When it comes to Pixar releases coming to theaters, the studio has experienced a rough time as moviegoers remain skittish about returning to theaters. After Soul and Luca sidestepped cinemas for Disney+, fans and Pixar were hoping Turning Red would mark the studio’s anticipated return to movie theaters. That was until Disney announced the coming-of-age story will debut on Disney+ instead of premiering in theaters. While some diehard Pixar fans were upset and disappointed, the feelings and thoughts of the Pixar staff on the shift weren’t known until now.
The Disney+ announcement threw everyone involved for a loop. While fans voiced their opinions online, Insider decided to ask some Pixar staffers how they felt about the unexpected move from their parent company. While many staffers remained silent, one Pixar staffer reportedly expressed their disappointment over Disney’s decision.
It's safe to say that we're all feeling extremely disappointed. Until today, we all thought 'Turning Red' would be our return to the big screen, and everyone at the studio was so excited about it being this film in particular. It was quite a blow.
Of course, many Pixar employees were excited to finally have a movie in theaters after two years. It would’ve been the first Pixar film to get a theatrical release since 2020’s Onward. But the source wasn’t the only employee not feeling the House of Mouse’s latest move. Another Pixar employee allegedly mentioned the shift from theatrical to streaming “sucks” but understood the decision given the current uncertainty surrounding the latest COVID variant.
One staffer reportedly agreed with the House of Mouse’s new plans for the Pixar animated film. The source cited the rise in COVID infections as to why the decision was necessary.
With Omicron infections so high, I haven't heard anyone say the decision to pivot to streaming is wrong.
At least, the company was thinking about public safety during these uncertain times. This latest setback for Disney and Pixar marked a recoil from movie theaters by Hollywood studios after audiences had finally become comfortable with going to theaters again. The success of movies like Free Guy, Dune, No Time to Die, F9, and Spider-Man: No Way Home felt like a return to normalcy for many viewers. But with the latest COVID variant spreading rapidly, more studios are postponing releases or shifting to streaming platforms.
Maybe Pixar will make its triumphant return to theaters with Lightyear. The Buzz Lightyear prequel is expected to hit theaters on June 17. Hopefully, the release date will hold as things continue to develop. Of course, Turning Red wouldn’t be the first 2022 release to shift from movie theaters to streaming. The animated film will premiere on Disney+ on Mar. 11. If you want to keep up with possible updates for upcoming releases, check out our 2022 movie schedule for more developments.
