Soul (2020 Film)
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''Soul'' is a 2020 American computer-animated
musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...
comedy-drama Comedy drama, also known by the portmanteau ''dramedy'', is a genre of dramatic works that combines elements of comedy and drama. The modern, scripted-television examples tend to have more humorous bits than simple comic relief seen in a typical ...
film produced by
Pixar Animation Studios Pixar Animation Studios (commonly known as Pixar () and stylized as P I X A R) is an American computer animation studio known for its critically and commercially successful computer animated feature films. It is based in Emeryville, Californ ...
for
Walt Disney Pictures Walt Disney Pictures is an American film production company and subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios, which is owned by The Walt Disney Company. The studio is the flagship producer of live-action feature films within the Walt Disney Studios uni ...
. It was directed by Pete Docter, co-directed by
Kemp Powers Kemp Powers is an American filmmaker and playwright. He is best known for his work on the play ''One Night in Miami'', the 2020 film adaptation of the same name, and ''Soul''. His screenplay for ''One Night in Miami...'' earned him a Best Ada ...
, and produced by
Dana Murray Dana Leigh Murray is an American animator and film producer, best known for being the producer on the 2020 Pixar film ''Soul (2020 film), Soul'', for which she has won an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, Academy Award for Best Animat ...
, from a screenplay by Docter, Powers, and Mike Jones. The film stars the voices of
Jamie Foxx Eric Marlon Bishop (born December 13, 1967), known professionally as Jamie Foxx, is an American actor, comedian, and singer. He became widely known for his portrayal of Ray Charles in the 2004 biographical film ''Ray'', for which he won the A ...
,
Tina Fey Elizabeth Stamatina "Tina" Fey (; born May 18, 1970) is an American actress, comedian, writer, producer, and playwright. She is best known for her work on the NBC sketch comedy series ''Saturday Night Live'' (1997–2006) and for creating the ...
,
Graham Norton Graham William Walker (born 4 April 1963), better known by his stage name Graham Norton, is an Irish actor, author, comedian, commentator, and presenter. Well known for his work in the UK, he is a five-time BAFTA TV Award winner for his comed ...
, Rachel House,
Alice Braga Alice Braga Moraes (; born 15 April 1983) is a Brazilian actress and producer. She has appeared in several Brazilian films, starring as Angélica in the acclaimed '' City of God'' (2002), Karinna in ''Lower City'' (2005), and Dolores in '' Only ...
,
Richard Ayoade Richard Ellef Ayoade ( ; born 23 May 1977) is a British actor, comedian, broadcaster and filmmaker. He is best known for his role as socially awkward IT technician Maurice Moss in Channel 4 sitcom ''The IT Crowd'' (2006–2013), for which he ...
,
Phylicia Rashad Phylicia Rashad ( ) (née Ayers-Allen; born June 19, 1948) is an American actress, singer and director who is dean of the College of Fine Arts at Howard University. She is best known for her role as Clair Huxtable on the NBC sitcom ''The Cosby S ...
,
Donnell Rawlings Donnell M. Rawlings (born December 6, 1968) is an American comedian, actor, and radio host. He is best known as a cast member on the Comedy Central sketch comedy TV series ''Chappelle's Show'' and the HBO drama ''The Wire''. Early life Donnell ...
, Questlove, and
Angela Bassett Angela Evelyn Bassett (born August 16, 1958) is an American actress. She had her breakthrough with her portrayal of singer Tina Turner in the biopic ''What's Love Got to Do with It'' (1993), which garnered her a nomination for the Academy Award ...
play supporting voice roles. It follows a pianist, Joe Gardner (Foxx), who is killed in an accident before his big break as a jazz musician and seeks to reunite his separated soul and body. Docter conceived ''Soul'' in January 2016, examining the origins of human personalities and the concept of
determinism Determinism is a philosophical view, where all events are determined completely by previously existing causes. Deterministic theories throughout the history of philosophy have developed from diverse and sometimes overlapping motives and consi ...
. The film's producers consulted various jazz musicians, including
Herbie Hancock Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an American jazz pianist, keyboardist, bandleader, and composer. Hancock started his career with trumpeter Donald Byrd's group. He shortly thereafter joined the Miles Davis Quintet, where he help ...
and
Terri Lyne Carrington Terri Lyne Carrington (born August 4, 1965) is an American jazz drummer, composer, producer, and educator. She has played with Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz, Clark Terry, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Joe Sample, Al Jarreau, Yellowjackets, and ma ...
, and animated its musical sequences using the sessions of musician
Jon Batiste Jonathan Michael Batiste (born November 11, 1986) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, bandleader, and television personality. He has recorded and performed with artists in various genres of music (Stevie Wonder, Prince, Willie Nelson, L ...
as a reference. Apart from Batiste's original jazz compositions, musicians
Trent Reznor Michael Trent Reznor (born May 17, 1965) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, and composer. He serves as the lead vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and principal songwriter of the industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails, wh ...
and
Atticus Ross Atticus Matthew Cowper Ross (born 16 January 1968) is an English musician, record producer, composer, and audio engineer. Along with Trent Reznor, he won the Academy Award for Best Original Score for ''The Social Network'' in 2010. In 2013, th ...
composed the film's score. Production on ''Soul'' lasted for four years on an approximate $150million budget. This was the first Pixar film to feature a black lead. ''Soul'' premiered at the
London Film Festival The BFI London Film Festival is an annual film festival founded in 1957 and held in the United Kingdom, running for two weeks in October with co-operation from the British Film Institute. It screens more than 300 films, documentaries and sho ...
on October 11, 2020, and was scheduled to be theatrically released on June 19 and November 20. However, the feature was postponed due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
. ''Soul'' was released
direct-to-streaming Direct-to-video or straight-to-video refers to the Art release, release of a film, TV series, short or special to the public immediately on home video formats rather than an initial movie theater, theatrical release or Television film, televisio ...
on
Disney+ The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment Entertainment is a form of activity that holds the attention and interest of an audience or gives pleasure and deligh ...
on December 25, 2020, and in theaters in countries without the streaming service. ''Soul'' was well-received by critics for its craftsmanship, story, characters, and musical score. Organizations like the
National Board of Review The National Board of Review of Motion Pictures is a non-profit organization of New York City area film enthusiasts. Its awards, which are announced in early December, are considered an early harbinger of the film awards season that culminat ...
and the
American Film Institute The American Film Institute (AFI) is an American nonprofit film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private funding and public membership fees. Leade ...
named the film as one of the top ten films of 2020. ''Soul'' was nominated for three awards at the
93rd Academy Awards The 93rd Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored films released from January 1, 2020, to February 28, 2021, at Union Station in Los Angeles. The ceremony was held on April 25, 2021 ...
, winning two, and received numerous other accolades.


