Turning Red

Shi, who previously directed the short film Bao (2018), developed the film based on her experiences growing up in Toronto. She pitched three concepts, including Turning Red, to Pixar in October 2017. Development began in May 2018 when Shi was announced as writer and director of a full-length film; several Pixar animators visited locations around Northern California gathering inspiration and visual references. The design and animation were inspired by anime works. To capture these anime influences, hand-drawn 2D animated effects were added atop Pixar’s 3D animation. Development on Turning Red lasted for four years, on an approximate $175 million budget, becoming the fastest production for a Pixar film. Ludwig Göransson composed the film’s musical score for his first animated film, with Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell writing original songs for the film.

Turning Red was first shown in London at Everyman Borough Yards on February 21, 2022, as a special screening, in Toronto at TIFF Bell Lightbox on March 8, and at the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles on March 1. Originally planned for a worldwide theatrical release, plans were changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The film was released on March 11, 2022, on the Disney+ streaming service and was released theatrically in most countries without Disney+, grossing over $20 million, and became a critical success. It will be released in theaters in the United States on February 9, 2024. The film received a nomination for Best Animated Feature at the 95th Academy Awards, among numerous other accolades.

That night, Mei has a vivid nightmare involving red pandas. When she wakes up the next morning, she finds that she has transformed into a large red panda. She hides from her parents and discovers that she transforms only when she is in a state of high emotion. When Mei reverts to human form, her hair remains red, and so she goes to school in a touque. Ming initially believes Mei is experiencing her first period, but learns the truth when she gets into an altercation with the school’s security guard, causing Mei to transform from embarrassment and run home in panic and tears.

Ming and Jin explain that Sun Yee was granted this transformation to protect her daughters and her village during wartime, and that all her female descendants have also had this ability. This has become inconvenient and dangerous in modern times, so the red panda spirit must be sealed in a talisman by a ritual on the night of a lunar eclipse, which will take place in a month’s time. Mei’s friends discover her transformation, but take a liking to it; Mei finds that concentrating on them enables her to control her transformations.

Ming allows Mei to resume her normal life, but refuses to let Mei attend 4*Town’s upcoming concert. Instead, the girls secretly raise money for the tickets at school by exploiting the popularity of Mei’s red panda form while lying to Ming about how Mei is spending her time. To raise the last $100, Mei agrees to attend school bully Tyler’s birthday party as the red panda. Before Mei leaves, Mei’s grandmother and aunts arrive to assist with Mei’s ritual. At the party, Mei is upset to discover that the concert will be on the night she is to undergo the ritual. In her rage, she attacks Tyler when he insults her family, frightening the other kids. Ming discovers Mei’s activities and accuses her friends for everything. Mei fails to come to her friends’ defense to maintain Ming’s approval.

While cleaning, Jin finds videos she recorded of herself as the red panda with her friends and tells her she should not be ashamed of this side of her, but to embrace it. During the ritual, as Mei’s red panda form is about to be sealed, she decides to keep her powers and abandons the ritual to attend the concert at the SkyDome; in making her escape, she breaks Ming’s talisman, releasing her red panda form as well. At the concert, she reconciles with her friends and discovers that Tyler is also a 4*Town fan. However, an enraged Ming, having become a kaiju-sized red panda, disrupts the concert, intending to take Mei back by force.

Mei and Ming argue about the former’s independence. As they quarrel, Mei accidentally knocks her mother unconscious. Mei’s grandmother and aunts break their talismans to use their red panda forms to help drag Ming into a new ritual circle. Mei’s friends and 4*Town join in singing to complete the ritual, sending Mei, Ming, and the other women to the astral plane. Mei reconciles with her mother. She helps her mend her bond with her own mother, whom Ming accidentally scarred in anger before her own red panda form was sealed. The other women contain their red pandas in new talismans; but Mei decides to keep hers and Ming accepts that she is finding her own path.

Later as the Lee family raises money to repair the damage to the SkyDome, Mei and Ming’s relationship has improved. Mei balances her temple duties (where her red panda form is now an attraction) with spending time with her friends with Tyler now in the group.