The window to release films in 2020 is quickly closing. All the major studios in Hollywood were closely watching how Tenet performed domestically, and by all accounts, it was a disaster. With those disappointing figures in place, it now looks as if every major film that was initially going to be released in 2020 will either shift to 2021 or get dumped on various streaming platforms.
Sadly, the latter seems to be what fate has in store for Pixar's Soul, the fan favorite animation studio's first film with an African-American lead character. The film is directed by Pete Docter and co-directed by Kemp Powers, who are also credited with co-writing the script alongside Mike Jones and Tina Fey. Jamie Foxx leads a talented voice cast that includes Fey, Questlove, Phylicia Rashad, Daveed Diggs, and Angela Bassett.
Soul was originally slated for release in North America on June 19, 2020 but due to covid, was delayed November 20, 2020- taking the original release date for Disney Animation's Raya and the Last Dragon,which was pushed to 2021. Now, Variety is reporting that Soul is likely headed to Disney+ as the studio shifts release dates. It's possible that like the live-action Mulan, the film could still open in select international markets where handling of the corona virus pandemic is faring a little better.
Until we here officially from Disney, keep this report listed as a mere possibility but as the pandemic drags into the fall, the prospect of it hitting theaters stateside looks bleak.
Joe Gardner is 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. 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.