Plot

In New York City, pianist Joe Gardner teaches music part-time at a middle school while dreaming of playing jazz professionally. When he receives an offer for a full-time teaching position, his mother Libba urges him to accept it. Joe learns famous jazz musician Dorothea Williams has an opening in her quartet and auditions at a jazz club. Impressed with Joe's piano playing, Dorothea hires him for that night's show. As Joe heads off, his excitement distracts him, and he falls into a
manhole A manhole (utility hole, maintenance hole, or sewer hole) is an opening to a confined space such as a shaft, utility vault, or large vessel. Manholes are often used as an access point for an underground public utility, allowing inspection, m ...
down the sewer drain. Joe finds himself as a disembodied soul heading into an afterlife dubbed the " Great Beyond". Unwilling to die, he tries to escape but ends up in the " Great Before" — a realm where souls gain personalities and interests before being born on Earth. In the Great Before, counselors — all named Jerry — prepare unborn souls for life with the help of mentor souls. Each soul has a badge that grants passage to Earth, once the badge is completely filled with personality traits. Mistaken for a mentor, Joe is assigned to train a soul named 22, who wants to avoid Earth. 22 discovers that Joe's physical body is hospitalized and in a coma. She agrees to let Joe help find her "spark" — a soul's personal passion — to complete her badge so he can use it to return home. After Joe fails to find 22 a spark, they visit " the zone", a place that souls enter when their passions create a euphoric trance, but becomes a trap for obsessed, lost souls. They meet Moonwind—a
galleon Galleons were large, multi-decked sailing ships first used as armed cargo carriers by European states from the 16th to 18th centuries during the age of sail and were the principal vessels drafted for use as warships until the Anglo-Dutch W ...
captain—who helps the duo locate Joe's body on Earth. Joe returns to Earth but accidentally carries 22 with him. They mistakenly enter the wrong bodies — with 22 inhabiting Joe's body and Joe inhabiting the body of a therapy cat. They find Moonwind, who agrees to meet at the jazz club to restore Joe to his body. In the meantime, 22 settles into Joe's body and enjoys small moments while interacting with Joe's peers. She holds poignant conversations with his student Connie, his barber Dez, and mother. Meanwhile, Terry, being in charge of counting souls, arrives on earth to find Joe and restore the count. As the day ends, Joe and 22 visit Moonwind to return Joe to his body. After Joe tells 22 that her experiences were not purposes, 22 refuses and flees to find her spark with Joe tailing behind. As they run through a subway station, Terry traps them both and brings them back to the Great Before. 22 realizes her badge is filled out, yet Joe insists it was because of his traits, and that she has not truly found her spark. Angry, 22 throws the badge at him and disappears into the zone. A Jerry informs Joe that a spark is not a soul's purpose in life, but Joe refuses to believe this and uses 22's badge to return to Earth. The show at the jazz club is successful, but Joe is upset at his unchanged life even after fulfilling his dream. Looking at objects that 22 collected while in his body, he recalls the moments they had enjoyed together. Joe realizes these experiences have given 22 her spark. By playing piano, he enters the zone with the intent to return her badge, but discovers that she has become a lost soul. He chases her down, showing her a maple seed she collected to remind her of her time on Earth. They realize that a spark is not a soul's purpose, but indicates an intention to live. Joe's actions restore 22 to normal, returning her badge and escorting her out of the Great Before for her journey to Earth. As Joe prepares to enter the Great Beyond, a Jerry stops him and offers another chance at life for finally inspiring 22 to live. Joe returns to his body on Earth, and starts the next day committed to enjoying life.


