(BLOOMBERG) – Walt Disney Co will release Pixar’s Soul, Turning Red and Luca films in theatres next year, giving nationwide big-screen showings to three movies derailed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Soul will be released on January 12, Turning Red on February 9 and Luca on March 22, Disney said Tuesday in a statement. All three films received critical acclaim and have scores above 90 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes.
The films debuted primarily on the Disney+ streaming service during the pandemic and may have trained consumers to skip theatres, knowing newer movies would be available online soon.
Pixar’s most recent release, Elemental, opened to one of that studio’s worst-ever performances before gaining momentum.
CEO Bob Iger, who returned to lead Burbank, California-based Disney last November, has made restoring the lustre and profitability of Disney’s film business a priority. The division that includes theatrical releases hasn’t turned a profit in more than a year.
Showing the Pixar films in theatres will bolster the studio’s release schedule and provide more fare for cinema operators like AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc, Regal Theatres and Cinemark Holdings Inc.
In June, Pixar will release Inside Out 2 in cinemas, a sequel to a 2015 film that grossed USD858.8 million in worldwide ticket sales.
