Pixar has been in a bit of a slump lately.

Onward garnered more attention for being ever so slightly controversial than it did at the box-office, and was widely considered a disappointment.

If you’ve been longing to go back to the days of emotionally intelligent (and emotionally devastating) films like Up, and Inside Out, then we have some good news for you.

Per The New York Times, director Pete Docter is back with Soul.

Jamie Foxx voices Joe Gardner, a New York City middle-school band teacher who’s about to get his big break as a jazz musician when he falls down a manhole. He lands in the Great Before, an ethereal world where new souls are assigned personality traits before heading to Earth. There, he meets the cynical 22 (Tina Fey), a soul who doesn’t believe life is worth living. As Joe tries to convince 22 otherwise, he realizes he may have a shot at returning to his old body.

The trailer looks promising:

Yep, they’re trying to hide it behind all that whimsy, but it’s likely to be a tear-jerker.

Surprise feelings – that’s what Pixar is all about.

Soul will hit theatres in June.

[source:nytimes]