A new clip from Disney and Pixar's upcoming original short film, 22 Vs. Earth, transports us back to the afterlife of their 2020 Academy Award winner Soulfor another delightfully charming adventure. Set before the events of Disney and Pixar's Soul, 22 refuses to go to Earth, enlisting a gang of 5 other new souls in her attempt at rebellion. However, as her cohorts' activities lead to unexpected results, 22's subversive plot may actually lead to a surprising revelation about the meaning of life.

Released straight to Disney+ last year, Soul follows Joe Gardner, a middle-school band teacher who gets the chance of a lifetime to play at the best jazz club in town. But one small misstep takes him from the streets of New York City to The Great Before - a fantastical place where new souls get their personalities, quirks, and interests before they go to Earth. Determined to return to his life, Joe teams up with a precocious soul, 22, who has never understood the appeal of the human experience. As Joe desperately tries to show 22 what's great about living, he may just discover the answers to some of life's most important questions.

Directed by Pete Docter and featuring the voices of Jamie Foxx as Joe Gardner, with Tina Fey as the trapped soul with a dim view of life, 22, Soulhas been another huge success for Disney, Pixar, and the new streaming platform, with the movie being awarded the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Score.

Tina Fey returns to voice the sceptical little soul in 22 vs. Earth, with Alicia Braga also set to reprise the role of soul counsellor Jerry. The Pixar short will give audiences a glimpse into 22's attempts to avoid being sent to Earth, something which she is still tackling with when Joe Gardner arrives, and no doubt the short film will result in something that tugs the heartstrings in the way that only Pixar can.

22 Vs Earth poster

22 vs. Earth will therefore be set before the events of Souland is being directed by Pixar veteran Kevin Nolting, who revealed that the idea for the short came from elements that they could not fit into the 2020 feature. "While making Soul, we talked about the why of a new soul not wanting to live on Earth, but it didn't ultimately belong in that movie," said Nolting. "22 vs. Earth was a chance to explore some of the unanswered questions we had about why 22 was so cynical. As a fairly cynical person myself, it felt like perfect material."

It is indeed this cynicism that drew Nolting to the project, but don't worry, as the other souls are a little more upbeat. "I think the new souls make the short so fun-the contrast of their pure innocence and delight with the cynical expectations of 22," Nolting continued. "The other new souls are what 22 once was before she took another path-purely innocent, blank slates to be guided by the counsellors in their mostly uneventful journey to the earth portal. 22 sees an opening in that and attempts to guide them herself into her way of thinking." Disney and Pixar's 22 vs. Earth is scheduled to debut on Disney+ later this month on April 30.