It’s official. Pixar’s upcoming film Soul will skip theaters and instead head to Disney+.
The animated feature had previously scheduled a theatrical debut for November 20. However, with ongoing theater closures amid the global pandemic, films have been delaying their theatrical releases left and right.
Disney previously announced delays for its Marvel film slate. At that time, there was speculation that the company would move Soul to Disney+. However, Disney refused to confirm this at the time.
Now we know Soul will hit streaming on Christmas day, December 25.
“We are thrilled to share Pixar’s spectacular and moving ‘Soul’ with audiences direct to Disney+ in December,” said Bob Chapek, Disney CEO. “A new original Pixar film is always a special occasion, and this truly heartwarming and humorous story about human connection and finding one’s place in the world will be a treat for families to enjoy together this holiday season.”
Soul follows a middle-school band teacher Joe Gardner (Jamie Foxx). One small misstep takes Gardner 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. Determined to return to his life, Joe teams up with a precocious soul, 22 (Tina Fey), 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.
Earlier this year, Disney moved another major release, Mulan, to Disney+ Premier. Subscribers had to pay an additional fee to stream the movie. The news from Disney does not reference a similar plan for Soul, so we can assume the movie will be available to all Disney+ subscribers December 25.
Source: Disney