DVDizzy Forum

Clindor wrote:Funny enough to notice that the movie will take place in the early 2000’s.. probably the time the Domee Shi was a teenager herself..

Exactly, that's probably why it's set in those years.


Here's the new official synopsis. Rosalie Chiang voices Mei Mei and Sandra Oh her mother Ming.

Growing up is a beast. Check out the new trailer for the upcoming all-new original feature film “Turning Red” from Pixar Animation Studios’ director Domee Shi, who won an Oscar® for her 2018 short film, “Bao.” Young actress Rosalie Chiang lends her voice to Mei Lee, a 13-year-old who suddenly “poofs” into a giant red panda when she gets too excited (which is practically ALWAYS). Sandra Oh voices Mei Lee’s protective, if not slightly overbearing mother, Ming, who is never far from her daughter—an unfortunate reality for the teenager. Directed by Shi and produced by Lindsey Collins, Disney and Pixar’s “Turning Red” releases March 11, 2022.

Three stills have also been released. Here are them with their captions:

MOTHER’S NATURE – In Disney and Pixar’s all-new original feature film “Turning Red,” confident-but-dorky teenager Mei Lee is torn between staying her mother’s dutiful daughter and the chaos of adolescence. And Mei Lee’s mother has very strong feelings about it all.

Source: https://photos.mouseinfo.com/Official-I ... /i-VzhKhVJ

GROWING PAINS — Disney and Pixar’s all-new original feature film “Turning Red” introduces 13-year-old Mei Lee, a confident-but-dorky teenager torn between staying her mother’s dutiful daughter and the chaos of adolescence. And as if changes to her interests, relationships and body weren’t enough, she also “poofs” into a giant red panda at decidedly inconvenient times.

Source: https://photos.mouseinfo.com/Official-I ... /i-hRJCNjB

GIANT PROBLEM – In Disney and Pixar’s all-new original feature film “Turning Red,” 13-year-old Mei Lee “poofs” into a giant panda when she gets too excited (which for a teenager is practically ALWAYS).

Source: https://photos.mouseinfo.com/Official-I ... /i-VtB8cNr

estefan wrote:I've noticed Canadians on my social media feeds going nuts for this, because of the Toronto setting.

With this and Luca, I wonder if we're going to start seeing a new trend of Pixar films where directors tell stories inspired by their childhoods and set in places they grew up in, where the characters just vibe. I really liked Luca for its low-key nature, so I wouldn't mind more Pixar movies in that vein. "Bao" is also one of my favourite Pixar shorts, so I'm up for anything Domee Shi decides to direct.

Back in the day, it was cool to see the box office gross for Pixar movies in the countries they were set in.

France for Ratatouille, but I think it did well in the whole of Europe.
Venezuela for Up, but also whole of Latin America.
Can't remember if Brave did anything notable in Scotland/UK.
Mexico for Coco.

If only Luca was released in cinemas and in a more normal setting, it'd be cool to see what it would gross in Italy/Europe. Alas.

As for this movie, it doesn't look like a Pixar flick. It also seems like nobody knows she turns into a red panda - and the panda is huge so really not sure what it has to do with the story. I just hope it gets a cinema release next year.

edit: Also, I don't mind directors telling a personal story they want to tell. Technically Brave was meant to be that. The Good Dinosaur as well. But both directors were kicked off the project. But it has to be more like Luca (and better really) and less like Onward. Onward was really painfully generic.

I think it looks cute. I'm not sure how I feel about Pixar mimicking other studios' visual style. Even the way Mei cried looked very Ghibli-esque. I liked the mom character. She seems funny in a retro anime type of way. Mei changing into a giant red panda over any strong emotion is overkill. They should have limited it to just stress/anxiety or fear. It seemed like this was the first time she transformed in school since everyone was so surprised. I hope the town's response and reaction to that is addressed in the film. They should at least show some people feeling afraid or unsettled by this development. Everyone being understanding and supportive is not very believable.

Rewatching the trailer I already feel a lot of empathy for the main character.. (Funny how the recent Pixar projects speak sooo much more to me than the films from their golden era in 2007/2010. Could this be that the new Pixar projects are much more personal than they were in the past? I can definitely feel a big difference.) Just like Onward, Soul and Luca, this could be one of their hidden gems..

New image and some info from Disney Canada:

This one’s for you Canada

Director Domee Shi chose her hometown of Toronto as the backdrop for her new feature film, with Ottawa native Sandra Oh lending her voice and a group of very talented Canadian artists on the filmmaking team.

Get ready for all of the Canadian easter eggs in Turning Red, Spring 2022

Source: https://twitter.com/DisneyStudiosCA/sta ... 7395200016 (via the Pixar Post forum)


And two small details about the trailer: the subtitles reveal Mei Mei's teacher is called Mr. Kielowski, and the song that can be heard in it ("Larger Than Life" by the Backstreet Boys) is from 1999, around the time when the movie takes place.

Sotiris wrote:It seemed like this was the first time she transformed in school since everyone was so surprised. I hope the town's response and reaction to that is addressed in the film. They should at least show some people feeling afraid or unsettled by this development. Everyone being understanding and supportive is not very believeable.

