SOUL (2020): Disney Pixar’s Animated Family Feature to Premier on Disney+ on Christmas

Disney Pixar’s “Soul” to Premier on Disney+ this Christmas

Pixar’s Soul starring Jamie Foxx and Tina Fey has decided to bypass a theatrical release and will instead debut exclusively on Disney+ on Christmas Day at no extra charge.

The animated studio tentpole had been set to premiere in theaters on November 20th. The decision to release the film straight to Disney Plus both underscores the precarious financial situation of the theater industry amid the ongoing pandemic, and the importance of Disney Plus to the media giant — which has accumulated over sixty million subscribers.

Unlike Mulan, which carried a premium price of $29.99 on the streaming platform, Disney+ customers can watch Soul at no extra charge beyond the subscription price. In markets where the streaming service isn’t accessible, the film will be released on the big screen.

“We are thrilled to share Pixar’s spectacular and moving Soul with audiences direct to Disney+ in December,” Walt Disney Co. CEO Bob Chapek said in a statement. “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.”

Disney announced the strategic shift on Thursday following a difficult week that saw MGM, Eon and Universal delay the new James Bond film No Time to Die from this November 20th to April 2nd, 2021. It had been thought that the spy film would stick to its Thanksgiving release date — like Soul, it had already pushed back its release once before because of the quarantine. But many came to the conclusion that a box office recovery in 2020 is unlikely, spelling trouble for theaters.

Within hours of the Bond delay, mega-theater chain Cineworld announced it would be closing its U.K. and U.S. Regal locations for lack of blockbuster films.

The exit of Soul and No Time to Die from the theater scene in November means that there won’t be another broadly targeted Hollywood tentpole hitting the traditional cinema marquee until December 25th, when Wonder Woman 1984 is scheduled to debut. The comic book sequel had originally been set for October 2nd but was recently pushed back. Box office analysts are predicting that Wonder Woman 1984 will be delayed again.

In reaching the decision to release Soul to Disney Plus, company insiders say the streaming service is ideal for a broad family film amid current market difficulties, and that it will keep current customers satisfied in addition to attracting new subscribers.

The movie follows middle school teacher Joe Gardner (Foxx), who dreams of making it big as a professional jazz musician. As Joe is about to get his big break, he ends up in a life-threatening accident, and his soul is separated from his body. Soul is directed by Pete Docter and co-directed by Kemp Powers from a screenplay by Docter, Powers, and Mike Jones. The film stars the voices of Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, Questlove, Phylicia Rashad, Daveed Diggs, and Angela Bassett.

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