universe... basically feels like a cash-grab. Pixar is still one of the greatest franchises in cinema history. They have plenty of original material on their resume for Lightyear to be given the benefit of the doubt. Still, the slope certainly looks slippery from where they're standing.

A writer from birth, Jonathan Meschutt has spent the last several years devoting his time to the craft of writing and has done so through his freelance entertainment work, as well as his professional screenwriting.