Earlier this month, Disney announced it would be releasing Pixar’s “Turning Red” on Disney+ on March 11th 2022.

While many Disney+ subscribers were happy with the film shifting from a theatrical release to a Disney+ Original, there was a backlash from Pixar fans and employees.   Since this was the third Pixar film in a row to be moved to Disney+.

Recently, The Hollywood Reporter, spoke with some Pixar employees about “Turning Red” moving over to Disney+.  While many of them are disappointed that “Turning Red” didn’t get released in cinemas, they aren’t angry.

“Everyone is really bummed, but most of us get it. Families just aren’t going to the movies,”

One key reason for the shift, was with the pandemic still causing problems at the box office for animated family films, Disney has had great success with the last two Pixar films, “Soul” and “Luca” on Disney+.

According to Nielson, “Luca” was the most-watched film on any streaming platform in 2021, with “Soul” also making the top ten list, along with “Moana”, “Frozen 2”, and “Raya And The Last Dragon”.   “Soul” was a huge hit for Christmas in 2020, as Disney+ was able to pull in over 8 million subscribers in one month, which “Soul” is being given the credit for.

While “Luca” didn’t have the box office success that many people look to, to determine what is and what isn’t a hit, “Luca” was a big hit.  And this is one reason why “Turning Red” moved from a theatrical release.

A Pixar employee said:

“We were told that Soul brought a ton of subscribers to Disney+. Luca started off slower but essentially did the same.

Some fans have asked why Disney doesn’t release “Turning Red” in cinemas and on Disney+. However, that approach might dilute the film’s impact being released for both methods, which is what happened to WarnerMedia’s duel release schedule in 2021, which it won’t be doing in 2022.

The next big release from Pixar after “Turning Red” is the “Toy Story” spin-off, “Lightyear”, which is currently scheduled to arrive in cinemas this summer.   Expectations are that “Lightyear” will stay on track for a theatrical release, depending on what happens with the pandemic.

Do you think “Turning Red” should be released on Disney+ or in cinemas?

Roger Palmer

Roger has been a Disney fan since he was a kid and this interest has grown over the years. He has visited Disney Parks around the globe and has a vast collection of Disney movies and collectibles. He is the owner of What's On Disney Plus & DisKingdom. Email: Roger@WhatsOnDisneyPlus.com Twitter: Twitter.com/RogPalmerUK Facebook: Facebook.com/rogpalmeruk

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