Voice cast

*
Jamie Foxx Eric Marlon Bishop (born December 13, 1967), known professionally as Jamie Foxx, is an American actor, comedian, and singer. He became widely known for his portrayal of Ray Charles in the 2004 biographical film ''Ray'', for which he won the A ...
as Joe Gardner, a jazz pianist and music teacher *
Tina Fey Elizabeth Stamatina "Tina" Fey (; born May 18, 1970) is an American actress, comedian, writer, producer, and playwright. She is best known for her work on the NBC sketch comedy series ''Saturday Night Live'' (1997–2006) and for creating the ...
as 22, a cynical soul with a dim view of life on Earth *
Graham Norton Graham William Walker (born 4 April 1963), better known by his stage name Graham Norton, is an Irish actor, author, comedian, commentator, and presenter. Well known for his work in the UK, he is a five-time BAFTA TV Award winner for his comed ...
as Moonwind, a spiritual sign twirler * Rachel House as Terry, an obsessive soul counter *
Alice Braga Alice Braga Moraes (; born 15 April 1983) is a Brazilian actress and producer. She has appeared in several Brazilian films, starring as Angélica in the acclaimed '' City of God'' (2002), Karinna in ''Lower City'' (2005), and Dolores in '' Only ...
,
Richard Ayoade Richard Ellef Ayoade ( ; born 23 May 1977) is a British actor, comedian, broadcaster and filmmaker. He is best known for his role as socially awkward IT technician Maurice Moss in Channel 4 sitcom ''The IT Crowd'' (2006–2013), for which he ...
,
Wes Studi Wesley Studi ( chr, ᏪᏌ ᏍᏚᏗ; born December 17, 1947) is a Native American ( Cherokee Nation) actor and film producer. He has garnered critical acclaim and awards throughout his career, particularly for his portrayal of Native American ...
,
Fortune Feimster Emily Fortune Feimster (; born July 1, 1980) is an American writer, comedian, and actress. Having made her television debut on NBC's ''Last Comic Standing'' in 2010, Feimster starred as Colette on '' The Mindy Project'' (2015–2017). In July 2 ...
, and Zenobia Shroff as the five soul counselors in the Great Before who are all named Jerry *
Phylicia Rashad Phylicia Rashad ( ) (née Ayers-Allen; born June 19, 1948) is an American actress, singer and director who is dean of the College of Fine Arts at Howard University. She is best known for her role as Clair Huxtable on the NBC sitcom ''The Cosby S ...
as Libba Gardner, Joe's mother, who works as a
seamstress A dressmaker, also known as a seamstress, is a person who makes custom clothing for women, such as dresses, blouses, and evening gowns. Dressmakers were historically known as mantua-makers, and are also known as a modiste or fabrician. Nota ...
*
Donnell Rawlings Donnell M. Rawlings (born December 6, 1968) is an American comedian, actor, and radio host. He is best known as a cast member on the Comedy Central sketch comedy TV series ''Chappelle's Show'' and the HBO drama ''The Wire''. Early life Donnell ...
as Dez, Joe's
barber A barber is a person whose occupation is mainly to cut, dress, groom, style and shave men's and boys' hair or beards. A barber's place of work is known as a "barbershop" or a "barber's". Barbershops are also places of social interaction and publi ...
* Questlove as Lamont "Curley" Baker, a
drummer A drummer is a percussionist who creates music using drum The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel-Sachs classification system, it is a membranophone. Drums consist of at least one mem ...
in Dorothea Williams' band and a former student of Joe's *
Angela Bassett Angela Evelyn Bassett (born August 16, 1958) is an American actress. She had her breakthrough with her portrayal of singer Tina Turner in the biopic ''What's Love Got to Do with It'' (1993), which garnered her a nomination for the Academy Award ...
as Dorothea Williams, a jazz saxophonist Additionally,
Daveed Diggs Daveed Daniele Diggs (born January 24, 1982) is an American actor, rapper, and singer-songwriter. He is the vocalist of the experimental hip hop group Clipping, and in 2015, he originated the dual roles of Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jeffer ...
plays Paul, Joe's neighborhood
frenemy "Frenemy" (also spelled "frienemy") is an oxymoron and a portmanteau of "friend" and "enemy" that refers to "a person with whom one is friendly, despite a fundamental dislike or rivalry" or "a person who combines the characteristics of a friend ...
; Cora Champommier plays Connie, one of Joe's middle school band students; Margo Hall and Rhodessa Jones play Melba and Lulu, Libba's co-workers;
June Squibb June Louise Squibb (born November 6, 1929) is an American actress. In 2013, she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for the film ''Nebraska''. Squibb has appeared in the films ''Alice'', '' In & Out'', ''About Schm ...
plays Gerel, a soul who meets Joe before going to the Great Beyond; and Esther Chae is credited with playing Miho, a bassist in Williams' band, but Miho has no lines in the final film.
Cody Chesnutt Cody Chesnutt (stylized as Cody ChesnuTT; born October 21, 1968) is an American R&B and neo soul musician from Atlanta, Georgia. Biography Chesnutt's music blends elements of rock, funk, soul, hip hop, and blues. After relocating to Los Ang ...
provides his vocals, from his song "Parting Ways", as a street singer with a guitar.
Sakina Jaffrey Sakina Jaffrey (born February 14, 1962) is an American actress. Early life Jaffrey was born in New York City, the youngest daughter of Indian-born parents, actress and food and travel writer Madhur Jaffrey, and actor Saeed Jaffrey. Her parent ...
, Calum Grant, Laura Mooney, Peggy Flood, Ochuwa Oghie,
Jeannie Tirado Jeannie Tirado is an American voice actress. Some of her noteworthy roles include Zera in '' Fairy Tail Zero'', Leila Malcal in '' Code Geass: Akito the Exiled'', Kaga in '' KanColle: Kantai Collection'', Android 21 in ''Dragon Ball FighterZ'', a ...
, and
Cathy Cavadini Catherine Janet Cavadini is an American voice actress. She is most well known as the original voice of Blossom on Cartoon Network's animated television series ''The Powerpuff Girls'', and as and Tanya Mousekewitz in '' An American Tail: Fieve ...
provide the voices of Doctor, Hedge Fund Manager, Therapy Cat Lady, Marge, Dancerstar, Principal Arroyo, and Dreamerwind.


