Pixar has never shied away from deep subject matter and concepts, but with their latest film Soul they take on mortality and some of life's most existential questions.
First revealed this past summer at D23, Soul features Jamie Foxx, marking the studio's first time ever with a black lead actor. Foxx voices Joe Gardner, an aspiring jazz musician who finally sees his dreams of playing in a prestigious club coming true, only to suffer an accident that leaves his soul separated and adrift in the great beyond, looking for a means to return.
"Ever wonder where your passion, your dreams and your interests come from? What is it that makes you … you? Soul takes you on a journey from the streets of New York City to the cosmic realms to discover the answers to life's most important questions."
Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, and Jon Batiste worked on the movie's score, which promises to be more prevalent than most Pixar movies given the lead character and the subject matter. Director and Pixar COO Pete Docter tells TheWrap...
“I grew up with Peanuts cartoons and the Vince Guaraldi music. I feel like it’s coursing through my veins and this is our version of that. Jon Batiste is a fantastic musician–he’s a historian yet is able to push the music forward, bringing all these different influences to the work. I sincerely hope that the jazz music in ‘Soul’ will inspire a whole new generation.”
Also featuring the voices of Phylicia Rashad, Tina Fey, and Daveed Diggs, Soul opens in theaters on June 19th 2020.
