Pixar’s latest project, Turning Red, is coming to Disney+ on March 11, but the studio already has more movies and TV shows planned after the adventures of Mei Lee. Although the world of animation now has a variety of studios continuously bringing new stories, Pixar continues to be a powerhouse, and it keeps treating viewers to at least one movie per year. Pixar has two movies lined up for 2022 and the first one is Turning Red, a different but clever look at what it’s like to go through puberty.
Directed by Domee Shi, Turning Red takes viewers to Canada to meet Meilin "Mei" Lee (Rosalie Chiang), a dorky 13-year-old Chinese-Canadian student who one day discovers that whenever she gets too excited or stressed, she turns into a giant red panda, but she can turn back if she becomes calm. This “quirk” turns out to be linked to her ancestors, who have a shared history with the species as a family curse, but the curse can be contained by performing a special ritual on one specific night – however, that night coincides with a concert of Mei’s favorite boy band. All of this, of course, as she deals with everything puberty throws her way.
Turning Red was originally planned to be released in theaters, but as the coronavirus pandemic evolved and the Omicron variant appeared, Disney decided to give it the same treatment as Soul and Luca and sent it straight to Disney+ (though in countries without Disney+, it will release theatrically). As mentioned above, Turning Red is the first Pixar movie in 2022, with the second one arriving in the summer, and after it, there are more Pixar movies and TV shows coming in the near future. Here are all six Pixar movies and TV shows coming after Turning Red.
Lightyear – June 17, 2022
Toy Story 4 was the end of the stories of Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and the rest of Andy’s (and Bonnie’s) toys, but Pixar has one more story to tell from this particular world. Lightyear is a spin-off and origin story to Toy Story and contrary to what was initially believed, it doesn’t explore the backstory of the Buzz Lightyear toy but that of the space ranger that inspired the toy that became Woody’s best friend. Lightyear follows young test pilot Buzz Lightyear (voiced by Chris Evans) and his journey to become the famous Space Ranger everyone now knows so well. Buzz will come across a variety of creatures in space and will also face the villainous Emperor Zurg. Rounding up the voice cast of Lightyear are Keke Palmer, Dale Soules, Taika Waititi, Uzo Aduba, James Brolin, and Peter Sohn. Lightyear is scheduled for a theatrical release on June 17, 2022.
Cars on the Road (TV series) – 2022
Pixar is also branching out to TV/streaming with shows based on some of its biggest (though perhaps not necessarily its most popular) movies. Following the steps of Monsters at Work comes Cars on the Road, based on the Cars movies. Cars on the Road will follow Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) and his best friend Mater (Larry the Cable Guy) on a cross-country road trip around the United States. Each episode will see McQueen and Mater in a different scenario, such as one where they will be chased by dinosaur-like cars, and in addition to introducing new characters, it will bring back some already established characters. Cars on the Road doesn’t have a release date yet, but it’s expected to release in fall 2022 on Disney+.
Win or Lose (TV series) – 2023
Pixar is also trying something new in the realm of streaming with an original TV series titled Win or Lose, the first original long-form TV show produced by the studio. Win or Lose is directed by Michael Yates and Carrie Hobson and follows a middle school softball team in the week leading up to their big championship game, with each episode told from the perspective of a different character. Win or Lose will stream exclusively on Disney+, and while it doesn’t have a release date yet, it’s expected to arrive in fall 2023.
Untitled Pixar Movie – June 16, 2023
At the time of writing, Lightyear is the only confirmed title in Pixar’s list of upcoming movies, but the studio already has three dates reserved for future movies. As Pixar is known for including an Easter egg of the following movie in each one of their films (which in turn made way for the famous Pixar universe theory), it shouldn’t be long for the studio to announce the movie that will come after Lightyear, so fans can look for the Easter egg and speculation over the new story can begin. It’s worth noting that Pixar will take it easier in 2023 with only one movie (and the above-mentioned Cars TV show) and will go back to its two-movies-a-year schedule in 2024.
Untitled Pixar Movie – March 1, 2024
Even though 2023 will only see one Pixar movie, fans won’t have to wait too long for a new animated adventure as the studio’s first 2024 movie will arrive in March. Again, there are no details on what this movie could be about – if it’s a prequel/origin story like Lightyear, original story, or based on a tale or legend – but an announcement could arrive along with that of the 2023 movie. However, the biggest question with these upcoming projects is if Disney will continue to send them directly to Disney+ or if they will be able to get a theatrical release like Lightyear (that is, of course, if plans for it don’t change in the coming months).
Untitled Pixar Movie – June 14, 2024
The last project in Pixar’s list of upcoming movies is one projected to release in the summer of 2024. Pixar tends to release its biggest movies in the summer, so this might be one of its most important projects in the near future, but again, details haven’t been released yet. Hopefully, this and the rest of Pixar’s movies will be able to get a theatrical release so viewers can get a sense of normalcy back, though, at this point, they are also getting used to enjoying new Pixar stories from the comfort and safety of their homes.