Luca will reportedly be the last Pixar Animation Studios release to opt for a streaming debut instead of opening in movie theaters.
According to Insider, a source at Pixar has said that the studio's next movie, Turning Red, will receive a "normal" theatrical release. "The studio's hope is we go back to normal with Turning Red," the source said while also commenting that the safety of moviegoers will remain of the utmost importance.
The sentiment that Turning Red will return Pixar films to movie theaters was apparently echoed by numerous people at the studio, who had their confidence boosted by recent progress made combating the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in territories like New York City. Neither Disney nor Pixar offered an official comment on this report.
The last Pixar movie to get a traditional theatrical release was Onward in March 2020. Pixar titles Soul and Luca were both initially supposed to debut in movie theaters. However, in response to the pandemic, they were instead sent to Disney+ for a streaming debut instead. Soul's theatrical release was only restricted to a handful of international territories while Luca will have a limited big-screen run at the El Captain Theater in Los Angeles, California.
Directed by Enrico Casarosa, Luca stars Jacob Tremblay, Jack Dylan Grazer, Emma Berman, Maya Rudolph, Marco Barricelli and Jim Gaffigan. The film arrives on Disney+ on June 18.
Source: Insider