Pixar Announces ‘Up’ Closure Short Film Where Carl Goes On 1st Date After Ellie
It’s the beginning of a new adventure for Carl, the grumpy widower who honestly deserves the very best. Sadly, this potentially marks the end of a chapter for Pixar and the story of Up.
At the press event for Elemental, Pixar Animation Studios surprised attendees with a viewing of Carl’s Date, which ties up loose balloon strings of the beloved 2009 movie and the Dug’s Days spinoff series on Disney+. The short film brings back Carl (voiced by the late Ed Asner) and Dug the dog (Bob Peterson) as the lonesome elderly man hesitantly gets ready for his first date since his wife Ellie died.
Carl’s Date will officially screen ahead of Elemental in cinemas. The short was written and directed by Peterson, who also co-wrote and co-directed Up and helmed the Dug Days shorts, with Kim Collins as producer.
In the new animation, Carl—a rookie to the romance scene—turns to the goofy dog for help to prepare for a date with a lady friend. Of course, the latter’s advice is a little misguided.
During a Q&A session, Peterson clarified that nobody can ever replace Ellie, but Carl’s first date since the passing of his forever love honors her wish for him to “go have a new adventure.” The director, who also voiced Dug, cited his grandparent’s struggle to date after losing a partner as inspiration for the short film.
Carl’s Date will likely be the last of the Up story, serving as its “bow” and “closure,” Peterson added. It’s also a tribute to Asner, who died a few months after lending his voice to reprise his role in Carl’s Date.
Both Elemental and Carl’s Date will lift off in theaters on June 16.
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