Pixar Unveils First Trailer for ‘Luca’
THE ANIMATION TITANS GAVE US OUR FIRST LOOK AT THEIR UPCOMING AQUATIC CLASSIC-TO-BE.
Pixar released the first trailer on Thursday for “Luca”, a new original that is scheduled for this summer. Story artist Enrico Casarosa will make his feature directorial debut having directed the short “La Luna” for Pixar. As the film is set in Italy and Casarosa was born there, “Luca” fits in with many other Pixar films as another personal story that blends top-tier animation with emotional depth.
“Luca” is set on the Italian Riviera and follows the title character and his best friend Alberto as they have a fun and adventurous summer vacation together. Of course, being a Pixar film, there is a catch. Luca and Alberto happen to be sea creatures and only appear human on land. The two become friends with a human girl named Giulia, who promises to keep the boys’ secret as her village is very anti-sea creature.
Judging from the trailer, this looks like another colorful fun filled adventure for Pixar, with a little bit of Italian culture thrown in there as well. In many ways, it shares similarities with “Coco”, which also had a young boy at the centre of a cultural story. While it is too early to tell, it’s very likely that Casarosa and his fellow animators have crafted a love letter to Italy and childhood that will really connect with a broad range of audiences.
The voice cast is rock solid, with Jacob Tremblay voicing Luca and Jack Dylan Grazer (“Shazam”) portraying Alberto. Maya Rudolph and Jim Gaffigan also lend their talents to the movie.
After several years of relying on sequels to their classic films, Pixar is really starting to return to their roots in telling unique original stories with memorable characters, stunning animation, creative worlds and relatable emotions. “Coco” and “Soul” are excellent proof of this and the hope is that “Luca” will continue that tradition. The question now becomes how the film will be released. “Soul” had to be rerouted to Disney+ due to COVID closures, but with New York City finally reopening on March 5th, and Los Angeles and other cities potentially following suit afterwards, it seems possible that this will be released theatrically even if it involves some sort of hybrid Disney+ Premier Access release, similar to what Disney is doing with “Raya and the Last Dragon” when it premieres next week.
“Luca” is slated for release on June 18th, 2021. Check out the teaser trailer below! Does Pixar have another masterpiece on their hands? Let us know in the comments!