Production


Development and writing

''Soul'' began development in January 2016, when director Pete Docter sought new creative directions during the announcement of the
88th Academy Awards The 88th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best films of 2015 and took place on February 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, 5:30 p.m. PST. Dur ...
. He pondered the origins of human personalities with the concept of
determinism Determinism is a philosophical view, where all events are determined completely by previously existing causes. Deterministic theories throughout the history of philosophy have developed from diverse and sometimes overlapping motives and consi ...
. In his first meeting with co-writer Mike Jones, Docter pitched an idea set in
spacetime In physics, spacetime is a mathematical model that combines the three dimensions of space and one dimension of time into a single four-dimensional manifold. Spacetime diagrams can be used to visualize relativistic effects, such as why differen ...
involving souls with personalities. The film spent four years in production, with an approximate $150 million budget. Docter and Jones worked on the development of the main character for about two years. Initial ideas included portraying Joe as a scientist, which did not feel "so naturally pure". Pixar eventually settled on portraying the film's main character as a musician because they wanted an appealing profession for the audience. According to Docter, once the creative team decided the main character played jazz music, the filmmakers chose to make him African-American due to the race being tied to jazz history. With co-writer
Kemp Powers Kemp Powers is an American filmmaker and playwright. He is best known for his work on the play ''One Night in Miami'', the 2020 film adaptation of the same name, and ''Soul''. His screenplay for ''One Night in Miami...'' earned him a Best Ada ...
's help, Docter wrote Joe during the film's early development. Powers's initial contract was 12-weeks long, but was later extended. After making extensive contributions to the film, Powers became a co-director, making him Pixar's first African-American co-director. Powers based several elements of Joe on his personal life, but wanted the character to "transcend isown experience" in order to make him more accessible. Powers also placed additional emphasis on authentically depicting Joe's relationships within the black community. In order to portray accurately African-American culture within the film, Pixar worked closely with an internal "Cultural Trust" composed of black Pixar employees, and hired several consultants. These consultants included musicians
Herbie Hancock Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an American jazz pianist, keyboardist, bandleader, and composer. Hancock started his career with trumpeter Donald Byrd's group. He shortly thereafter joined the Miles Davis Quintet, where he help ...
,
Terri Lyne Carrington Terri Lyne Carrington (born August 4, 1965) is an American jazz drummer, composer, producer, and educator. She has played with Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz, Clark Terry, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Joe Sample, Al Jarreau, Yellowjackets, and ma ...
,
Quincy Jones Quincy Delight Jones Jr. (born March 14, 1933) is an American record producer, musician, songwriter, composer, arranger, and film and television producer. His career spans 70 years in the entertainment industry with a record of 80 Grammy Award n ...
, and
Jon Batiste Jonathan Michael Batiste (born November 11, 1986) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, bandleader, and television personality. He has recorded and performed with artists in various genres of music (Stevie Wonder, Prince, Willie Nelson, L ...
; educator
Johnnetta Cole Johnnetta Betsch Cole (born October 19, 1936) is an American anthropologist, educator, museum director, and college president. Cole was the first female African-American president of Spelman College, a historically black college, serving from 198 ...
; and stars Questlove and Diggs. The idea of Joe's soul entering the body of a therapy cat came from Jones. Docter and Powers appreciated the idea, as it allowed Joe to "be able to look at his own life from a different perspective" and appreciate it. According to Murray, the filmmakers were undecided on ''Soul'' ending before the last screening. Some test versions of the film ended featuring Joe pondering whether to pass on to the Great Beyond; returning to Earth a year later; or staying in the Great Before as a mentor. Initial storyboards featured several brief scenes showing 22's life on Earth after her new birth, including one of her reuniting with Joe in New York. These scenes were ultimately discarded.


