Disney•Pixar has released the first trailer for “Luca,” a coming of age animated feature where two sea creatures, Luca Paguro (Jacob Tremblay) and Alberto Scorfano (Jack Dylan Grazer), venture out of their comfort zone to experience an unforgettable summer in an Italian Riviera. If the characters’ look feels familiar, it should, as it was directed by Academy Award winner Enrico Casarosa, who helmed the “La Luna” short. Now he is ready for his directorial debut.
Luca is described as a bright and inventive 13-year-old sea monster with endless curiosity—especially when it comes to the mysterious world above the sea. Alberto Scorfano is an independent, free-spirited teenage sea monster with unbridled enthusiasm for the human world. During their stay above water, they befriend Giulia (Emma Berman), an outgoing and charming adventurer who takes them on a Riviera tour and beyond. Also joining them are Maya Rudolph and Jim Gaffigan, who voices Luca’s mother and father, respectively, and Marco Barricelli, who voices Giulia’s father.
Here’s the very brief plot synopsis for “Luca:”
Set in a beautiful seaside town on the Italian Riviera, Disney and Pixar’s original feature film “Luca” is a coming-of-age story about one young boy experiencing an unforgettable summer filled with gelato, pasta and endless scooter rides. Luca shares these adventures with his newfound best friend, but all the fun is threatened by a deeply-held secret: they are sea monsters from another world just below the water’s surface. Directed by Academy Award® nominee Enrico Casarosa (“La Luna”) and produced by Andrea Warren (“Lava,” “Cars 3”), “Luca” releases Summer 2021.
Spending a summer at an Italian riviera eating nothing but gelato and pasta sounds like a dream come true, especially since we spent the majority of our last summer confined to our homes. Putting that aside, the film looks like an unbridled joy as it is another Pixar original that has the protentional to be a hit with critics and audiences. It’s so bright and colorful, not to mention the characters feel so familiar. I hope Michael Giacchino, who is also Italian and has worked with Casaorsa on “La Luna,” does the film’s score.
Casaorsa, whose credits also include “Up” and “Coco,” said that this is a passion project of his that is based on the Italian riviera where he grew up. The themes of friendship are at the center of this sweet and sentimental story.
“Luca” is expected to hit theaters on June 18, 2020. We’ll keep you posted should anything change.
