History Trivia / Soul

** The first Pixar film in which their "good luck charm" Creator/JohnRatzenberger isn't credited, nor is his cameo particularly apparent, unlike past films where even his most minor of roles would play up the presence of his distinct voice for humor (apparently, he ''is'' in there, it's just [[NowWhichOneWasThatVoice not apparent]] ''[[NowWhichOneWasThatVoice where]]'').

* GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff: In one of the few areas to receive ''Soul'' theatrically, China, the film performed surprisingly well for Creator/{{Pixar}}, whose films have typically flopped in the country. At $57 million, it not only outstripped ''WesternAnimation/Incredibles2'' to be China's #2 Pixar film (behind ''WesternAnimation/{{Coco}}''), but it also significantly outperformed would-be blockbusters ''Film/WonderWoman1984'' and the China-tailored ''Film/{{Mulan|2020}}''.

* GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff: In one of the few areas to receive ''Soul'' theatrically, China, the film performed surprisingly well for Creator/{{Pixar}} release, whose films have typically flopped in the country. At $57 million, it not only outstripped ''WesternAnimation/Incredibles2'' to be China's #2 Pixar film (behind ''WesternAnimation/{{Coco}}''), but it also significantly outperformed would-be blockbusters ''Film/WonderWoman1984'' and the China-tailored ''Film/{{Mulan|2020}}''.

* ReleaseDateChange: The film was originally planned to be ready for the summer of 2021, but finished ahead of schedule and was moved up to June 19, 2020... [[DramaticIrony and then it was pushed forward]] to November 20th due to the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic shutting down movie theaters in most countries. When it became clear that American movie theaters would not operate to full capacity in time for it to get a proper theatrical release, it was rescheduled yet again for a direct-to-digital Christmas release on Creator/DisneyPlus.

* AllStarCast: The cast includes Creator/JamieFoxx, Creator/TinaFey, Creator/DaveedDiggs, and Creator/PhyliciaRashad.

* PlayingAgainstType: Composer example. [[Music/NineInchNails Trent Reznor]], best-known for IndustrialMetal and soundtracks to edgy movies and video games, composed the ethereal music heard in the Great Beyond and Great Before alongside his frequent collaborator (and the other official member of NIN) Atticus Ross. This doesn't escape the NIN fans.

** This is the first Pixar film in which Creator/JohnRatzenberger isn't listed in the credits; WordOfGod had to confirm that he's in the film at all, and for now, ''where'' remains a secret. Quite unusual, as in the past he's always been credited (never even relegated to "additional voices" on those occasions when he's essentially an extra; here he's not even there) and most of his Pixar roles sound the same, a nasal exaggeration of Ratzenberger's natural voice. So his role being a mystery that has to be cracked is definitely a first for the company.
** This is also the first (and currently the only) film Pete Docter directed since the Music/RandyNewman-backed ''WesternAnimation/MonstersInc'' to not have his usual AssociatedComposer Creator/MichaelGiacchino. Instead, work for the jazz songs goes to [[Series/TheLateShowWithStephenColbert Jon Batiste]], while the score is composed by Music/NineInchNails' Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.

* ReleaseDateChange: The film was originally planned to be ready for the summer of 2021, but finished ahead of schedule and was moved up to June 19, 2020... [[DramaticIrony and then it was pushed forward]] to November 20th due to the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic starting up. When it became clear that American movie theaters would not operate to full capacity in time for it to get a proper theatrical release, it was rescheduled yet again for a direct-to-digital Christmas release on Creator/DisneyPlus.

* WriteWhatYouKnow: Joe's story about working to achieve a singular goal, then wondering what to do with the rest of his life once he had, was inspired by Pete Doctor going through a similar existential crisis after the massive financial and critical success of ''WesternAnimation/InsideOut'' made him wonder if there was anything left for him to accomplish as a filmmaker.

* WordOfGod: [[https://twitter.com/Powerkeni/status/1345117802449915906 According to co-director Kemp Powers]], Mr. Mittrns came back to life because "the cat had nine lives". A sequence depicting Mr. Mittens returning to his body was storyboarded, but was discarded.

* IronyAsSheIsCast: Hugely successful rapper and musician Daveed Diggs plays a character who not only never sings or does anything musical, but actively ''mocks'' Joe's musical ambitions as a dead end.

* AllStarCast: The cast includes Creator/JamieFoxx, Creator/TinaFey, Creator/DaveedDiggs and Creator/PhyliciaRashad.

* ReleaseDateChange: The film was originally planned to be ready for summer of 2021, but finished ahead of schedule and was moved up to June 19, 2020... [[DramaticIrony and then the]] UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic started and the date was moved to November 20th. When it became clear that American movie theaters would not operate to full capacity in time for it to get a proper theatrical release, it was rescheduled yet again for a direct-to-digital Christmas release on Creator/DisneyPlus.

** Originally, the film was just about a soul who didn't want to go to Earth and took place entirely in the Great Before. Joe was created to give the soul character a reason to eventually go to Earth and, eventually, became the main character.

** [[https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/movies/2020/12/26/spoilers-disney-plus-soul-why-pixar-chose-powerful-ending-spoilers/4019429001/ Two alternate endings were planned]].
*** In one, [[spoiler:Joe accepted his fate and went to the great beyond]]. Absolutely nobody involved liked it and the scene was never created.
*** In another, we'd get an epilogue of [[spoiler:Joe on tour with Dorothea and teaching students privately on the side, eventually recognizing one of his students as 22]]. However, this was agreed to be too confusing as per the film's internal logic, in Kemp Powers' own words, "there was something innately not satisfying about it."

