Turning Red is an upcoming American 3D computer-animated fantasy-comedy coming-of-age film produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios to be distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It is written and directed by Domee Shi (in her feature directorial debut), produced by Lindsey Collins, and starring Rosalie Chiang and Sandra Oh. It is the first Pixar film to be solely directed by a woman.
Set in 2002-2003 Toronto, the film centers around Mei Lee, confident thirteen-year-old Chinese-Canadian girl who is torn between staying her mother’s dutiful daughter and the chaos of adolescence. And, as if changes to her interests, relationships, and body were not enough, whenever she gets too excited or stressed, she “poofs” into a giant red panda.
Rosalie Chiang as Meilin “Mei” Lee, a 13-year-old girl who can suddenly turn into a giant red panda whenever she is excited or stressed. Sandra Oh as Ming Lee, Mei’s overprotective and strict mother.
On May 8, 2018, it was reported that Shi, who wrote and directed the Pixar short Bao that same year, was writing and directing a full-length feature film at the studio, making her the second woman to direct a Pixar film. On November 26, 2018, Shi confirmed that she was working on a film at the studio. Shi also said that the film was in early stages of development, with the story still being worked on, and that “[she is] really excited to play in this new 90-minute film format”.On January 1, 2019, Shi said that she planned for the film to be “entertaining and emotional”. On December 9, 2020, Shi’s film was announced with the title Turning Red, with the plot also being unveiled. The film takes place in Toronto, Canada during the early 2000s, as indicated through scenes in the teaser trailer and on Mei’s student ID in the teaser poster, as well as confirmation by a production designer in February 2021. Rona Liu will serve as production designer in the film, after previously doing so for Bao. Liu said that working on a feature film was “a dream come true” for her. Swedish composer Ludwig Göransson is set to compose the film’s score making his first animated feature film.
Turning Red is scheduled to be theatrically released in the United States on March 11, 2022, by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. On June 17, 2021, a Pixar insider reaffirmed the film would have a theatrical release, after both Soul (2020) and Luca (2021) were assigned direct-to-digital releases on Disney+ in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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