The upcoming Pixar animated seriesWin or Loseis finally here, and here is why it took Disney+ so long to finally release it on the streaming service.Win or Losehas been one of Pixar’s most highly-anticipated projects for years now, with it being the beloved studio’s first-ever original animated series. AlthoughWin or Losewas announced years ago, it is only now releasing on Disney+ in February 2025. So, here is a detailed history ofWin or Lose’s development and why it was delayed so many times before its Disney+ release.
Pixar has been known for making animated movies for a long time, with their first feature filmToy Storychanging the landscape of the animation industry forever. While animated series based on Pixar properties have been made before, Pixar is taking another step forward by releasing theirfirst original animated series,Win or Lose. However, in the lead-up to its release,Win or Losehas been surrounded with controversy and delays. Fans who have been eagerly awaiting the series have had to wait longer than they ever expected. Luckily,Win or Losewill finally be releasing on May 28, 2025.
Win Or Lose’s Multiple Release Delays On Disney+ Explained
It Was Announced Back In 2020
Win or Losewas first announced in December 2020, with it being over four years since the show made its debut. When it was first announced,Win or Losewas slated to premiere in December 2023, three years after it was first revealed to the public. However, on July 11, 2025, it was announced thatWin or Losewas being delayed until 2024. The reason for it being delayed wasn’t given, although it was also shifted aroundalongside the release of the Pixar movieElio, which was pushed from 2024 back to June 2025.
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Eventually, it was announced thatWin or Losewould be premiering on July 17, 2025, a year after its original release date and four years after it was originally announced. Soon after,Win or Losewas delayed again, this time to its final release date of August 21, 2025.Win or Loseswapped release dates with theInside Outspinoff seriesDream Productions, presumably in an attempt to capitalize off of the success ofInside Out 2. This meant thatWin or Losewould be releasing four years and a few months after it was first announced, with the show finally being here.
When Win Or Lose’s Production Was Completed
Post-Production Was Finished In Mid-2023
DespiteWin or Losenot releasing until February 2025, it has seemingly been finished for a while. In a now-deleted June 28, 2025 post on Twitter (now X), executive producerDavid Lally confirmed thatWin or Losehad finished post-production. This means thatWin or Losecould have been prepared to hit its original release date of December 2023, and it had been done for nearly a year and a half before its scheduled December 2024 release date. However, some work was still being done on the show in the lead-up to its February 2025 release date.
In December 2024, it was revealed thatWin or Losewould be cutting a storyline surrounding a transgender character, with this creating lots of controversy online. In the The Hollywood Reporter story that broke the news, THR claimed that their source said the decision was made “several months ago,” meaning that it most likely happened between the original December 2023 release date and the scheduled December 2024 date. It is not known when this further post-production work was finished, although the show is now ready for its February 2025 release date.
How Win Or Lose’s Release Timeline Compares To Other Disney+ Animated Shows
Why Did The Show Take So Long?
The timeline ofWin or Lose’s development is seemingly much longer when compared to that of other Disney+ animated shows. However, this could be due to the series being handled by Pixar rather than an outside animation studio. WhileDream Productionswas announced in June 2023 and released in December 2024, it isn’t known how long the show was in development before its announcement. WhenWin or Losewas announced in 2020, it was seemingly incredibly early in development, with a cast not being announced until September 2022.
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Win or Losealso isn’t the only Disney+ animated series to face production troubles. TheMoanaseries ended up being turned intoMoana 2, with this being a sign of Disney’s shifting priorities surrounding the streaming service model.Win or Lose’spost-production changes and shifting schedule could also be due to this, explaining why it has gotten delayed so many times.