Casting

In August 2019,
Jamie Foxx Eric Marlon Bishop (born December 13, 1967), known professionally as Jamie Foxx, is an American actor, comedian, and singer. He became widely known for his portrayal of Ray Charles in the 2004 biographical film ''Ray'', for which he won the A ...
,
Tina Fey Elizabeth Stamatina "Tina" Fey (; born May 18, 1970) is an American actress, comedian, writer, producer, and playwright. She is best known for her work on the NBC sketch comedy series ''Saturday Night Live'' (1997–2006) and for creating the ...
, Questlove,
Phylicia Rashad Phylicia Rashad ( ) (née Ayers-Allen; born June 19, 1948) is an American actress, singer and director who is dean of the College of Fine Arts at Howard University. She is best known for her role as Clair Huxtable on the NBC sitcom ''The Cosby S ...
and
Daveed Diggs Daveed Daniele Diggs (born January 24, 1982) is an American actor, rapper, and singer-songwriter. He is the vocalist of the experimental hip hop group Clipping, and in 2015, he originated the dual roles of Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jeffer ...
were announced as starring in the film. In March 2020,
Angela Bassett Angela Evelyn Bassett (born August 16, 1958) is an American actress. She had her breakthrough with her portrayal of singer Tina Turner in the biopic ''What's Love Got to Do with It'' (1993), which garnered her a nomination for the Academy Award ...
announced she was cast in the film. During the release of the film's trailer in October 2020,
Richard Ayoade Richard Ellef Ayoade ( ; born 23 May 1977) is a British actor, comedian, broadcaster and filmmaker. He is best known for his role as socially awkward IT technician Maurice Moss in Channel 4 sitcom ''The IT Crowd'' (2006–2013), for which he ...
,
Graham Norton Graham William Walker (born 4 April 1963), better known by his stage name Graham Norton, is an Irish actor, author, comedian, commentator, and presenter. Well known for his work in the UK, he is a five-time BAFTA TV Award winner for his comed ...
, Rachel House,
Alice Braga Alice Braga Moraes (; born 15 April 1983) is a Brazilian actress and producer. She has appeared in several Brazilian films, starring as Angélica in the acclaimed '' City of God'' (2002), Karinna in ''Lower City'' (2005), and Dolores in '' Only ...
,
Wes Studi Wesley Studi ( chr, ᏪᏌ ᏍᏚᏗ; born December 17, 1947) is a Native American ( Cherokee Nation) actor and film producer. He has garnered critical acclaim and awards throughout his career, particularly for his portrayal of Native American ...
,
Fortune Feimster Emily Fortune Feimster (; born July 1, 1980) is an American writer, comedian, and actress. Having made her television debut on NBC's ''Last Comic Standing'' in 2010, Feimster starred as Colette on '' The Mindy Project'' (2015–2017). In July 2 ...
, Zenobia Shroff,
Donnell Rawlings Donnell M. Rawlings (born December 6, 1968) is an American comedian, actor, and radio host. He is best known as a cast member on the Comedy Central sketch comedy TV series ''Chappelle's Show'' and the HBO drama ''The Wire''. Early life Donnell ...
and
June Squibb June Louise Squibb (born November 6, 1929) is an American actress. In 2013, she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for the film ''Nebraska''. Squibb has appeared in the films ''Alice'', '' In & Out'', ''About Schm ...
were also announced to be in the cast. Docter said
Jamie Foxx Eric Marlon Bishop (born December 13, 1967), known professionally as Jamie Foxx, is an American actor, comedian, and singer. He became widely known for his portrayal of Ray Charles in the 2004 biographical film ''Ray'', for which he won the A ...
was perfect for Joe, citing his comedic skills and musical background. Foxx related the film's "bittersweet
eeling Eels are ray-finned fish belonging to the order Anguilliformes (), which consists of eight suborders, 19 families, 111 genera, and about 800 species. Eels undergo considerable development from the early larval stage to the eventual adult stag ...
of losing someone but gaining a vision of joy", following the death of his 36-year-old sister in October 2020.
Tina Fey Elizabeth Stamatina "Tina" Fey (; born May 18, 1970) is an American actress, comedian, writer, producer, and playwright. She is best known for her work on the NBC sketch comedy series ''Saturday Night Live'' (1997–2006) and for creating the ...
, in addition to voicing 22, also contributed to the screenplay, helping to write her character's lines. She considered the film, in the context of the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
, a "helpful reminder that ifeisn't defined by achievement or attainment".


