THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN To Premiere on Disney+ This August

Disney is making a few changes to its release schedule for its upcoming films. Thea Sharrock’s The One And Only Ivan featuring the voice talents of Sam Rockwell and Angelina Jolie, was set to hit theaters August 14, of this year. However, the studio will now release the animated film the week after on Disney+.

According to the press release, The One and the Only is an unforgettable tale about the beauty of friendship, the power of visualization, and the significance of the place one calls home. The One and Only Ivan, which comes to the screen in an impressive hybrid of live-action and CGI, is based on Katherine Applegate’s book, which won numerous awards upon its publication in 2013, including the Newbery Medal.

In addition to Rockwell and Jolie, voice cast also includes Danny DeVito as Bob the dog; Helen Mirren as Snickers the poodle; Chaka Khan as Henrietta the chicken; Mike White as Frankie the seal; Brooklynn Prince as Ruby the baby elephant; Ron Funches as Murphy the rabbit; Phillipa Soo as Thelma the parrot; and stars Ramon Rodriguez, Ariana Greenblatt, and Bryan Cranston. “The One and Only Ivan” is directed by Thea Sharrock from a screenplay by Mike White based on Applegate’s novel and is produced by the late Allison Shearmur, p.g.a., Angelina Jolie and Brigham Taylor, p.g.a. Sue Baden-Powell and Thea Sharrock serve as executive producers.

Here’s the official plot synopsis for Ivan The One and Only:

“Ivan is a 400-pound silverback gorilla who shares a communal habitat in a suburban shopping mall with Stella the elephant and Bob the dog. He has few memories of the jungle where he was captured, but when a baby elephant named Ruby arrives, it touches something deep within him. Ruby is recently separated from her family in the wild, which causes him to question his life, where he comes from, and where he ultimately wants to be.”

The One and Only Ivan is a live-action CGI animation hybrid that is in the same vein as Disney’s live-action take of Dumbo.

The shift over to Disney+ is being made in light of the recent pandemic. Although, Disney still is holding on to Mulan being released later in July. But Ivan The One and Only isn’t the only title to make such a switch.  Artemis Fowl (which can be streamed on the platform, today) and Hamilton, which were both originally set for a theatrical release before the Covid-19 pandemic hit, will be released on Disney+. 

Additionally, films like Onward, Frozen 2, and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker were both released on Disney+ earlier than expected. It will be interesting to see how studios will approach releasing some of their films from here on out. Some have found success in releasing their films on VOD. Others have opted to release it on their exclusive platforms.

The One and Only Ivan is scheduled for release on Disney+ on August 21, 2020.