Turning Red is the third Pixar film to be released exclusively on the Disney+ streaming service — here’s why the film deserved a theatrical run. Historically, Pixar films have all been released in theaters and they’ve done well at the box office, with audiences always willing to go see the next animated movie the studio put out. However, that release method has shifted over the last couple of years.
When Soul released in December 2020, the film was the first of Pixar’s slate to go straight to Disney’s streaming platform. At the time, COVID-19 was a concern and vaccines weren’t out yet, so it made sense to send the Pixar film — which included the voice talents of Samuel L. Jackson and Tina Fey — to Disney+. Everyone could then enjoy the film from the comfort of their homes. But then the same thing happened with Luca, the second Pixar animation to forgo a theatrical release. While it seemed like Turning Red wouldn’t be met with the same fate, with promises of a theatrical run upon its release on March 11, the film ultimately landed on Disney+ and would only release in theaters in locations where the streaming service wasn’t available.
Turning Red deserved a theatrical release to reach a wider audience. When so many films are still being screened in theaters regardless of the ongoing pandemic, there is be no reason Turning Red shouldn’t have gotten the same courtesy like Encanto most recently did, a Disney animation that released only to theaters and didn’t come to Disney+ until months later. Domee Shi’s Turning Red is all about growing up and how that affects the dynamic between a mother and her daughter. It’s funny, heartfelt, emotional, and full of energy. The film's songs — written by Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell for the film’s fictional boy band 4*Town — are memorable and the film holds a pivotal message at its core. It can be enjoyed by people of all ages and should have gotten a theatrical release so that everyone could have the opportunity to see it, not just those who have Disney+.
What’s more, Turning Red is one of Pixar’s best films in a while (since Coco and Toy Story 4, honestly) and giving it a streaming-only release undermines it. The film is also the first of Pixar’s slate to have an all-women creative team and to be directed solely by a woman (and one of color as Shi is Chinese-Canadian). Not giving it a theatrical release prevents the film from getting more of the attention it deserves, especially as movies that go to streaming don’t necessarily make as big a splash as the ones that get a theatrical release where its box office success is more directly highlighted. At the very least, Disney could have given the film a dual release, making it available in theaters and on streaming simultaneously. Its touching, full of humor, and thoughtful in the handling of its story and animation style, so it’s a shame that it’s yet another Pixar animation relegated to getting a streaming-only release.
Turning Red’s release to Disney+ showcases an emerging and growing issue, with Pixar animations specifically targeted to go to streaming rather than getting a traditional theatrical run. Whether this continuing issue will affect Lightyear’s summer release or not remains to be seen, but Turning Red is so good and engaging that it would have certainly brought audiences to theaters before it eventually wound up on Disney+.
