Pixar Unveils the Cast and Plot of ‘Soul’
A few months ago, Pixar shocked fans with the announcement of a brand-new movie coming in just a year: Soul from director Pete Docter. They didn’t reveal much more than that at the time. But at D23 Expo‘s Disney panel, Docter himself introduced the movie and the film’s cast to the world for the first time.
The film is about Joe Gardner, a jazz musician who works as a middle-school music teacher. He dreams of playing at The Half Note, New York’s most prestigious jazz club, but it’s never happened. Finally he gets a shot — and promptly falls down a manhole cover. And ... maybe dies? It wasn’t entirely clear in the footage shown at D23.
Docter said that Soul is about big questions like “Why am I here? Where did I come from? And what am I here for?” and described it as a story about “metaphysics.” Joe’s soul apparently then goes to a place called “You Seminar,” the realm where souls are trained for their lives on Earth. Docter also revealed who is making the music for the film: It will be by both Jon Batiste (original jazz) and Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (original score).
Docter then introduced the cast of Soul. Questlove plays Curly, a drummer. Phylicia Rashad plays Joe’s mother. Daveed Diggs plays Joe’s nemesis. And Jamie Foxx and Tina Fey are Joe and 22, a soul that Joe meets at You Seminar. Here’s a look at Joe and 22:
After the panel concluded, Disney sent around this official press release for the film:
The film journeys from the streets of New York City to the never-before-seen cosmic realms and “The You Seminar,” the fantastical place where we all discover our unique personalities. Producer Dana Murray, co-director/writer Kemp Powers and writer Mike Jones joined Docter on stage, and together they set up the film for the audience and shared a sneak peek. The team revealed members of the voice cast who joined them on stage, including Ahmir Questlove Thompson, Phylicia Rashad, Daveed Diggs, Tina Fey and Jamie Foxx. Foxx lends his voice to Joe Gardner, a middle-school band teacher whose true passion is playing jazz. Fey plays 22, a soul-in-training who has an unexpected encounter with Joe when he accidentally finds his way to the “You Seminar.” Together, the two are going to find a way to get Joe back to Earth, making him think again about what it truly means to have soul.
Based on the footage and the descriptions, this movie looks weird, wild, and potentially incredible. Soul opens in theaters on June 19, 2020.
Gallery — Amazing Pixar Movie Easter Eggs: