In Soul, when viewers first meet new soul 22 in the Great Before to say they are reluctant to go to Earth is an understatement. Long before Joe Gardner crosses 22’s path, the quick-witted and sarcastic 22 has been to great lengths to avoid going to Earth and starting her life. And while 22’s adventure with Joe ends up changing both of their fates one question remains unanswered: why was 22 so unwilling to go to Earth? Now, fans will get to find out. A new short, 22 vs. Earth, is coming to Disney+.
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The new short is set before the events of Soul and will see Tina Fey reprise her role as 22. Directed by Kevin Nolting, the short will explore why 22 is so cynical and why she’s so reluctant to go to Earth.
“While making Soul, we talked about the why of a new soul not wanting to live on Earth, but it didn’t ultimately belong in that movie,” Nolting said. “22 vs. Earth was a chance to explore some of the unanswered questions we had about why 22 was so cynical. As a fairly cynical person myself, it felt like perfect material.”
In 22 vs. Earth, 22 defies the rules of The Great Before and refuses to go to Earth, enlisting a gang of five other new souls in her attempt at rebellion. However, as her cohorts’ activities lead to unexpected results, 22’s subversive plot may actually lead to a surprising revelation about the meaning of life.
“I think the new souls make the short so fun — the contrast of their pure innocence and delight with the cynical expectations of 22,” Nolting said. “The other new souls are what 22 once was before she took another path — purely innocent, blank slates to be guided by the counselors in their mostly uneventful journey to the earth portal. 22 sees and opening in that and attempts to guide them herself into her way of thinking.”
22 vs. Earth will debut on Disney+ on April 30th. Soul, which has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, is currently streaming on Disney+. The Academy Awards take place Sunday, April 25th, and will be televised live on ABC.
Are you curious to learn more about 22’s story? What did you think about Soul Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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