Carl's Date

Carl's Date (also known as Dug Days: Carl's Date) is a 2023 American animated short film produced by Pixar Animation Studios, written and directed by Bob Peterson and produced by Kim Collins. It is the sixth and final entry in the Dug Days series and the final installment of the Up franchise, and stars the voices of Ed Asner (in his final return role before his death in 2021) and Peterson. The short film follows Carl Fredricksen (Asner), who reluctantly goes on his first date since his late wife Ellie's death, but has no idea how dating works. Originally scheduled to premiere on Disney+, Carl's Date instead premiered in theaters on June 16, 2023, along with Pixar's Elemental.

Plot
Carl Fredricksen trains Dug at home when he gets a phone call and answers it to hear that it is from Ms. Meyers, an elder who lives at the nursing home, and Alpha (now named Beta) who declares his love for his new home. After Dug has a conversation with Beta, Carl speaks with Ms. Meyers again and agrees to something, only to immediately regret it after hanging up the phone. Carl reveals to Dug that he just agreed to go on a date with her. He is nervous as he has not been with anyone since Ellie passed away and does not know what to do. Dug makes suggestions on what to do, most of which involves dog related things. Carl decides to go out and get some things to prepare for his date.

Carl buys numerous boxes of chocolate and tries to get some flowers from his garden. He has a practice dance with Dug as well as a practice dinner afterwards. Carl then dyes his hair black, which confuses Dug. When Carl attempts to call Ms. Meyers to call off the date, Dug wrestles the phone away from him, destroying it in the process, and tells Carl that he should go on the date and not worry as Ms. Meyers will love him. Carl relaxes and gets himself ready. Dug then offers to go along as backup and Carl agrees. Before leaving, Carl speaks to Ellie's photo and tells her that he is going on a new adventure, and that she will always be his girl.

Voice cast

 * Ed Asner as Carl Fredricksen
 * Bob Peterson as Dug and Alpha

Production
On December 19, 2022, it was announced that Dug Days would get a short film titled Carl's Date, originally set to stream on Disney+ during a montage of content coming in 2023. Prior to his death on August 29, 2021, Ed Asner recorded his dialogue in the spring of 2021. At a screening of Carl's Date, ComicBook.com had a chance to speak with Peterson and Collins about the short film during a press day for Elemental at Pixar Animation Studios. Peterson stated, "No one will ever replace Ellie for Carl. This is just friendship. This is just honoring her, Ellie saying 'go have a new adventure.' And this really puts that to the test. Should he do this or not?". He also stated, "For now, I'm thinking of it as a bow on the story. You know, you never say never, things do ebb and get a great idea or whatever it is, but I think this ends up being a terrific way to end this little miniseries."

Reception
Ethan Anderton of /Film says Carl's Date is not just a short film, but also a "charming epilogue for Pixar's Up that sends Carl off on a new kind of adventure." Anderton also says, "Like Pixar's best work, the short has a moving emotional core inspired by real life, mixed with some delightful comedy involving everybody's favorite, easily distracted, talking dog Dug." Anderton describes the story as "an amusing series of events where Dug tries to help Carl psyche himself to go on a date, something that is particularly daunting since it will be the first date he's gone on since his wife Ellie passed away." Anderton says, "This is a charming, wonderful short that is worthy of playing in theaters, and if you think you're going to get out of this one without shedding some tears, think again. Get those tissues ready!"

Release
Carl's Date debuted in theaters in front of Elemental on June 16, 2023. This is the first Pixar short film to be released in theaters since Bao (2018), which was theatrically released with Incredibles 2 (2018). On January 17, 2023, it was announced that the short film was originally scheduled to debut on Disney+ on February 10, 2023, before it was delayed for undisclosed reasons. It was released on Disney+ on September 13, 2023. The short was also released on September 26, 2023, as a bonus feature included on the Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray, and DVD releases of Elemental.