Disney has released a new trailer for Onward. This is the latest original from Pixar, one of the studio’s most reliable brands. In recent years, we’ve been treated to several sequels from the studio, including Finding Dory, Incredibles 2 and, more recently, Toy Story 4. However, they are taking a break from the familiar to focus on some original stories and this looks to be inventive and magical in classic Pixar fashion. Plus, it doesn’t hurt when Chris Pratt and Tom Holland are playing the lead characters.
Like the first Onward trailer, this footage starts out by setting up the world as it was, and as it is now. This universe used to be consumed with magic. Wizards. Mythical beings. Now, the world has moved on. Things are simpler. Magic is a thing of the past. As we come to understand, Chris Pratt’s character is a little obsessed with the good old days when magic was more prominent. We also dig a lot more into the plot with this trailer, as opposed to the first teaser, where we realize that Pratt and Tom Holland’s father was a wizard. They manage to bring their dearly departed father back to life. Well, sort of. As the trailer reveals, things get tricky on that front.
This is truly a bizarre and bold setup, even for Pixar. We’ve got a half-conjured father figure, mythical creatures doing not-so-mythical things and a pair of mismatched brothers in what essentially becomes a classic road trip movie. Safe to say, this is unlike anything we’ve seen from the studio before. But if Pixar can make Up and Inside Out work, why not Onward? The cast also features the voices of Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Laurel Lightfoot, and Octavia Spencer as the voice of the Manticore.
Onward centers on two teenage elf brothers, Ian and Barley Lightfoot (voices of Tom Holland and Chris Pratt), and takes place in a suburban fantasy world. The two brothers must embark on an extraordinary quest to discover if there is still a little magic left in their world. Dan Scanlon is in the director’s chair for this one, with Kori Rae serving as a producer. The two previously teamed up for Monsters University. Scanlon has also worked on Pixar movies such as Toy Story 4, Incredibles 2, Cars and Brave, in various capacities.
Pixar has been a hit-making machine in recent years. Toy Story 3, Incredibles 2 and Finding Dory all sailed past the $1 billion mark at the global box office. The studio’s most recent original, Coco, was also met with near-universal praise and went on to earn $807 million worldwide. 2020 will be a big test for the animation studio, as they have two original movies coming out, with Soul, starring Jamie Foxx, also set to arrive next year. Onward, meanwhile, is set to hit theaters on March 6, 2020, from Disney. Be sure to check out the new trailer for yourself.
