One of Disney’s Most Beloved Characters Is Back: Pixar Releases Trailer for New Short Carl’s Date

From the 2009 Pixar film Up, the beloved Carl Fredricksen is single and ready to mingle.

In Up, Carl is first portrayed as a bitter, grumpy old man who resists the efforts of a construction company to kick him out of his charming yellow house. Carl embarks on an adventure without leaving the comfort of his living room chair. He ties thousands of balloons to his house and flees to South America. Throughout the film, the main character fights to keep his home and the memory of his deceased wife, Ellie, safe. 

By the film’s end, viewers fall in love with the main character and his story so much that Carl is back for a new short titled Carl’s Date. 

The short was written and directed by Pixar’s Bob Peterson, who also co-wrote and co-directed the movie that inspired the short, Up. According to an article by Cinema Blend, Peterson’s own experience watching his grandparents struggle through the loss of loved ones inspired Carl’s Date.

The trailer shows Carl practicing for his first date after Ellie’s passing with the help of his charismatic dog, Dug. Carl exclaims, “I don’t know how to date.” Somehow, with the help of his talking dog, he will make it through.

This new short is somewhat unexpected, as older characters are often excluded from romantic storylines. With Carl’s Date, Disney challenges societal boundaries and pushes for unconventional, but no less critical, plots. 

Ed Asner, the voice actor who gives life to Carl, recorded the short’s dialogue in the Spring of 2021, shortly before passing away in August of that year.

Bob Peterson shared, “He’s hilarious, man. The guy, he is Carl Fredericksen,” when working with Asner one last time. “If he had a bad hip, he just came in anyway, you know, that kind of thing, and did these recording sessions. So we feel blessed to have been with him toward the end of his career. And, I feel like this honors him pretty well.”

Ed Asner recorded his dialogue for ‘CARL’S DATE’ in the spring of 2021. He passed away in August that year.

The new short, originally intended for Disney+, will now be released in theaters with ‘Elemental.’https://t.co/t5pgJ6tone pic.twitter.com/9zd9S3Zvc0

— Disney Animation Promos (@DisneyAPromos) March 28, 2023

Initially, Carl’s Date was set to premiere on Disney+ in February. However, the short will now be showcased with Pixar’s Elemental, which will arrive in theaters this summer on June 16.