Who is the star of Pixar's next short? None other than... Lou...
Now, we got word on this one a while back, when director Dave Mullins did a little sketch of the titular character and presented it on Instagram. Now, we have a better look at it thanks to USA Today.
Who is "Lou"? Or better yet, what is Lou? Apparently a living amalgamation of things in a Lost and Found box.
The thing in question goes up against a schoolyard bully who steals his classmates' toys and items. It conceals itself with a red hoodie, and has baseballs for eyes. The story sounds like a much weirder Toy Story, and I also like that it's set to deal with bullying, something a Pixar short hasn't taken on just yet.
It's based on the director's personal experiences, which is unsurprising given the personal nature of some of the latest Pixar shorts. Mullins moved a lot when he was a kid, and how he felt on the new playgrounds he found himself in. Here's what he had to say...
"You either feel invisible because you don’t know the other kids or you’re embarrassed and you want to be invisible. I thought it’d be really cool to have a character who could hide in plain sight..."
On the bully, J. J., he said...
"They’re usually just acting out because they’re awkward or young and don’t have their moral compass set. In a weird way, the bullies sometimes feel invisible, too... If you can find out what their motivations are, maybe you can solve some things. That’s what I like about Lou: True happiness comes from giving. He gets J.J. to understand that and through that, what J.J. wants really is to be accepted by the other kids."
Oddball twist on a done-before premise, themes of bullying and selflessness... Yes, it's a Pixar short. I'm excited.
What say you?
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