We saw more than a few movies make their debut on streaming services during the pandemic, including three Pixar movies which will finally get their chance to experience the big screen. Pixar announced today that Soul, Turning Red, and Luca will be released in theaters early next year to set the stage for Inside Out 2.
Soul will hit theaters on January 12th. The film features the voice of Jamie Foxx as Joe Gardner, a middle-school band teacher who gets the chance of a lifetime to play at the best jazz club in town. “But one small misstep takes him from the streets of New York City to The Great Before – a fantastical place where new souls get their personalities, quirks and interests before they go to Earth,” reads the official synopsis. “Determined to return to his life, Joe teams up with a precocious soul, 22, who has never understood the appeal of the human experience. As Joe desperately tries to show 22 what’s great about living, he may just discover the answers to some of life’s most important questions.“
Next up will be Turning Red, which will be released in theaters on February 9th. “Confident, dorky 13-year-old Mei must balance being a dutiful daughter with the chaos of adolescence,” reads the official synopsis. “Her slightly overbearing mom is never far from her daughter. And, as if changes to Mei’s interests, relationships and body aren’t enough, whenever she gets too excited, she ‘poofs’ into a giant red panda!“
Lastly, we’ve got Luca, which will hit theaters on March 22nd. “Set in a beautiful seaside town on the Italian Riviera, the original animated feature is a coming-of-age story about one young boy experiencing an unforgettable summer filled with gelato, pasta and endless scooter rides,” reads the official synopsis. “Luca shares these adventures with his newfound best friend, but all the fun is threatened by a deeply-held secret: he is a sea monster from another world just below the water’s surface.“
The theatrical releases of Soul, Turning Red, and Luca will be accompanied by the short films Burrow, Kitbull, and For the Birds, respectively. Pixar fans will doubtlessly be pleased by the chance to see these movies on the big screen where they belong.
Pete Docter, Pixar’s chief creative officer, previously told Variety that the streaming release of their movies “trained” families to watch them on Disney+ instead of in theaters. “In the long run, there’s been a bit of a mixed blessing because we’ve trained audiences that these films will be available for you on Disney+,” Docter said. “And it’s more expensive for a family of four to go to a theater when they know they can wait and it’ll come out on the platform. We’re trying to make sure people realize there’s a great deal you’re missing by not seeing it on the big screen. In the case of ‘Elemental,’ it’s a beautiful spectacle, there’s detail everywhere. I think you feel it more and it’s a better experience. There’s the shared experience as well, that you get to see it in a room with strangers, and there’s something about the energy that comes from other people that makes the whole experience more vibrant and interesting.“
Are you interested in seeing Soul, Turning Red, and Luca back in theaters?