Pixar’s animated films depict personal, relatable and human experiences. Be it Inside Out, Onward, Up or the upcoming Luca.
The legendary animation studio’s next movie, Luca, is another mix of fact and folklore – the first feature from director Enrico Casarosa, who previously helmed short La Luna. The Disney owned studio has released a brand new image from the forthcoming animated feature.
As Empire reports, Luca is set on the coast of Italy in the dazzling summer days, its central character, Luca, and his friend Alberto are actually sea creatures who appear human on dry land, but take on a fishier form underwater. In a Little Mermaid riff, the pair get to experience life up where they walk, run, and stay all day in the sun – befriending a human girl along the way. The exclusive first look at the film is available in the new issue of Empire going on sale Thursday 21 January, and is available to pre-order online now.
Luca stems from the magical sea creatures from Casarosa’s childhood. He told Empire: “I was born in Genoa, and my summers were spent on beaches. I met my best friend when I was 11. I was really shy and I found this troublemaker of a kid who had a completely different life. I wanted to make a movie about those kinds of friendships that help you grow up.”
According to him, Luca is a Pixar film that pays homage to Fellini and other classic Italian filmmakers, with a splash of Miyazaki present too. “It sounds like the cinematic summer blast” and we can’t keep calm to experience this warm, fuzzy, adorable film alive on big screens.
Luca is expected to arrive in UK cinemas 18 June 2021 onwards.