Disney-Pixar gave us a truly special gift last year with the Christmas Day release of the animated feature SOUL on Disney+. For those not subscribed to the popular streaming service, however, the wait is nearly over with the upcoming home release of the film on March 23, 2021!
While you might have already seen the film on Disney+, the home release brings with it a host of extras including two exclusive features that cannot be found on Disney+. Here’s a look at what to expect once you purchase your copy.
Bonus Features
In an age where podcasts continue to strive, Audio Commentary for movies continue to be a fun extra that just works. For this release, you can watch the movie with director Pete Docter, co-director/writer Kemp Powers and producer Dana Murray as your guides, giving insights into both the real and surreal of this world. There’s also a brief cameo by writer Mike Jones who shares some insights on a pivotal scene in the final act.
There’s really no better way to get a deeper dive into a movie than with the people involved directly making it so this was a welcomed addition to find a deeper appreciation of the story.
Between the four commentators, there was a robust amount of fun and interesting behind-the-scenes and even some really interesting tidbits about continuing the production through COVID-19 work-from-home restrictions.
Deleted Scenes are always a joy to take in. After listening to the audio commentary, it’s clear that there was A LOT of changes to the story so it’s surprising that there’s only five scenes to take in here. Still, we get a surprisingly candid and interesting introduction by writer Mike Jones and story supervisor Kristen Lester and we hear from them for each scene to give further background on why the cuts were made. Below follows the official descriptions on them can be found below.
- Mentor Orientation – Joe sneaks into the You Seminar Mentor Program orientation, trying to figure out how on earth he can get back to … Earth.
- Clubhouse Forgery – Joe follows 22 into her “secret lair” as she reluctantly agrees to help him find his way back to Earth.
- Home Lessons – Stuck inside Joe’s body, 22 clumsily attempts to help the downstairs neighbor.
- Living the Dream – Joe has a heart-to-heart with 22 about her fear of living on Earth, then tries to make his way back home via a dream portal.
- Press Shot – Joe, stuck in a cat’s body, and 22, stuck in Joe’s body, take the subway to the jazz club for a publicity photography session.
Beyond the Audio Commentary and Deleted Scenes there’s no additional bonus features that you won’t already have access to via Disney+ so the value proposition really comes down to personal preference. Whether you have already have a subscription to Disney’s streaming service already and/or whether you’re willing to spring for the exclusive bonus features that are not available on Disney+ will be the deciding factor here.
Or, perhaps you are a completist like we are and have to have the physical copy. Either way, there’s several reasons to pick up a physical copy of SOUL.
Additional Bonus Materials
The following materials are already available on Disney+ so if you have a subscription then the lion’s share of extras on this set are already available to you digitally. Below are the official descriptions courtesy of Disney.
- Not Your Average Joe – See the thought and care that went into crafting Joe and his story in Pixar’s first film to feature a Black leading character.
- Astral Taffy – Get an in-depth look at the artistry and technical innovation that went into creating the sets and characters in the world of “Soul.”
- Pretty Deep for a Cartoon – The filmmakers tackle big questions, such as where does a newborn’s personality come from, what’s the meaning of life, and more!
- Into the Zone: The Music and Sound of Soul – Explore the movie’s different sonic worlds and discover how music drives and adds specificity to Joe’s journey.
- “Soul,” Improvised – See how the Pixar Systems team and “Soul”’s crew managed to finish the film on schedule during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Jazz Greats – Giants of the jazz world who consulted on “Soul” share their passion and hard-won wisdom about what music is and does for us all.
See it for Yourself
SOUL is available on digital, 4K Ultra HD™, Blu-ray™ and DVD on March 23, 2021.
If you’re a collector of physical versions, the film will be packaged as a collectible SteelBook® at Best Buy and packaged with a limited-edition gallery book at Target. Otherwise, you can enjoy it digitally through Amazon or with your favorite provider.
