Dhruv Trivedi
Disney Pixar’s coming-of-age animation film ‘Turning Red’ follows Meilin, a young teenager with a big red family tradition. Apart from the general chaos of adolescence, the vivacious 13-year-old also has to contend with turning into a giant red panda every time she gets too excited. Her mother, Ming, informing her that the “condition” is one that has been in the family for generations doesn’t seem to make things better, and an epic battle (metaphorically and physically) ensues between mother and daughter.
Like a lot of Pixar films, ‘Turning Red’ has garnered love from audiences and critics for its distinctive animation style and empathetic tone that resonates with people of all ages. The characters, too, are quite lovable, and we wouldn’t mind seeing more of them. Could we hope for a ‘Turning Red’ sequel? Here’s what we know about it!
Turning Red Sequel Release Date
‘Turning Red’ released on March 11, 2022, on Disney+. Before that, however, a special screening took place at London’s Everyman Borough Yards on February 21, 2022, following which, on March 1, 2022, its world premiere was held at the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles.
As far as a sequel is concerned, there have been no official announcements from the filmmakers or the studio confirming the project. However, there is still room for hope because the director and co-writer Domee Shi and producer Lindsey Collins hinted that they would be open to the idea of making a sequel. The former drew attention to the original film’s end, which leaves things tantalizingly open for further adventures.
In a similar vein, Collins mentioned how, in the process of creating and bringing to life the film’s lovable characters, the filmmakers had grown rather attached to them and wouldn’t mind “hanging out” with them again. Thus, the makers of the film certainly seem upbeat about a potential sequel.
A sequel would also be in keeping with many of Pixar’s earlier films like ‘The Incredibles,’ ‘Cars,’ and ‘Monsters Inc.’ that have gone on to have one or more sequels. And of course, who can forget the epic ‘Toy Story‘ franchise that has become iconic in its own right. Many of the studio’s films have characters that become so well-loved that audiences look forward to being reunited with them in a sequel.
If the characters of ‘Turning Red’ sway audiences similarly, and the same reflects on the film’s viewership numbers, a potential sequel might just get greenlit. Though there is no confirmation yet, things look favorable for a ‘Turning Red’ sequel possibly going into production sometime in the future. However, fans will have to be patient as Pixar sequels don’t come very quickly. If it gets greenlit, we expect to see a potential ‘Turning Red’ sequel sometime in 2024.
Turning Red Sequel Cast: Who can be in it?
The central characters of ‘Turning Red’ are voiced by Rosalie Chiang (Meilin/Panda Meilin) and Sandra Oh (Ming/Panda Ming/Young Ming). Additionally, supporting characters are brought to life with the voices of Ava Morse (Miriam), Hyein Park (Abby), Maitreyi Ramakrishnan (Priya), Orion Lee (Jin), Tristan Allerick Chen (Tyler), Lori Tan Chinn (Auntie Chen), and others.
Since the potential sequel will likely once again center around Meilin and Ming, we expect to see the lead voice actors, as well as most of the supporting voice actors, reprise their roles. There will also probably be quite a few additions to the voice cast since sequels generally introduce multiple new characters to the original roster.
Turning Red Sequel Plot: What can it be About?
The ‘Turning Red’ climax features an epic face-off between the mother and daughter in their red panda forms, with many of the family members also present. Ultimately, Ming decides to give Meilin the freedom she craves (up to an extent), bringing the two of them closer together. Meilin also decides to keep her panda form, realizing that she likes herself the way she is.
The potential sequel could find Meilin slightly grown-up and, now comfortable with her magical ancestry and red panda avatar, possibly facing a more daunting problem. The ancient temple she frequents could land in trouble, or an ancient magical entity could threaten her family.
Of course, the potential sequel could also retain the family-centric narrative and focus on one of Meilin’s entertaining magical “aunties.” Since central characters are the ones that audiences get most attached to, it is likely that the sequel, if and when it comes out, will feature an adult version of Meilin.
Read More: Best Pixar Movies on Disney+
