Bright coming-of-age story Turning Red from Pixar is no longer coming to theaters, instead becoming another Disney+ exclusive when it arrives on March 11, 2022. Though certainly one of the last moves Disney wanted to make, the comedic girl-turned-panda story will no doubt find an audience for viewers at home while the pandemic continues to stir uncertainty in the industry.
Pixar has suffered more than many studios when it comes to getting its movies in theaters during the pandemic, as the legendary movie-making company has seen its last two films, Soul and Luca, premiere exclusively on Disney+. Since its initial reveal last July, there had been hope that the movie from director Domee Shi would break the streak, but it hasn’t turned out that way. Still, while disappointing, Turning Red becoming a Disney+ exclusive isn’t quite a shock.
“Disney Plus subscribers around the world enthusiastically embraced Pixar’s Academy Award-winning Soul and the critically-acclaimed Luca when they premiered exclusively on the service and we look forward to bringing them Pixar’s next incredible feature film Turning Red,” Disney media & entertainment distribution chairman Kareem Daniel said in a statement. “Given the delayed box office recovery, particularly for family films, flexibility remains at the core of our distribution decisions as we prioritize delivering the unparalleled content of The Walt Disney Company to audiences around the world.”
With COVID-19 cases currently on the rise, be sure to stay tuned for any additional changes for moviegoers to look out for.
