Pixar's 'Soul' to debut on Disney+ Christmas day, bypassing movie theaters due to COVID-19
Pixar's giving home audiences a special holiday streaming gift this year.
Disney announced Thursday that its new Jamie-Foxx-led animated movie "Soul," which had been scheduled to release in movie theaters Nov. 20 (and postponed after an original June 20 date), will instead debut exclusively on the Disney+ streaming service on Dec. 25 due to marketplace conditions and COVID-19.
“We are thrilled to share Pixar’s spectacular and moving ‘Soul’ with audiences direct to Disney+ in December,” Disney 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.”
Unlike "Mulan," which switched from theaters to streaming and had to be purchased by Disney+ subscribers for $30, "Soul" will be available at no extra charge.
Directed by Pete Docter ("Inside Out," "Up"), "Soul" stars Foxx as the voice of a middle-school band teacher whose soul ends up in the afterlife after an accident. The cast also features Tina Fey, Phylicia Rashad, Ahmir Questlove, Angela Bassett and Daveed Diggs.
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“The world can be an exhausting and frustrating place – but it’s also full of unexpected joys, even in seemingly mundane things. 'Soul’ investigates what’s really important in our lives, a question we’re all asking these days," Docter said. "I hope it will bring some humor and fun to people at a time when everyone can surely use that.”
"Soul" is the latest movie to change its theatrical plans due to the ongoing pandemic, joining the likes of "Dune" and the James Bond film "No Time to Die," which both were delayed till 2021.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Pixar's 'Soul' to debut on Disney+ Christmas day, bypassing theaters
