Pixar‘s recent decision to release in theaters the movies that came out on streaming during the pandemic confirms Disney+’s main problem. The animation studio has recently revealed that Soul, Luca, and Turning Red will finally have their theatrical release. These three movies came out during the pandemic when most of the theaters were not open to the public and even when they did become open, many people decided that staying home was a safer choice. Pixar’s decision to give Soul, Luca, and Turning Red theatrical releases is a huge turning point for the studio and Disney at large as a result.
While all Pixar movies’ theatrical releases have always been a distinctive event preceded by brilliant marketing, the launch of Disney+ on November 12, 2019, provided an extremely convenient way to overcome the closed theaters issue during the pandemic in 2020. Soul was the first movie to make an exclusive premiere on the streaming service. After changing the film’s release date several times, the studio finally decided to skip theaters and premiere the movie directly on the Disney platform. Pixar’s subsequent films, Luca and Turning Red, followed that same logic. However, what seemed like a great solution ended up being detrimental and Pixar’s latest announcement proves it.
Pixar’s Pete Doctor Admitted Disney+ Has Trained Audiences The Wrong Way
Even though Disney+ represented a major opportunity for Pixar to continue to release films during the pandemic, it might not have been that beneficial in the long term. How Disney used the streaming service for Pixar movies changed the way audiences expected to see them. In an interview with Variety, Pete Doctor, head of Pixar, said that Disney+ has trained audiences to wait for the streaming release rather than go to the theater. Doctor explained that for families, waiting for the streaming run might be a cheaper and more convenient alternative. However, he also sustained that people are missing out by not watching the films on the big screen.
Doctor’s opinion comes on the heels of Pixar’s box office troubles, which coincide directly with the launch of Disney+. Pre-pandemic releases such as Incredibles 2 or Toy Story 4 grossed over $1 billion at the box office worldwide. Pixar’s latest release Elemental had a box office turnaround over time to make nearly $500 million worldwide, but that was because audiences could only see it in theaters for a two-month stretch. Instead of being instantly available on Disney+, Elemental demanded an in-theater viewing or made audiences accept they would not see it for quite some time.
Releasing Disney+ Movies In Theaters Is A Step Toward Fixing That Mistake
Pixar’s latest decision to release Soul, Luca, and Turning Red in theaters could be what’s needed to overcome this issue. In the first place, for people who have already seen the films on streaming, this represents a chance to understand the value of watching high-quality animation on the big screen. The beauty of the experience lies in the level of detail displayed through the visual work. In the second place, these three films’ releases also mean the chance for those who haven’t seen the movies yet to watch these films properly. This could help remind families that seeing Pixar‘s next movie in theaters is better than seeing it at home.
