Domee Shi, director of the Oscar-winning Pixar short “Bao,” is back at work with the studio for a new feature-length animated film.
Announced on Disney’s Investor Day, “Turning Red” follows a teenager named Mei, who transforms into a giant red panda whenever she gets too excited.
Shi, the first female director for a Pixar short, confirmed that she has been working on a feature-length film in November 2018.
“We’re just developing the story for it right now,” Shi said at the time, according to Deadline. “It’s super early on, but I’m really excited to play in this new 90-minute film format.”
Director of the Academy Award-winning short Bao, Domee Shi, brings us Turning Red. Meet Mei: she experiences the awkwardness of being a teenager, with an added twist: when she gets too excited, she transforms into a giant red panda. Turning Red comes to theaters March 11, 2022. pic.twitter.com/oh6xaR8zRI
— Pixar (@Pixar) December 11, 2020
Shi is also the first woman of color to win Best Animated Short Film at the 2019 Academy Awards. Aside from “Bao,” she is credited for her contribution in “Inside Out,” “Incredibles 2” and “Toy Story 4.”
“To all the nerdy girls who hide behind their sketchbooks, don’t be afraid to tell your stories to the world,” she said in her acceptance speech at the Oscars.
Little is known about “Turning Red” yet, but the film’s announcement included a poster of Mei in her human and panda forms.
Twitter users are already stoked to see the film.
Ahh can’t wait Red pandas are my favorite animal pic.twitter.com/OP5xsxNkMJ
— Alyssa💖💜💙 (@True14216) December 11, 2020
Red Pandas are the master species
— O Taranbaum-tino (@Duncetard) December 11, 2020
I love red pandas, thank you Pixar!
— ✦Cᴀᴍᴀʟᴀɴɢᴇ✧ (@Camalange) December 11, 2020
YES!! Need more red pandas, thank you Pixar!! ❤️
— Sad Panda Studios (@SadPandaStudio) December 11, 2020
hell yeaaaaaaaaaah
— Ryan Brown 🎮 (@Toadsanime) December 11, 2020
“Turning Red” opens in theaters on March 11, 2022.
The full cast of Marvel’s “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the 10 Rings” was also announced on Disney’s Investor Day.
Feature Images via Disney / Pixar (left, cropped) and Oscars (right, cropped; screenshot)
