What if Bruce Banner was actually a shy young girl? And what if instead of turning into the Hulk when she got mad, she transformed into a giant red panda?

That appears to be the elevator pitch for Turning Red, the latest film from Pixar Animation Studios and director Domee Shi, who won an Oscar for her recent Pixar short “Bao.” The first Turning Red teaser is here, and it features Rosalie Chiang as 13-year-old Mei Lee, who becomes so embarrassed by her mother (Sandra Oh) that she can’t help but become... well, a big red panda. Later, when she calms down, she is able to turn back into a human. But only briefly. Watch the trailer below:

Here’s the film’s official 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.

Here are some more images and the first poster for the film:

This actually looks adorable. And Pixar could use a hit. Their last two films, the wonderful Soul and the charming Luca, both went straight to Disney+ — and without any sort of additional fee. That was fortunate for Disney+ subscribers and Pixar fans, but it suggested the studio’s titles might be getting devalued compared to other Disney properties. A major hit would certainly reassert the studio’s position in the very crowded world of animated movies.

Turning Red is scheduled to open in theaters (and, for now, only in theaters) on March 11, 2022.

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