Update, 4/12/18:
Pixar has released a clip from Bao showing the “birth” of the dumpling star, and you need to brace yourself because it is so dang precious. The story has a folktale vibe, evident from just these few seconds of footage where the little dumpling comes to life.
Previously:
A new Pixar film means a new short, and with a catalog including titles such as Lava, La Luna, and Piper, I expect nothing less than a charming, emotional story. Pixar and emotion tend to come bundled together, so I think my expectations will be met–especially because Pixar’s new short, Bao, is about an adorable little dumpling that comes to life and bonds with its maker, a Chinese-Canadian woman whose children have moved away. Bao will accompany Incredibles 2 (coming to theaters on June 15); it’s the first Pixar short to have a female director, Domee Shi.
Entertainment Weekly (EW) shared a first look at art from the short, and I’m melting.
Our New Short, Bao, Opens In Front of #Incredibles2 June 15 (@OhMyDisney): https://t.co/gEmXJ7iMsr pic.twitter.com/tIBgsZ1eku
— Pixar (@Pixar) March 30, 2018
The tiny dumpling gives the woman another chance to play mom in the seven minute short. Shi told EW, “I just wanted to create this magical, modern-day fairy tale, kind of like a Chinese Gingerbread Man story. The word ‘bao’ actually means two things in Chinese: Said one way, it means steamed bun. Said another, it means something precious. A treasure.”
And the baby dumpling is a treasure. Just look at the concept art:
omg the new pixar short is gonna be so cute!!! it’s about a little dumpling named Bao!!! AhhHHHH pic.twitter.com/HjZtDIDETa
— allie @ chappell roan brainrot (@_wooseokie) March 31, 2018
I’ve never cried over a soup dumpling before, but there’s a first time for everything. Also, I’m hungry.
Are you more excited about Bao than Incredibles 2? How would you rank Pixar’s shorts so far? Share your list with us in the comments.
Image: Pixar
Amy Ratcliffe is an Associate Editor for Nerdist. Follow her on Twitter and keep up with her Disney food adventures on Instagram.
More Pixar stories!
- Adorable Pixar-themed food coming to Disneyland.
- Toy Story Land opens this summer at Walt Disney World.
- Incredibles 2 gets a new Dark Horse comic.
