Happy Disney+ Day! And what an eventful Disney+ day it has been so far. Along with many other announcements and releases, Disney+ revealed that both of Pixar's upcoming films, Turning Red and Lightyear, will also have behind-the-scenes-style documentaries released to the streaming platform in anticipation of their theatrical releases. Both films, which come from Disney and Pixar studios, have been highly anticipated, and these behind-the-scenes looks will certainly add to that anticipation.
Turning Red will tell the story of Mei Lee, a thirteen-year-old trying to navigate middle school while also, on occasion, transforming into a fluffy red panda any time she gets upset or excited. Newcomer Rosalie Chiang will voice Mei Lee. Sandra Oh also joins the cast. Oscar-winner Domee Shi directed the film. Disney and Pixar produced the film.
First ‘Lightyear’ Trailer Goes to Infinity and Beyond With Pixar’s Spinoff Movie
Lightyear will tell the story behind the inspiration for the Toy Story character Buzz Lightyear's toy model. The film stars Chris Evans as Buzz Lightyear. This is the first film in the Toy Story franchise to depart from the original gang of toys and explore the mythos behind the sentient children's toys. The casting choice of Evans instead of Buzz Lightyear's original voice-actor, Tim Allen, was met with some controversy when it was first announced. However, it looks like the Buzz in Lightyear will not be the same Buzz that we have come to know. Instead, Lightyear will tell an entirely new and different story, functioning more like a spin-off than a direct sequel. Lightyear comes from director Angus MacLane who has previously directed Pixar shorts like Small Fry and BURN-E.
Turning Red is set to be released to theaters on March 11, 2022, with Lightyear arriving on June 17, 2022. Disney has not revealed the release dates for the documentaries.