The official countdown to the debut of Pixar’s first film with a Black lead has officially begun!
The synopsis for Soul, via a press release provided to The Root:
What is it that makes you...YOU? Pixar Animation Studios’ all-new feature film Soul introduces Joe Gardner (voice of Jamie Foxx) – a middle-school band teacher who gets the chance of a lifetime to play at the best jazz club in town. But one small misstep takes him from the streets of New York City to The Great Before – a fantastical place where new souls get their personalities, quirks and interests before they go to Earth. Determined to return to his life, Joe teams up with a precocious soul, 22 (voice of Tina Fey), who has never understood the appeal of the human experience. As Joe desperately tries to show 22 what’s great about living, he may just discover the answers to some of life’s most important questions.
Due to circumstances caused by the global pandemic, Disney/Pixar pivoted from its original Juneteenth theatrical release and decided to present a Christmas gift to the people by releasing it via Disney’s streaming platform, Disney+. That news was announced in October and here we are, in the month of December. We have an early holiday gift for you—a sneak peek of the film!
In an exclusive clip obtained by The Root, Joe gets to meet and audition for his idol, legendary jazz musician Dorothea Williams (Angela Bassett) via a hookup from his former student, Curley (Questlove).
After fumbling over his introduction due to natural nervousness, Joe finally gets to speak to Dorothea face-to-face. Dorothea is playing her regal gold saxophone and the sound mixing is so crisp, you can hear the click-clack of the keys as she plays. Curley tries to hype up his boy by mentioning that Joe is “Ray Gardner’s son,” noting that Joe is basically a jazz legacy. Her response? “So, we’re down to middle school band teachers now?”
Ouch.
Soul debuts Dec. 25 on Disney+.