Carl and Ellie in Up and the Carl's Date poster

By Robert Pitman

Warning: Spoilers ahead for Carl’s Date!

Pixar has just given Carl Fredricksen a new ending 14 years after Up was released, and his new fate in the short Carl’s Date is exactly what Ellie would have wanted. Much of Up revolves around the relationship between Carl and Ellie, with the film following Carl on a journey as he attempts to fulfill his deceased wife’s final wish. 2009’s Up is considered one of Pixar’s saddest movies, as the opening scenes chronicling Carl and Ellie’s relationship are truly heart-wrenching. Even though Up ended without Carl continuing his love life, the new short Carl’s Date has finally given Carl a much happier life all these years later.

Carl’s Date is a 2023 animated short film released by Pixar that follows Carl as he prepares for his first date since his wife Ellie passed away. The short was released alongside Pixar’s Elemental, although Carl’s Date is a bit grander than most of the studio’s other shorts. The short acts as a sequel to 2009’s Up, with it filling in the gaps and answering many of the questions that were left open after the end of the original film. Much like its feature-length predecessor, Carl’s Date is emotional and bittersweet, with it giving Carl the resolution he needed after the events of Up.

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Pixar’s Short Carl’s Date Gives Carl A New Ending After Up

Carl's Date Dug Days Pixar

Pixar’s Carl’s Date short has expanded on the world of Up, giving Carl Fredricksen a new and much more hopeful ending. After returning from Paradise Falls, 2009’s Up ends with Carl adopting Dug the talking dog while also acting as a father figure to Russell, the young child that gets caught up in Carl’s adventure. However, Up gives no resolution to Carl’s love life, with him not finding a new romantic interest after the passing of his wife. Luckily, Carl’s Date changes this, with Carl finally deciding to get back into the dating game, flipping Carl’s fate on its head.

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At the end of Carl’s Date, Carl leaves the house and is heading on to go on his first date in years. This shows that, at the end of Carl’s story, he could be with another partner. This is interesting, as Ellie was his main motivator throughout the entirety of Up, and a new girlfriend could change everything for him. Carl’s Date shows a nervous, more energetic side of Carl that stands in stark contrast to the reserved and grumpy character seen in Up. Carl’s Date shows that Carl is in a new chapter of his life, with the short’s ending giving Carl a happier resolution than Up.

Carl Dating Again Is The New Adventure Ellie Would Want For Him

Dug Days Carl's Date Pixar

Throughout Carl’s Date, Carl is worried about Ellie, concerned that she wouldn’t approve of him reentering the dating world. After planning the date, Carl even turns a picture of him and Ellie around, almost ashamed to look at her. However, Carl accepts that Ellie would be ok with him dating again by the end of the short, even if Ellie will always be his first love. It isn’t known how much time has passed between Up and Carl’s Date, but it has been enough for him to realize what Ellie wants for him and to move on from grieving into new relationships.

Just from what Up shows of Ellie, it is clear that she would want Carl to date again. Throughout her short time in the film, Ellie is all about adventure and trying new things, with her larger-than-life dreams being what motivates Carl to go to Paradise Falls. Ellie is not one to cling to the past, meaning that she wouldn’t want Carl to either. Carl has let go of many other things in his life and has moved on to new adventures, and Ellie would understand that it is time for him to move on once again.

Everything Pixar Has Revealed About Carl’s Life After Up

Pixar's Up

Due to 2009’s Up being a standalone film, not much has been revealed about Carl’s life in the 14 years since the movie’s release. However, there is some information. The end of Up shows that Carl has adopted Dug, with Dug sticking around in Carl’s Date. Carl also acts as a father figure for Russell, showing up to his Wilderness Explorer presentations and taking him out for ice cream. It isn’t known how close they are at the time of Carl’s Date due to the vague time period, but hopefully the duo is still close even though he doesn’t appear in the short.

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A big detail about Carl’s life that has been revealed is that he lives in a new house. Carl lost his old home in Paradise Falls at the end of Up, with him now living in the yellow house that can be seen in Carl’s Date. Carl also appears to be getting around better. He can be seen running and using the stairs in Carl’s Date, which is odd considering he used a walker and a stair lift in Up. Carl seems to be a lot happier in general since the events of Up, with Carl’s Date giving a sweet ending to his final story.

Carl’s Date Confirms What Happened To Alpha After Up

Alpha the dog in Up

Another interesting detail about Carl’s Date is that it confirmed what happened to Alpha after Up. Alpha is the villainous Doberman Pinscher that leads the gang of dogs owned by Charles Muntz, with Alpha and his pack attempting to track down Carl, Dug, Russell, and Kevin throughout the events of Up. Alpha’s fate has always been ambiguous, as he is seen at Russell’s ceremony at the end of the film, but not much else is known after that. The end credits of Up show that Alpha and the other dogs have been taken in by the Shady Oaks Retirement Home, but there are questions if this is canon.

The Up end credits show that Dug has a mate and a litter of puppies which aren’t seen in Carl’s Date, calling into question if Alpha’s ending is actually canon. Luckily, Carl’s Date shows Alpha’s true ending, with him having been adopted by the lady that Carl is dating. Muntz’s other dogs have also been adopted by various seniors, giving them a happy ending as well. Although the canon status of Alpha is surprisingly confusing for a Pixar movie, it is nice to have a confirmed ending to the Up villain’s story in Carl’s Date.