Disney/Pixar is known for creating some super-cute loveable character, but the red panda in Turning Red may have just taken top spot.
The film follows Mei Lee (Rosalie Chang), a 13-year-old who magically turns into a giant red panda whenever she gets too excited.
In the situation revealed in the teaser, Mei Lee begins to feel anxious and embarrassed after seeing her mum (Sandra Oh) outside her schoolroom window, causing a ruckus with the school security guard.
This embarrassing moment overwhelms Mei Lee, and she turns into her alter-animal-ego and runs away, her mother in pursuit.
Disney/Pixar’s newest animated film focuses on the theme of overbearing parents, which is often anxiety-inducing for teenagers, especially when their parents embarrass them in front of their friends.
The panda could be an allegory for suppressed stress, anxiety, and shame that teens feel in these instances and in classic Disney/Pixar fashion, it’s the cutest panda you could imagine.
Turning Red is directed by Domee Shi, who won an Oscar for her short animated film Bao (2018 – available on Disney+), which was an excellent, heartwarming short.
The film’s teaser doesn’t reveal much else but does more than enough to get fans excited.
It’s due for release on 31 March 2022.
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