Animation and design

''Soul'' is Pixar's first film to feature an African-American protagonist. Pixar and Docter were mindful of the history of racist imagery (particularly caricatured depictions of African-Americans) in animation and wanted to create black characters as well as integrate authentic
African-American culture African-American culture refers to the contributions of African Americans to the culture of the United States, either as part of or distinct from mainstream American culture. The culture is both distinct and enormously influential on Ame ...
into the film's "DNA" to prevent caricatures, stereotypes, and tropes. Pixar sought to capture the fine details of the characters, including the textures of black hair and the way light plays on various tones of black skin. According to Powers, the animators used lighting in emphasizing the character's ethnic features. Cinematographer Bradford Young worked as a lighting consultant on the film. Animators used footage of several music performers, including Batiste, as reference for the film's musical sequences. By capturing
MIDI MIDI (; Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a technical standard that describes a communications protocol, digital interface, and electrical connectors that connect a wide variety of electronic musical instruments, computers, and re ...
data from the sessions, animators retraced the exact key being played on the piano with each note and animated the performances authentically. According to Docter, the animators assigned to specific musical instruments often either had experience playing them or a great appreciation for them. The souls were animated by the filmmakers in a "vaporous", "ethereal", and "non-physical" way. Souls were designed to depict various religious and cultural outlooks. The designs were also inspired by early drawings made by Docter. Animators created two designs for the souls in the film: one for the new souls in "The Great Before" (described as "very cute, very appealing, with simple, rounded shapes" by supervising animator Jude Brownbill) and one for mentor souls (feature distinctive characteristics since they have been on Earth). They differentiated souls from ghosts by adjusting their color palette accordingly. Animating the souls' designs was challenging and substantial. According to Murray, several artists helped create the souls' designs by giving their suggestions and opinions on how they should look. The design of soul counselors ("Jerrys") originated from line drawings made by story artist Aphton Corbin. Another artist created
wire sculpture Wire sculpture is the creation of sculpture or jewelry (sometimes called wire wrap jewelry) out of wire. The use of metal wire in jewelry dates back to the 2nd Dynasty in Egypt and to the Bronze and Iron Ages in Europe. In the 20th century, the wor ...
s of them, and the design was finalized. Together, with the design of "Terry", they were seen by critics as a reference to
Osvaldo Cavandoli Osvaldo Cavandoli (1 January 1920 – 3 March 2007), also known by his pen name Cava, was an Italian cartoonist. His most famous work is his series of short animated cartoons, '' La Linea'' ("The Line"). Early life, family and education Cavandol ...
's 1971 Italian animated series '' La Linea''. ''Soul'' fantastical elements were difficult to render. To address the issue, Docter referred to his film '' Inside Out'' (2015), where the filmmakers personified through physicality. For the Great Before, the filmmakers did not want it to be based in any specific culture given its nature of universality. They sought inspiration from the architecture of 1930s–1960s
world's fair A world's fair, also known as a universal exhibition or an expo, is a large international exhibition designed to showcase the achievements of nations. These exhibitions vary in character and are held in different parts of the world at a specif ...
s, making a "sense of awe and importance". Production designer Steve Pilcher believed in the simplicity of the Great Before, saying that it was complicated and naive. According to Docter, the aim of the design was to "make a grand statement about learning and knowledge." The personality pavilions were designed to be "abstract-looking shapes" as a literal interpretation of the abstract ideas they represent. For the Great Beyond, the filmmakers conceptualized "going toward the light", which they believed the audience would understand. The astral plane sequence took months to create, despite the actual scene having a short duration.
Visual effects Visual effects (sometimes abbreviated VFX) is the process by which imagery is created or manipulated outside the context of a live-action shot in filmmaking and video production. The integration of live-action footage and other live-action foota ...
supervisor Bill Watral compared the sequence to '' Psycho'' (1960) shower scene, taking a long time to film in spite of the actual short time span. During this sequence, filmmakers painstakingly animated sands, liquids, and rocks for the brief sequence. To animate New York, the filmmakers explored jazz clubs and pizza stops for inspiration. A barbershop scene received additional input from Powers. The animation style moved away from photorealism, depicting the city as distorted and crooked.


Music

Musicians
Trent Reznor Michael Trent Reznor (born May 17, 1965) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, and composer. He serves as the lead vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and principal songwriter of the industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails, wh ...
and
Atticus Ross Atticus Matthew Cowper Ross (born 16 January 1968) is an English musician, record producer, composer, and audio engineer. Along with Trent Reznor, he won the Academy Award for Best Original Score for ''The Social Network'' in 2010. In 2013, th ...
of
Nine Inch Nails Nine Inch Nails, commonly abbreviated as NIN and stylized as NIИ, is an American industrial rock band formed in Cleveland in 1988. Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Trent Reznor was the only permanent member of the band ...
composed an ambient score for the metaphysical segments of the film, while Batiste composed a number of original
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
songs for the New York City-based segments of the film. Batiste created a "user-friendly jazz", which felt "authentic" but could still be appreciated by a general audience. Ross composed a "somewhat ominous" musical cue in the afterlife walkway scene, which also incorporated real-world sounds. Reznor and Ross were brought in on the recommendation of sound designer
Ren Klyce Ren Klyce is a Japanese-American sound designer and sound mixer. He has been nominated for nine Academy Awards; six for Best Sound and three for Best Sound Editing. He is best known for his frequent collaborations with director David Fincher, ...
, who had worked extensively with the duo in David Fincher films. The score and the original songs from ''Soul'' were released in two
vinyl Vinyl may refer to: Chemistry * Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a particular vinyl polymer * Vinyl cation, a type of carbocation * Vinyl group, a broad class of organic molecules in chemistry * Vinyl polymer, a group of polymers derived from vinyl m ...
-exclusive albums, while also compiled onto a single digital album. " It's All Right", the end credits song performed by Batiste, was originally recorded by
The Impressions The Impressions were an American music group originally formed in 1958. Their repertoire includes gospel, doo-wop, R&B, and soul. The group was founded as the Roosters by Chattanooga, Tennessee natives Sam Gooden, Richard Brooks and Arthur Bro ...
. A second cover of the song, a duet between Batiste and British soul singer Celeste, was released alongside the film.


