Today brings us our most substantial look yet at Pixar's Soul, the studio's upcoming animated original, from director Pete Docter (Inside Out, Up). Featuring a cast which includes Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey and Daveed Diggs, an original score from Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross (you read that right), and a fluctuating art style intended to match the film's journey between the real world and the afterlife (you read that right, as well), Soul is easily one of our most anticipated movies of the year.
And it looks pretty damn nifty.
It's interesting to see Pixar taking these big swings, isn't it? For a while there, the complaint was that Pixar seemed to be leaning a bit too heavily on sequels to its beloved classics, but - in between Onward and Soul - I'm not sure we can continue making that complaint. Is a Soul riskier proposition than a Toy Story 4? Oh, absolutely. Would we rather see Pixar rolling the dice on big, weird ideas rather than returning to the franchise well? Also yes. Keep 'em coming, Pixar!
Here's an official plot synopsis, for your records:
"Joe Gardner is a middle-school band teacher who gets the chance of a lifetime to play at the best jazz club in town. But one small misstep takes him from the streets of New York City to The Great Before – a fantastical place where new souls get their personalities, quirks and interests before they go to Earth. Determined to return to his life, Joe teams up with a precocious soul, 22, who has never understood the appeal of the human experience. As Joe desperately tries to show 22 what’s great about living, he may just discover the answers to some of life’s most important questions.
Featuring the voices of Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, Phylicia Rashad, Angela Bassett, Ahmir Questlove Thompson, Daveed Diggs, “Soul” is directed by Academy Award® winner Pete Docter (“Inside Out,” “Up”), co-directed by Kemp Powers (“One Night in Miami”) and produced by Academy Award nominee Dana Murray (Pixar short “Lou”). Globally renowned musician Jon Batiste will be writing original jazz music for the film, and Oscar®-winners Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (“The Social Network”), from Nine Inch Nails, will compose an original score that will drift between the real and soul worlds."
And here's a brand-new poster:
We're pretty damn excited about Soul and will be keeping a close eye on it between now and its June 19th arrival in theaters. Stay tuned for updates.