While the Jamie Foxx-led film awaits its turn at the Academy Awards on Sunday, Disney and Pixar have unveiled a new animated short that serves as a prequel story to the hit 2020 fantasy dramedy Soul entitled 22 vs. Earth exploring the titular character’s time in the Great Before prior to the events of the film with Tina Fey returning to voice.
RELATED: Disney+ May 2021 Movies and TV Titles Revealed
“While making Soul, we talked about the why of a new soul not wanting to live on Earth, but it didn’t ultimately belong in that movie,” Kevin Nolting, 21-year Pixar veteran and short director, said in a statement. “22 vs. Earth was a chance to explore some of the unanswered questions we had about why 22 was so cynical. As a fairly cynical person myself, it felt like perfect material.”
Ever wonder what new soul 22 has against Earth in Disney and Pixar’s Soul? 22 vs. Earth will explore this as she defies the rules of The Great Before and refuses to go to Earth, enlisting a gang of five other new souls in her attempt at rebellion. However, as her cohorts’ activities lead to unexpected results, 22’s subversive plot may actually lead to a surprising revelation about the meaning of life.
“I think the new souls make the short so fun—the contrast of their pure innocence and delight with the cynical expectations of 22,” Nolting said in a statement. “The other new souls are what 22 once was before she took another path—purely innocent, blank slates to be guided by the counselors in their mostly uneventful journey to the earth portal. 22 sees an opening in that and attempts to guide them herself into her way of thinking.”
RELATED: Disney+ Launchpad Trailer Showcases New Live-Action Short Films
22 vs. Earth is set to premiere on Disney+ on April 30.
