While previous trailers for Soul have showcased a lot of its candy-colored afterlife, a new teaser is all about what comes before. Pixar has released a sneak peek of the film, and it takes us on a day in the life of the main character Joe (Jamie Foxx), as he walks around a gorgeously animated NYC.
“Music is life,” he says in a voice-over, “You just need to know where to look. Spend your precious hours doing what will bring out the real you, the brilliant, passionate you, that’s ready to contribute something meaningful into this world.” This brings us to the middle-school band class he teaches, to a busker’s performance in the subway (the song is “Parting Ways,” by Cody ChestnuTT), back to his childhood as he discovers records with his dad, to the beach with his mom, to a New York skyline illuminated by fireworks, and finally, backstage at the jazz club where he gets his big break.
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Here’s the official synopsis, from Pixar:
What is it that makes you…YOU? This November, Pixar Animation Studios’ all-new feature film “Soul” introduces Joe Gardner (voice of Jamie Foxx) – a middle-school band teacher who gets the chance of a lifetime to play at the best jazz club in town. But one small misstep takes him from the streets of New York City to The Great Before – a fantastical place where new souls get their personalities, quirks and interests before they go to Earth. Determined to return to his life, Joe teams up with a precocious soul, 22 (voice of Tina Fey), who has never understood the appeal of the human experience. As Joe desperately tries to show 22 what’s great about living, he may just discover the answers to some of life’s most important questions.
Soul is directed by Pete Docter (Inside Out, Up) and Kemp Powers (One Night in Miami, Star Trek: Discovery). It also stars Angela Bassett, Daveed Diggs, Phylicia Rashad, and Questlove, and will be released in theaters November 20, 2020.