Release


Theatrical and streaming

The 101-minute ''Soul'' premiered on October 11, 2020, at the
BFI London Film Festival The BFI London Film Festival is an annual film festival founded in 1957 and held in the United Kingdom, running for two weeks in October with co-operation from the British Film Institute. It screens more than 300 films, documentaries and shor ...
. It was originally scheduled for theatrical release in the United States on June 19, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ''Soul'' was pushed back to November 20. The film eventually shifted to a December 25
Disney+ The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment Entertainment is a form of activity that holds the attention and interest of an audience or gives pleasure and deligh ...
release. Unlike ''
Mulan Hua Mulan () is a legendary folk heroine from the Northern and Southern dynasties era (4th to 6th century CE) of Chinese history. According to legend, Mulan took her aged father's place in the conscription for the army by disguising herself as ...
'', ''Soul'' did not do so through Disney+ Premier Access, making it free for all subscribers. In international markets where Disney+ was not available, ''Soul'' was released theatrically. These included China, the Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, among others. The film was included in their lineups of the 2020 Cannes Film Festival and the
Rome Film Festival International Rome Film Fest is a film festival that takes place in Rome during the month of October. The name in Italian is Festa del Cinema di Roma. Sections The Rome Film Festival official program is divided into several sections: Cinema d'O ...
; it opened on October 15. In theaters, ''Soul'' was intended to be accompanied by ''
SparkShorts ''SparkShorts'' is a series of American independent animated short films produced by Pixar Animation Studios. It consists of a program in which Pixar's employees are given six months and limited budgets to develop animated short films that were or ...
'' short film '' Burrow'', but it premiered on Disney+ instead. A prequel short to ''Soul'' was released in 2021, titled ''
22 vs. Earth ''22 vs. Earth'' is a 2021 American animated short film produced by Pixar Animation Studios. Directed by Kevin Nolting and written by Josh Cooley, the short stars 22, a character who originated in the 2020 Pixar feature film ''Soul'', as she fo ...
''. It focuses on 22 leading a rebellion against her superiors. ''Soul'' markes the first foreign film to be released theatrically in the Philippines on Christmas Day, following the 2020 Metro Manila Film Festival shifting to virtually due to
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
.


Home media

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Inc., doing business as Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, is the home entertainment distribution arm of The Walt Disney Company. The division handles the distribution of Disney's films, television series, an ...
released ''Soul'' on
Ultra HD Blu-ray Ultra HD Blu-ray (4K Ultra HD, UHD-BD, or 4K Blu-ray) is a digital optical disc data storage format that is an enhanced variant of Blu-ray. Ultra HD Blu-ray discs are incompatible with existing standard Blu-ray players, though a traditional Bl ...
,
Blu-ray The Blu-ray Disc (BD), often known simply as Blu-ray, is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 2005 and released on June 20, 2006 worldwide. It is designed to supersede the DVD format, and capable of sto ...
,
DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any kind ...
, and digital download on March 23, 2021. Physical copies contain behind-the-scenes featurettes, audio commentary, and deleted scenes.


Reception


Box office

''Soul'' earned $121million in other territories. The film grossed $7.65 million in its opening weekend in 10 markets, including $5.5 million from China. By February 2021, ''Soul'' had become the highest-grossing Pixar release ever in Russia ($18.3 million), Ukraine ($1.9 million), and Saudi Arabia ($5.9 million). Its top international markets at that point were China ($57.9 million), Russia, South Korea ($14.8 million), Taiwan ($6.4 million), and Saudi Arabia.


Streaming viewership

Following the release of ''Soul'' on
Disney+ The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment Entertainment is a form of activity that holds the attention and interest of an audience or gives pleasure and deligh ...
, research firm
Screen Engine Screen or Screens may refer to: Arts * Screen printing (also called ''silkscreening''), a method of printing * Big screen, a nickname associated with the motion picture industry * Split screen (filmmaking), a film composition paradigm in which mul ...
reported that 13 percent of viewers watched the film, and it over-indexed among parents, particularly mothers. The company also said that ''Soul'' was among the most-watched straight-to-streaming titles of the year, behind ''
Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: People * Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname ** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland ** Lord Hamilt ...
'' and ''
Wonder Woman 1984 ''Wonder Woman 1984'' (also known as ''WW84'') is a 2020 American superhero film based on the DC character Wonder Woman. Produced by Warner Bros. Pictures, DC Films, Atlas Entertainment, and The Stone Quarry, and distributed by Warner Bros. P ...
''. On December 21–27, 2020, the film gathered 1.669 billion minutes of watch time, making it the number 1 streaming title that week. Nielsen reported that ''Wonder Woman 1984'', with 2.252 billion minutes of streaming on
HBO Max HBO Max is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Launched in the United States on May 27, 2020, the service is built around the libraries of HBO, Warner Bros., Cartoon Netw ...
, had surpassed ''Soul'', with 1.7 billion minutes on Disney+, in streaming numbers on Christmas weekend.
Samba TV Samba TV is a television technology company that offers real-time insights and audience analytics. It was founded in 2008 by early employees of BitTorrent, including Samba TV's current CEO, Ashwin Navin. It develops software for televisions, set ...
later reported that 2.4 million households streamed the film over its opening weekend. Nielsen reported that ''Soul'' was the most streamed film across all platforms, during the week from January 4–10, 2021.