I wonder if Mei and her mother will have to move to another place every time she transforms into a panda in public.

*squeeeeeeeeeeeeeee* I LOVE THIS ALREADY. Cute panda, Backstreet Boys. SO CUTE. SO up my alley.

PatrickvD wrote:This looks more like Illumination imitating Ghibli than Disney or PIXAR.

That's on the mark. But I guess it was bound to look a little different from Ghibli simply for being 3D.

PatrickvD wrote:Complete with Backstreet Boys song in the trailer to top it off with some Dreamworks vibes.

That was my main thought. I liked it until that, "Backstreet Boys, seriously?"

I think it looks cute overall though. That's pretty much my same reaction to Encanto's trailer, too. I guess I preferred the epic feel to Raya and Frozen 2, overall, but Turning Red looks like a more interesting concept going by the trailers than Encanto. Mei's design is much less bland than Mirabel's, too, partly credited to Domee Shi basing the character off herself versus WDAS merely aiming for an "inoffensive" design for their first Latina princess. I thought she was supposed to only transform from embarrassment, but her turning back at the end of the trailer when she jumped for joy looks more like any strong emotion will cause it.

Sotiris wrote:I think it looks cute. I'm not sure how I feel about Pixar mimicking other studios' visual style. Even the way Mei cried looked very Ghibli-esque. I liked the mom character. She seems funny in a retro anime type of way. Mei changing into a giant red panda over any strong emotion is an overkill. They should have limited it to just stress/anxiety or fear. It seemed like this was the first time she transformed in school since everyone was so surprised. I hope the town's response and reaction to that is addressed in the film. They should at least show some people feeling afraid or unsettled by this development. Everyone being understanding and supportive is not very believeable.

I'm not attached to the PIXAR style like I am with things about WDAS, in fact I've often disliked PIXAR in the past. So I'm fine with PIXAR not staying like itself.

I've noticed Mei's hair is brown in the poster and the image from Disney Canada, but red in the trailer when she tries to calm herself down. I guess she's normally brunette, but her hair turns red when she's about to transform into a red panda. That would explain why she needs to cover her hair with a hat when she's at school.

Disney's Divinity wrote:That's on the mark. But I guess it was bound to look a little different from Ghibli simply for being 3D.

Ghibli also does 3D now. In fact, some of the character designs immediately reminded me of Earwig and the Witch. I like the visual style, though, and they have a bit more of an excuse for using the Ghibli inspiration here since the characters are also Asian. I just hope Lightyear has a more conventional Pixar look.

Disney's Divinity wrote:I thought she was supposed to only transform from embarrassment, but her turning back at the end of the trailer when she jumped for joy looks more like any strong emotion will cause it.

Yes, that's what it looks like. Since she transforms into a giant red panda due to a family curse, I wonder if this will keep happening to her when she gets older or only until she learns how to control it. Perhaps the rest of her family also has that "ability" but they can decide when to transform. I wonder if part of the plot will involve her trying to break that curse.

I think the trailer looks cute. I wouldn't say I'm necessarily excited for it, but it does pique my interest. I'm not sold on "Larger Than Life," though. I guess it's just meant to be a callback, but that song came out in 1999. I'm sure there were songs from 2002/2003 that fit a similar tone that would've made a bit more sense.

TheSequelOfDisney wrote:I think the trailer looks cute. I wouldn't say I'm necessarily excited for it, but it does pique my interest. I'm not sold on "Larger Than Life," though. I guess it's just meant to be a callback, but that song came out in 1999. I'm sure there were songs from 2002/2003 that fit a similar tone that would've made a bit more sense.

People continued listening to the Backstreet Boys throughout the early 2000's. Their Arthur episode came out in 2002.

It seems the movie's indeed quite based on Dome Shi's own life experiences.


Source: Domee Shi's Instagram story


I actually quite relate to the scene in the teaser because my mother is not too different from Dome Shi's mother. Mine didn't go as far as hers, but has done similar things sometimes.

The Backstreet Boys song is probably only in the trailer. It's very common for popular songs to be included in animated movie trailers that aren't actually in the movie. Remember when "Bitter Sweet Ceremony" was in the trailer for Coco? I've also always associated The Who's "Baba O'Riley" with A Bug's Life, even though it was only ever played in the trailer.

However, if a Backstreet Boys song is in Turning Red, it wouldn't be that out of place or an obvious attempt to be hip. A lot of their most famous chart-topping hits are over twenty years at this point. So it would be the equivalent of when "You Might Think" was heard in Cars 2.

How are the Backstreet Boys "hip" in 2021? Most 20+- years old or younger people don't know them:


I actually would like if they used late 90's - early 2000's soundtrack in the movie considering these are the kind of songs a teenager would listen to in that time period.

Ludwig Göransson has been confirmed as the film's composer.

D82 wrote: I actually quite relate to the scene in the teaser because my mother is not too different from Dome Shi's mother. Mine didn't go as far as hers, but has done similar things sometimes.

And I love that Sandra Oh is playing her! So soon after playing Virana in Raya, too. Oh's a great actress, so I'm fine with her getting regular work at WDAS / PIXAR.