* ReleaseDateChange: The film was originally planned to be ready for summer of 2021, but finished ahead of schedule and was moved up to June 19, 2020... [[DramaticIrony and then]] UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic started and the date was moved to November 20th. When it became clear that American movie theaters would not operate to full capacity in time for it to get a proper theatrical release, it was rescheduled yet again for a direct-to-digital Christmas release on Creator/DisneyPlus.

** Joe was originally a white man who was first interested in animation, then one who wanted to be a rock star. He didn't become a black man with a love for jazz until Kemp Powers came on as co-writer and co-director.

* IronyAsSheIsCast: Hugely successful rapper Daveed Diggs plays a guy who mocks Joe's musical ambitions as a dead end.

** Originally, the film was just about a soul who didn't want to go to earth and took place entirely in the Great Before. Joe was created to give the soul character a reason to eventually go to Earth and, eventually, became the main character.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Quite a few things changed as development went along, as shown [[https://www.polygon.com/2020/12/8/22149552/soul-pixar-interview-character-afterlife-designs here]] :
** As one point, Joe wasn't the main character. 22 was. This was changed because the movie originally took place entirely in the soul world, yet she still had a dislike for Earth. Joe was created to help show her why Earth is worth living in.
** When Kemp Powers came in as co-writer and co-director, he helped change up Joe's character. He originally would've been a white man who was first interested in animation before that was changed to a rock star. He eventually became a black man with a love of jazz.
** According to [[https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/movies/2020/12/26/spoilers-disney-plus-soul-why-pixar-chose-powerful-ending-spoilers/4019429001/ Pete Docter]], there were versions which ended with [[spoiler: Joe accepting his fate and dying. This ending was not made because it felt like it was robbing him to not allow him to go back.]]
** In another alternate ending, [[spoiler:Joe was touring with Dorothea and teaching students privately on the side, and 22 was a new student and he recognized that it was her. According to Kemp Powers, this ending was rejected because "there was something innately not satisfying about it". Not to mention it would have opened up a plot hole as to how 22 aged so quickly, unless souls can be born in any timeframe on Earth which was not established in the movie.]]

* ReleaseDateChange:
** Originally announced for theaters on June 19, 2020 the release was later pushed back to November 20 due to the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic. When it became clear that movie theaters would not operate to full capacity stateside in time for it to get a proper theatrical release, it was rescheduled yet again for a direct-to-digital Christmas release on Creator/DisneyPlus.
** This article [[https://www.polygon.com/2020/12/8/22149552/soul-pixar-interview-character-afterlife-designs explains]] that it was originally going for a summer 2021 release.
* ShoutOut: When 22 shows Joe the place when souls are "in the zone" for the first time, she says that there is a soul that she's been messing with "for a few decades", and proceeds to throw something at a member of the New York Knicks, causing him to miss the shot. According to writer [[https://twitter.com/powerkeni/status/1342533072374231040?s=21 Kemp Powers]], this is supposed to be a reference to the fact that the team hasn't won an NBA Championship since 1973.

** In another alternate ending, [[spoiler:Joe was touring with Dorothea and teaching students privately on the side, and 22 was a new student and he recognized that it was her. According to Kemp Powers, this ending was rejected because "there was something innately not satisfying about it".]]

** In another alternate ending, [[spoiler:Joe was touring with Dorothea and teaching students privately on the side, and 22 was a new student and he recognized that it was her. According to Kemp Powers, this ending was rejected because there was something innately not satisfying about it".]]

** According to [[https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/movies/2020/12/26/spoilers-disney-plus-soul-why-pixar-chose-powerful-ending-spoilers/4019429001/ Pete Docter]], there were versions which ended with [[spoiler: Joe dying]]

* DuelingWorks: With ''Film/WonderWoman1984'' on Creator/HBOMax and ''Film/WeCanBeHeroes'' on Creator/{{Netflix}}, as they all hit their respective streaming services on December 25.

** This is also the first (and currently the only) film Pete Docter directed since the Music/RandyNewman-backed ''WesternAnimation/MonstersInc'' to not have his usual AssociatedComposer Creator/MichaelGiacchino. Instead, work for the jazz songs goes to Jon Batiste, while the score is composed by Music/NineInchNails' Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.

** This is also the first (and currently the only) film Pete Docter directed since the Music/RandyNewman-backed ''WesternAnimation/MonstersInc'' to not have his usual AssociatedComposer Music/MichaelGiacchino. Instead, work for the jazz songs goes to Jon Batiste, while the score is composed by Music/NineInchNails' Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.

* CreatorsOddball: This is the first Pixar film in which Creator/JohnRatzenberger isn't listed in the credits; WordOfGod had to confirm that he's in the film at all, and for now, ''where'' remains a secret. Quite unusual, as in the past he's always been credited (never even relegated to "additional voices" on those occasions when he's essentially an extra; here he's not even there) and most of his Pixar roles sound the same, a nasal exaggeration of Ratzenberger's natural voice. So his role being a mystery that has to be cracked is definitely a first for the company.

* PlayingAgainstType: [[Music/NineInchNails Trent Reznor]], who is best-known for IndustrialMetal and soundtracks to edgy movies and video games, co-composed the ethereal music heard in the Great Beyond and Great Before.

** According to [[https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/movies/2020/12/26/spoilers-disney-plus-soul-why-pixar-chose-powerful-ending-spoilers/4019429001/ Pete Doctor]], there were versions which ended with [[spoiler: Joe dying]]