Up

Originally titled Heliums, Docter conceived the outline for Up in 2004 based on fantasies of escaping from life when it became too irritating. He and eleven other Pixar artists spent three days in Venezuela for research and inspiration. The designs of the characters were caricatured and stylised considerably, and animators were challenged with creating realistic cloth. Composer Michael Giacchino composed the film’s score. It was Pixar’s first film to be presented in 3D format.

Up debuted at the 62nd Cannes Film Festival on May 13, 2009, and was released in the United States on May 29. It received acclaim for its screenplay, animation, characters, themes, narrative, emotional depth, humor, Asner’s vocal performance, Giacchino’s musical score, and the opening sequence. The National Board of Review and the American Film Institute named Up one of the top-ten films of 2009. Up earned $735.1 million worldwide, finishing its theatrical run as the sixth-highest-grossing film of 2009. It was nominated for five awards at the 82nd Academy Awards, winning two, and received numerous other accolades. Among these, it became the second animated film in history to receive a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Picture, ultimately losing to The Hurt Locker. A short-form series, Dug Days, premiered on Disney+ on September 1, 2021.

Now in his late 70s, Carl holds out in his house while the neighborhood around him is dismantled and redeveloped. After he unintentionally injures a construction worker, the court deems him a public menace and orders his move to an assisted living facility. However, Carl resolves to keep his promise to Ellie and attaches thousands of balloons to his house to fly to Paradise Falls. Russell, a young “Wilderness Explorer” scout attempting to earn his final merit badge for assisting the elderly, becomes an accidental stowaway. Before Carl can land and send Russell home, a storm propels the house to South America.

The house lands on a tepui opposite Paradise Falls. Thrown out by the impact and unable to climb back inside, Carl and Russell harness themselves to the still-buoyant house and begin to walk with it across the mesa. Along the way, they encounter a giant flightless bird whom Russell names Kevin (although they later discover it is female) and Dug, a Golden Retriever whose collar has a device that translates his thoughts into human speech. Carl begrudgingly allows both to join the party.

A pack of dogs, all wearing collar translators, surrounds the group. The pack’s master is revealed to be an elderly Charles Muntz, who invites the group aboard his dirigible and talks about his decades-long quest to capture a bird. Carl’s initial excitement over meeting his hero fades as he realizes the extent of Muntz’s obsession and mental instability. When Russell notes the skeleton’s resemblance to Kevin, Muntz turns hostile, insinuating he has murdered other travelers whom he suspected of seeking the bird for themselves. Carl, Russell, and Dug flee the dirigible, pursued by Muntz’s dogs; they are rescued by Kevin, who is injured in the process. Hearing Kevin call out to her chicks, Carl agrees to bring her home safely, but Muntz traps Kevin and starts a fire beneath the house. Forced to choose, Carl opts to save his home, allowing Muntz to escape with Kevin and losing Russell’s respect.

Alone and disheartened, Carl looks through Ellie’s scrapbook and discovers that she filled in the blank pages with photos of their life together, along with a note thanking him for the “adventure” and encouraging him to have a new one. Reinvigorated, he goes outside, only to see Russell setting out after Kevin using balloons and a leaf blower. Carl lightens his house by throwing out furniture and keepsakes, enabling it to fly again.

Muntz captures Russell, but Carl and Dug board the dirigible and free both him and Kevin. An enraged Muntz pursues the group and traps them inside the house. Carl lures Kevin and the others back to the airship with chocolate just as his tether breaks away. Muntz leaps after them but snags his leg in balloon strings and falls to his death. Carl watches the house descend beneath the clouds and peacefully accepts the loss.

Carl and Russell reunite Kevin with her chicks before returning home in Muntz’s airship. Russell receives his “Assisting the Elderly” badge, and Carl presents Russell with a grape soda bottle cap Ellie gave Carl when they first met, which he dubs “The Ellie Badge.” Unbeknownst to Carl, the house lands on the cliff overlooking Paradise Falls, fulfilling his promise to Ellie.