It was a mixed year for Disney animated movies, as the House of Mouse struggled to navigate a post-COVID world. In 2022, Pixar released two movies, turning red Y Light-year.
turning red was released directly to Disney+, where it was streamed in 2.5 million US homes during its opening weekend, the most ever for a Disney+ original title. The film, a coming-of-age story about a 13-year-old boy trying to navigate life as a teenager, was met with critical acclaim and a positive audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Light-year experienced a more turbulent release. Controversy surrounding a brief same-sex kiss dominated headlines, and the film was subsequently banned in several markets. Although the film received a mostly positive reception (74% on Rotten Tomatoes and 84% audience score), it failed to take off at the box office. It ended its box office run with a global total of $226.4 million, well below expectations.
With that in mind, 2023 marks a pivotal year for Disney and Pixar, as we’re seemingly at a crossroads regarding the studio’s future when it comes to theatrical releases of its films. Right now, there’s only one Pixar movie scheduled to open in theaters in 2023: Elementary.
Elementary is an all-new and original film set in Element City, where the residents of fire, water, earth, and air live together. The story follows Ember, a tough, witty, and fiery young woman, whose friendship with a funny, cutesy, and goofy guy named Wade challenges her beliefs about the world they live in.
We got our first look at Elementary in the form of a teaser trailer released last year. Check it out below.
The story features Ember, a tough, witty, and fiery young woman, whose friendship with a funny, cutesy, and go-with-the-flow guy named Wade challenges her beliefs about the world they live in.
Elementary It is directed by Peter Sohn and produced by Denise Ream. It features the voices of Leah Lewis and Mamoudou Athie as Ember and Wade, respectively. Elementary is scheduled to open in theaters on June 16, 2023. This is, perhaps, Pixar’s last chance to prove that its films can still be considered family summer blockbusters.
It will also arrive next year of Pixar Win or losea long-form series that will premiere on Disney+ in the fall of 2023. Win or lose follows the Pickles, a coed high school softball team, in the week leading up to their championship game. Each episode takes place that same week, highlighting the perspective of a different main character (players, their parents, the referee), each reflected in a unique visual style. The series stars Will Forte as Coach Dan and is directed by Carrie Hobson and Michael Yates.
Up to bat in #D23Expo: A FIRST LOOK at Pixar’s new original series Win or Lose, with Will Forte as Coach Dan.
From filmmakers Michael Yates, Carrie Hobson and David Lally, Win or Lose comes to #DisneyPlus in 2023! pic.twitter.com/KarxT1GXIw
—Disney+ (@DisneyPlus) September 10, 2022
The third and last confirmed project of Pixar in 2023 is Dug Days: Carl’s Date. This is the second season of dug daysa short miniseries released in 2021 that serves as a sequel to Until. dug days it consisted of several shorts that followed the film’s main characters, Dug the dog, and his owner, 78-year-old Car Fredricksen. Days Dug: Carl’s Date is a new short and a continuation of the Disney+ series. Although no release date has been officially announced, a Disney+ promo video shared on Pixar’s Twitter confirmed that the short is coming to Disney+ in 2023.
Grab the popcorn!?
Arriving to @DisneyPlus in 2023 from Pixar:
? Dug Days: Carl’s Date
⚾️ Win or lose pic.twitter.com/2Y8JYv0Uc1—Pixar (@Pixar) December 19, 2022
As of this writing, these are the only three confirmed Pixar projects coming in 2023, but we may be in for a few surprises. Are you excited for any of the upcoming Pixar movies or shows in 2023?