Pixar's Next Movie 'Turning Red' Follows a Teen Who Becomes a Red Panda When She's Excited

The beloved animation studio's next film is directed by Domee Shi, who won an Oscar for her delightful 2018 short 'Bao'.
Sarah Ward
July 14, 2021

Some Pixar movies bring childhood obsessions to big screen, as seen in the Toy Story and Cars films. If you loved monsters as a kid, the Monsters, Inc flicks definitely also count. Other features made by the beloved animation studio explore exactly what it feels like to be a child — as seen in the wonderful Inside Out, of course, and now in the company's upcoming release Turning Red.

We say 'upcoming', and that is indeed accurate — but after both Soul and Luca hit streaming over the past six months, the studio's next movie won't release until March 2022. So, you'll be waiting a while to get another dose of heartwarming animated cuteness. Based on its just-dropped first trailer, Turning Red looks like it'll be worth it, though.

Marking the first feature from writer/director Domee Shi, who won an Oscar for her delightful 2018 short Bao, Turning Red takes its moniker literally. Many Pixar flicks do, of course (see also: Finding Nemo, Up, Brave and Onward, for instance). Here, 13-year-old Mei Lee (Rosalie Chiang, also making her movie debut) is an ordinary teen who gets embarrassed by her mum Ming (Sandra Oh, Killing Eve) fairly often, and can find adolescent life a bit overwhelming. So far, so relatable — but when she's overexcited by all of the above, Mei Lee also happens to turn into a fluffy red panda.

If you're thinking about the Hulk but red, female, younger and more adorable, that's the kind of vibe the trailer gives. Disney does own both Pixar and Marvel, so that isn't a big leap.

Just how Mei Lee copes with her sudden transformations is exactly what the flick will cover, obviously — and, at this stage, viewers will be able to see the end result in cinemas next year rather than on streaming.

Check out the trailer below:

Turning Red is slated to release in Australian cinemas on March 31, 2022.

Top image: © 2021 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

Published on July 14, 2021 by Sarah Ward
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