Pixar’s next animated film, Turning Red, will debut exclusive on Disney’s streaming service Disney+ on March 11, forgoing a theatrical release in territories where the service is available, according to Deadline.
This is the third Pixar movie to wind up skipping theaters and instead first land at Disney+. Soul and Luca also diverted to have a digital debut. The announcement signals further pivoting theatrical and production plans due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
An official overview for Turning Red is as follows: “Young actress Rosalie Chiang lends her voice to Mei Lee, a 13-year-old who suddenly ‘poofs’ into a giant red panda when she gets too excited (which is practically always). Sandra Oh voices Mei Lee’s protective, if not slightly overbearing mother, Ming, who is never far from her daughter–an unfortunate reality for the teenager.”
The movie is written and directed by Domee Shi, who was also behind the Oscar-winning Pixar short Bao.
This release change isn’t the only thing COVID-19 has impacted in the entertainment industry. It was reported earlier this week that production was halted on Star Trek: Picard. Other major entertainment industry events including the Grammy Awards have been canceled, while others like the Sundance Film Festival have opted to go digital.
