Pixar employees are upset regarding Disney's recent release date strategies for feature films, and their feelings are completely justifiable. The disconcerted reactions stem from the Disney+ release of Soul in December and the forthcoming plans to debut Luca on the same streaming platform. Seeing as Pixar Animation Studios remains a pillar of Disney's business model since its acquisition in 2006, the subsidiary's content tends to garner a lot of attention. This time, however, Disney is attracting negative buzz with disheartened Pixar employees.
Pixar was founded in 1979 as part of Lucasfilm when it was called the Graphics Group. The animation studio then became its own entity in 1986, nearly a decade before releasing the first Pixar film, Toy Story, in 1995. Co-produced by Walt Disney Pictures, Toy Story set the standards for the studios' level of content. In the years that followed, Pixar debuted an array of premier titles, including the likes of Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, and Cars, all of which spawned sequels. To date, the studio has released nearly two dozen feature films in addition to 20 Pixar shorts.
The upcoming release of Luca in June 2021 will officially mark Pixar's 24th feature film. It comes on the heels of Soul, which release on Christmas Day 2020. Like Soul, Luca is set to bypass a theatrical release to debut on Disney+ for no additional charge. Luca's release plans have upset Pixar employees, as they've shared being demoralized by Disney's treatment of the studio's recent projects. Based on the strategy surrounding fellow major Disney debuts, the Pixar staff have every reason to be agitated.
Why Pixar Is Releasing Luca Free On Disney+
Luca marks Pixar's first and only movie release in 2021, and there's already a ton of hype surrounding the title. Featuring the directorial debut of Enrico Casarosa, Luca serves as a coming-of-age comedy centered on a seaside town on the Italian Riviera. More specifically, it follows a boy named Luca and his best friend Alberto, as they both share a secret regarding their identities as sea monsters. Initially scheduled to release through an ordinary theatrical model, Disney scrapped those plans for an exclusive Disney+ debut at no additional charge.
At first thought, Disney's decision to put Luca on Disney+ for free seems to stem from the release strategy affected by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. When lockdowns shuttered the doors of movie theaters around the world in March 2020, Disney made the unprecedented decision to release Onward on Disney+ only a month after its theatrical debut. Soul followed suit, but instead of an initial theatrical debut, the Pixar film was released exclusively on Disney+ at no extra charge on December 25. Soul was one of the most-watched straight-to-streaming titles of the year, proving Disney doesn't need to rely on PVOD for success. Disney is still experimenting with its release date strategy, but CEO Bob Chapek has indicated the new model might be here to stay for the long-term, something the theater industry probably doesn't want to hear.
Disney's Pixar Release Model Devalues The Films
Despite the bright spots in Soul's release model, it unearthed questions compared to fellow Disney releases. Those same questions are being brought up now that Luca is following in Soul's footsteps. Before Soul was put on Disney+ for free last December, Disney altered its release model by offering the live-action Mulan exclusively on its streaming service through Premier Access. The model forced existing Disney+ subscribers to pay an additional $30 fee to access Mulan, which Chapek explained was necessary for revenue purposes. Not only was Disney banking on the PVOD model, but it hoped the Mulan release would increase Disney+ subscriptions. Raya and the Last Dragon was also released through Premier Access, but unlike Mulan, it simultaneously debuts in theaters, giving viewers an additional option. The releases of Cruella and Black Widow will also be accessible through Disney+'s PVOD model, begging the question: why wasn't Soul and Luca considered for a Premier Access release?
By offering Soul and Luca on Disney+ for no additional costs, Disney is essentially devaluing the films from the get-go. As the upset Pixar employees explained, Disney is implying these Pixar titles aren't good enough for an upcharge, let alone a theatrical release. By forgoing an attempt through Premier Access or even limited theatrical releases, it seems like the company had no hope in Soul and Luca's revenue return potential. The model also dampens the marketing for Luca, indicating that it's not being viewed as an elite project deserving of a PVOD release like Raya and the Last Dragon, Cruella, and Black Widow. Ironically, Soul has garnered an array of major accolades and is up for Best Animated Feature at this year's Academy Awards. The title notably won the award at the Golden Globes, opposing what Disney is deeming quality when developing release strategies.
The Problem With Releasing Soul & Luca Differently
Though it's already a bad look to have an entire studio upset about the release model, Disney is grabbing more negative attention for presenting Soul and Luca differently. Whereas Soul predominantly centered on Black characters, Luca is being celebrated by the LGBTQ+ community. Though Disney isn't labeling Luca as an LGBTQ+ film, viewers have noticed the plot of two boys hiding their identity seems like an allegory for being gay, with some even drawing comparisons to Call Me by Your Name. While it's about time Disney and Pixar proudly present gay characters, there's hope this isn't another example of "queer-baiting," as the case with Raya and the Last Dragon. That said, it's unfortunate Disney chose films with racial and LGBTQ+ identities as the picks for free releases.
Disney had the power to honor diversity by showing their recent efforts with on-screen representation. Instead, the company is sidestepping the opportunity by throwing Soul and Luca on streaming as if they're afterthoughts. There's an obvious lack of confidence in these titles, which doesn't bode well when it comes to the topic of inclusivity. What could have been a win-win for Pixar and all involved is now resulting in controversy. Disney may see Pixar releases as pure business decisions, but employees and viewers are clearly looking deeper into these release models.