Critical response

On the
review aggregator A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews of products and services (such as films, books, video games, software, hardware, and cars). This system stores the reviews and uses them for purposes such as supporting a website where users ...
website
Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...
, ''Soul'' holds an approval rating of based on reviews, with an average rating of . The site's critical consensus reads, "A film as beautiful to contemplate as it is to behold, ''Soul'' proves Pixar's power to deliver outstanding all-ages entertainment remains undimmed."
Metacritic Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
, which uses a weighted average, assigned ''Soul'' a score of 83 out of 100 based on 55 critics, indicating "universal acclaim". Several journalists praised ''Soul'' for its craftsmanship, which they saw as an exercise of Docter's expertise, as the film was considered a return of Pixar's form by some critics. Leslie Felperin (''
The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...
'') and Jason Solomons (''
TheWrap ''TheWrap'' is an American online news website covering the business of entertainment and media via digital, print and live events. It was founded by journalist Sharon Waxman Sharon I. Waxman (born c.1963) is an American author, journalist, ...
'') described the film as its peak, with Solomons characterized its "colorful visuals and gentle wisdom". A. O. Scott of ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' expressed its "combination of skill, feeling and inspiration". The story, characters, and music were sources of praise. Kaleem Aftab of
IndieWire IndieWire (sometimes stylized as indieWIRE or Indiewire) is a film industry and review website that was established in 1996. The site's focus was predominantly independent film, although its coverage has grown to "to include all aspects of Hollyw ...
felt the narrative " eeredoff in many unexpected directions, so that even the inevitable end point feels just right." ''
USA Today ''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...
'' Brian Truitt commended the performances of Foxx and Fey. For ''
Time Out Dubai ''Time Out'' is a global magazine published by Time Out Group. ''Time Out'' started as a London-only publication in 1968 and has expanded its editorial recommendations to 328 cities in 58 countries worldwide. In 2012, the London edition becam ...
'', Whelan Barzey believed Joe's story could appeal to many generations. Felperin and
Peter Travers Peter Joseph Travers (born ) is an American film critic, journalist, and television presenter. He reviews films for ABC News and previously served as a movie critic for ''People'' and ''Rolling Stone''. Travers also hosts the film interview prog ...
(
ABC News ABC News is the news division of the American broadcast network ABC. Its flagship program is the daily evening newscast ''ABC World News Tonight, ABC World News Tonight with David Muir''; other programs include Breakfast television, morning ...
) praised the musical score, calling it "sublime". Truitt and Travers credited Batiste, Reznor, and Ross for their music merits. Reviews were not uniformly positive. Kirsten Acuna from ''
Insider ''Insider'', previously named ''Business Insider'' (''BI''), is an American financial and business news website founded in 2007. Since 2015, a majority stake in ''Business Insider''s parent company Insider Inc. has been owned by the German publ ...
'' felt that "the studio had taken a few steps backward" in their racial "sensitivity" as ''Soul'' used the same trope of "turning Black characters into creatures". Molly Freeman of ''
Screen Rant ''Screen Rant'' is an entertainment website that offers news in the fields of television, films, video games, and film theories. ''Screen Rant'' was launched by Vic Holtreman in 2003, and originally had its primary office in Ogden, Utah. ''Scr ...
'' acknowledged the film's "message about the meaning of life and finding purpose, but it's messy and only made muddier by the questions the movie sets up then fails to answer. The result is ''Soul'' loses much of its emotional impact, with the third act playing out more like a rush to the finish line of the story without giving as much weight to the themes and emotional throughline of the film." Charles Pulliam-Moore of ''
Gizmodo ''Gizmodo'' ( ) is a design, technology, science and science fiction website. It was originally launched as part of the Gawker Media network run by Nick Denton, and runs on the Kinja platform. ''Gizmodo'' also includes the subsite ''io9'', whic ...
'' wrote that "''Soul'' comes across less like an earnest and casual celebration of everyday Blackness, and more like a twee depiction of it that’s meant for white audiences' consumption."


Accolades

At the
93rd Academy Awards The 93rd Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored films released from January 1, 2020, to February 28, 2021, at Union Station in Los Angeles. The ceremony was held on April 25, 2021 ...
, ''Soul'' received a nomination for Best Sound, and won Best Animated Feature and Best Original Score. The film's other nominations include ten
Annie Awards The Annie Awards are accolades which the Los Angeles branch of the International Animated Film Association, ASIFA-Hollywood, has presented each year since 1972 to recognize excellence in animation shown in Film, cinema and television. Originally ...
(winning seven), three
British Academy Film Awards The British Academy Film Awards, more commonly known as the BAFTA Film Awards is an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to honour the best British and international contributions to film. The cere ...
(winning two), a
Critics' Choice Movie Award The Critics' Choice Movie Awards (formerly known as the Broadcast Film Critics Association Award) is an awards show presented annually by the American-Canadian Critics Choice Association (CCA) to honor the finest in cinematic achievement. Writt ...
(which it won), and two Golden Globe Awards (winning two). It was named one of the ten best films of 2020 by the
National Board of Review The National Board of Review of Motion Pictures is a non-profit organization of New York City area film enthusiasts. Its awards, which are announced in early December, are considered an early harbinger of the film awards season that culminat ...
(where it also won National Board of Review Award for Best Animated Film, Best Animated Film) and the
American Film Institute The American Film Institute (AFI) is an American nonprofit film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private funding and public membership fees. Leade ...
.


Notes


References


External links

* * *
Script
{{Authority control 2020 comedy-drama films 2020 computer-animated films 2020 fantasy films 2020s American animated films 2020s musical films 2020s English-language films African-American animated films American children's animated fantasy films American computer-animated films American fantasy films American musical drama films American musical fantasy films American ghost films American animated feature films Animated films about cats Animated films about music and musicians Animated films set in New York City Annie Award winners Best Animated Feature Academy Award winners Best Animated Feature Annie Award winners Best Animated Feature BAFTA winners Best Animated Feature Film Golden Globe winners Body swapping in films Disney+ original films Magic realism films Metaphysical fiction films Existentialist films Films about the afterlife Films about educators Films about pianos and pianists Films directed by Pete Docter Films impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic Films scored by Atticus Ross Films scored by Trent Reznor Films set in hospitals Films that won the Best Original Score Academy Award Films with screenplays by Kemp Powers Films with screenplays by Pete Docter Jazz films Pixar animated films Walt Disney Pictures animated films