Writer And Co-Director Of Disney's 'Soul' Reveals What Really Happened To Mr. Mittens At The End Of The Film

The ending has left many concerned viewers wondering exactly what happened to the cat's soul.

Stephanie

• Published in Disney
• February 2, 2021

If you haven't seen the latest Pixar film, Soul, yet, then fair warning - there will be spoilers below. However, if you have seen the movie, you will more than likely be wondering about the fate of Mr. Mittens, the cat.

In the film, the therapy cat's body is accidentally taken over by middle-school music teacher, Joe Gardner, which subsequently sends poor Mr. Mittens' soul off into the "Great Beyond." In the end, we see Mr. Mittens reunite with his owner; however, the ending has left many concerned viewers wondering exactly what happened to the cat's soul.

"One of our most persistent notes while making the film: 'but what about the cat's soul?'," director and co-writer, Pete Docter wrote. Later on, Kemp Powers, another of the film's co-writers and co-directors, explained that Mr. Mittens was able to return to his body.

Cats have nine lives, after all.

"We actually boarded an entire sequence that showed how Mr. Mittens got back to his body," Powers said. "We were considering playing it over the end credits, but it was a bit too silly tonally."

Fans responded with an overwhelming plea for Pixar to create a short based on Mr. Mittens and his journey to (and from) the Great Beyond. So, what about Joe Gardner?

Powers says that one of the biggest debates among the crew was whether Joe would live or die. "I think we made the right choice," he said on Twitter.

Soul follows the story of music-teacher, Joe Gardner.

The character, voiced by Jamie Foxx, has an accident where his soul becomes separated from his body. On his journey to 'The Great Before,' he meets 22, voiced by Tina Fey, and the pair set out to reunite Joe's soul with his body.

"Not only does Soul live up to Pixar's own impossibly high standards, but it represents the very best the studio has to offer: beauty, humor, heart, and a gut-punch of an existential crisis," The Independent's Clarisse Loughrey wrote. You can stream Soul on Disney+ now.

Stephanie