To kick off the new year, Disney will be staging Stateside theatrical releases for a trio of Pixar movies that were forced to go direct-to-streaming during the pandemic. 

Soul (2020), Luca (2021) and Turning Red (2022, pictured) are pegged for wide releases in US cinemas during the first few months of 2024. 

This strategic move is designed to encourage audiences “to experience three Pixar films the way they were meant to be seen,” according to a Disney release. Originally, the features were all sent directly to Disney+ in a compromise to navigate the risks and restrictions of COVID-19 lockdowns. (They were, however, released theatrically in select international markets where the flagship streamer was not available.)  

The releases will also help the studio fill out its now-empty Q1 theatrical schedule. Upcoming Pixar pic Elio originally occupied this part of the calendar, but its rollout has been delayed until 2025 as a result of the SAG-AFTRA strike. The new plan should also help build momentum for Pixar’s much-anticipated summer sequel Inside Out 2, which is slated to hit theaters on June 14. 

Soul opens on January 12, followed by Turning Red on February 9, and Luca on March 22. Each film will premiere with one of these three previously released animated shorts: Burrow (Soul), Kitbull (Turning Red) and For the Birds (Luca). 

Disney’s animated features have fared inconsistently at the box office since the pandemic. Pixar’s sleeper summer hit Elemental did nearly US$500 million worldwide despite a soft opening. And the film’s longevity was driven by a strong international performance, particularly in South Korea, where it earned US$54 million.

But 2022’s Lightyear (also from Pixar) earned just US$226 million globally against a US$200-million budget, generating a loss of more than US$100 million (after factoring in marketing costs and cuts to theaters/distributors). And more recently, Wish from Walt Disney Animation Studios has only grossed about US$82 million globally since launching last month, so it’s facing an uphill battle to recoup its budget (which is in the range of US$175 million to US$200 million) and turn a profit. 

Updated on December 6 at 2:12 pm: Alongside the US release, Soul, Luca and Turning Red will also hit theaters in Canada for the first time on the aforementioned release dates.