Disney's Divinity wrote:And I love that Sandra Oh is playing her! So soon after playing Virana in Raya, too. Oh's a great actress, so I'm fine with her getting regular work at WDAS / PIXAR.

She's doing a lot of voice work lately. Apart from Mei's mother and Virana, she also voiced Mrs. Zhong in Glen Keane's film Over the Moon.

I forgot to comment on this trailer: I think its looks really cute, I love her red panda form! though Id preferred she turn into an actual red panda and not a giant furry teddy bear looking critter(when she's running on the rooftops I did notice she goes on all fours so maybe she switches between the two?) I hope there are other characters who also have this... curse? or ability? The trailer didn't specify did it?

I will state there is one thing that greatly disturbed me about this film: its set in the early 2000s, which I understand is when the director was growing up. Fine, but the fact that this movie was made by someone who's nostalgic for the 2000s is just freakin weird to me! Maybe its b/c I was already an adult in my late 20's during that period but I feel like its too early to be nostalgia-ing for the 2000's and stuff like Backstreet Boys. Yikes!

First book cover:


Source: https://www.amazon.com/Suzanne-Francis/ ... ref=sr_1_7 (via Pixar Post forum)


The Turning Red Easter Egg in Luca was also found recently and confirmed by the director. Apparently, it's the name of the boy band Mei is a fan of. More details here.

unprincess wrote:I forgot to comment on this trailer: I think its looks really cute, I love her red panda form! though Id preferred she turn into an actual red panda and not a giant furry teddy bear looking critter(when she's running on the rooftops I did notice she goes on all fours so maybe she switches between the two?)

I don't think she switches between the two. I would've preferred she turned into an actual red panda too. Red pandas are really cute and are not featured in animated films much. Well, Shifu from Kung Fu Panda is a red panda, but he doesn't look like one too much. I understand they wanted her to turn into something big, but why don't choose an animal that's actually big like a Panda bear or an Asian elephant then? Anyway, that's just a minor complaint. I like her panda form too.

unprincess wrote:I hope there are other characters who also have this... curse? or ability? The trailer didn't specify did it?

Since it's a family curse, maybe that happens to other members of her family as well. If that's the case, I wonder if they'll also turn into red pandas or if each of them will turn into a different animal.

unprincess wrote:I will state there is one thing that greatly disturbed me about this film: its set in the early 2000s, which I understand is when the director was growing up. Fine, but the fact that this movie was made by someone who's nostalgic for the 2000s is just freakin weird to me! Maybe its b/c I was already an adult in my late 20's during that period but I feel like its too early to be nostalgia-ing for the 2000's and stuff like Backstreet Boys. Yikes!

It's a bit weird to me too. The reason must be partly what you said, but I think it's also because there haven't been many current movies set in that decade yet. When something's set in the past, it's usually a less recent one.

D82 wrote:I understand they wanted her to turn into something big, but why don't choose an animal that's actually big like a Panda bear or an Asian elephant then? Anyway, that's just a minor complaint.

I understand not wanting her to transform into a panda given the association of animated pandas with Kung Fu Panda. As for an elephant, I guess that's because elephants are not seen as cute or unusual as red pandas.

D82 wrote:Since it's a family curse, maybe that happens to other members of her family as well. If that's the case, I wonder if they'll also turn into red pandas or if each of them will turn into a different animal.

That would be interesting. But wouldn't that make her less special and her predicament less unique? I don't think her parents or siblings (does she have any or is she an only child?) will also be transforming into animals in the film. Maybe this curse skips a generation or has a time limit. Perhaps it's passed on to the females of the family and wears off when they reach maturity.

D82 wrote:It's a bit weird to me too. The reason must be partly what you said, but I think it's also because there haven't been many current movies set in that decade yet. When something's set in the past, it's usually a less recent one.

That's probably the reason, but I have to admit, I do get nostalgic for the 2000s sometimes. It was a simpler time. I think the worst decade is the 2010s. Things went downhill after smartphones and social media came into our lives.

Sotiris wrote:I understand not wanting her transforming into a panda given the association of animated pandas with Kung Fu Panda. As for an elephant, I guess that's because elephants not as cute or unusual as red pandas.

Yeah, maybe a panda would've reminded too much of Kung Fu Panda. Also, this film is clearly inspired by Hulk, so I guess they not only wanted her to transform into a big creature like Bruce Banner does, but to "turn red" as well, similarly to how Bruce turns green when he transforms into Hulk.

Sotiris wrote:That would be interesting. But wouldn't that make her less special and her predicament less unique? I don't think her parents or siblings (does she have any or is she an only child?) will also be transforming into animals in the film. Maybe this curse skips a generation or has a time limit. Perhaps it's passed on to the females of the family and wears off when they reach maturity.

Maybe you're right it doesn't affect everyone in the family or every generation, or has a time limit. I'm really curious about how the curse is going to work now.

Sotiris wrote:That's probably the reason, but I have to admit, I do get nostalgic for the 2000s sometimes. It was a simpler time. I think the worst decade is the 2010s. Things went downhill after smartphones and social media came into our lives.

Well, yes, I feel that way too sometimes.