Disney Pixar has produced some of a generation’s greatest children’s films, from its early classics like Toy Story to modern hits including Frozen. The Soul Trailer shows that the messages behind these movies aren’t just for kids. Pixar’s latest picture takes its iconic 3D animation to a whole new level by illustrating a story that tries to answer some of life’s greatest existential enigmas.
Soul centers around the life of Joe Gardner, a middle-school band teacher who comes to a crossroads in his life. A dream of a lifetime comes true when Joe is offered a chance to play at one of New York’s best jazz clubs — The Half Note. Elated as he exits, Joe’s overzealousness leads to his demise as he accidentally steps into an open manhole. His fall puts him into a coma, thrusting his soul into an ethereal realm called The Great Before. That astral plane is where new souls are given their attributes before being bestowed into bodies born onto the earth.
While struggling to reconcile his fate, Joe meets 22, a soul who has avoided going onto earth for as long as she could. Joe’s quest to be reunited with his body takes him and 22 on a journey exploring the meaning of life. That exploration shows 22 that despite its frailty and folly, the joys of the human experience are certainly worth the suffering we must endure over the course of our lives. Soul hits theaters on June 19th, starring Jamie Foxx and Tina Fey.