The first official teaser for Pixar’s upcoming film, Turning Red, has been released, and it is absolutely incredible. While Pixar’s current film, Luca took us on a journey to a quiet Italian seaside town in Turning Red, we’re transported into the bustling city of Toronto, Canada where we meet Mei Lee as she sits in one of her middle school classes.
From the start, we were hooked with the story, as Mei sits excitedly in her math class until her friend passes her a note indicating that her “mommy” is outside. What happens next is transformative!
We need to praise the Turning Red team who compiled the trailer footage and landed on the amazing Backstreet Boys tune, Larger Than Life. Lyrically speaking, that song was beyond perfect for what was shown in the teaser.
What made it better is that knowing Mei is in middle school (which is the peak of quintessential boy band fandom), the song added just enough hysteria and emotion with Mei transforming into the giant Red Panda. Plus, for anyone who was around in the late ’90s when the song was originally released, it definitely brought back some nostalgia feels.
Thanks to one of our keen-eyed Pixar Post Forum users, Pixarsuperfan8695, the school that Mei attends in Turning Red which is visible on her ID (shown enlarged on the poster below) is an actual middle school in Toronto, Canada.
Alright… I’m not on the forum too often, but oh… this gives me good reason to hurry on over here. Lester B. Pearson middle school, on Mei’s ID, used to be an actual middle school in the Greater Toronto Area, where I live and have grown up. This is wild!!! I didn’t go there, but I do live close to where that building formerly was, and have past teachers who have taught at the school! They had mold issues a few years ago, and that did cause them to close down… But it’s still very well known in my area’s directory of schools. (Fun fact—Ryan Reynolds went there!)
POSTER & NEW IMAGES
MOTHER’S NATURE – In Disney and Pixar’s all-new original feature film “Turning Red,” confident-but-dorky teenager Mei Lee is torn between staying her mother’s dutiful daughter and the chaos of adolescence. And Mei Lee’s mother has very strong feelings about it all. Featuring Rosalie Chiang as the voice of Mei Lee, and Sandra Oh as the voice of Mei Lee’s mother, Ming, “Turning Red” opens in theaters on March 11, 2022. © 2021 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved. 
GROWING PAINS — Disney and Pixar’s all-new original feature film “Turning Red” introduces 13-year-old Mei Lee, a confident-but-dorky teenager torn between staying her mother’s dutiful daughter and the chaos of adolescence. And as if changes to her interests, relationships and body weren’t enough, she also “poofs” into a giant red panda at decidedly inconvenient times. Featuring Rosalie Chiang as the voice of Mei Lee, “Turning Red” opens in theaters on March 11, 2022. © 2021 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved. 
GIANT PROBLEM – In Disney and Pixar’s all-new original feature film “Turning Red,” 13-year-old Mei Lee “poofs” into a giant panda when she gets too excited (which for a teenager is practically ALWAYS). Featuring Rosalie Chiang as the voice of Mei Lee, “Turning Red” opens in theaters on March 11, 2022. © 2021 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
UPDATED SYNOPSIS
Young actress Rosalie Chiang lends her voice to Mei Lee, a 13-year-old who suddenly “poofs” into a giant red panda when she gets too excited (which is practically ALWAYS). Sandra Oh (“The Chair,” “Killing Eve”) voices Mei Lee’s protective, if not slightly overbearing mother, Ming, who is never far from her daughter—an unfortunate reality for the teenager.
JOIN US LIVE
We’ll be hosting a YouTube Live TONIGHT July 13 at 10:00 PM ET / 7:00 PM PT to chat all about the first teaser — join us by clicking the following link to set a reminder, or watching the embedded video below once we go live.
Turning Red releases March 11, 2022
