Pixar has announced its next original film will be titled Luca. The beloved animation studio revealed the logo, synopsis, and a piece of key art on Thursday. It will release in theaters on June 18th, 2021.
Luca is a coming-of-age story set in the Italian Riviera. It follows the titular young boy as he experiences an unforgettable summer with his newfound best friend. But Luca has a secret that threatens to ruin his wonderful experience. He is actually a sea monster in disguise, coming from another world beneath the water.
The announcement brings no news of a voice cast. Enrico Casarosa, who previously earned an Oscar nomination for the Pixar short La Luna, will direct Luca. He has also worked in the art department for previous Pixar features such as Coco and Up. Along with the film’s announcement, Casarosa issued the following statement:
This is a deeply personal story for me, not only because it’s set on the Italian Riviera where I grew up, but because at the core of this film is a celebration of friendship. Childhood friendships often set the course of who we want to become and it is those bonds that are at the heart of our story in ‘Luca.’ So in addition to the beauty and charm of the Italian seaside, our film will feature an unforgettable summer adventure that will fundamentally change Luca.
Pixar’s previous film, Onward, debuted earlier this year before the pandemic. It brought in $108 million worldwide and was added to Disney+ a month later. The studio’s next movie, Soul, would have released on June 19th. Due to the pandemic, it will now release on November 20th. It follows a middle school Jazz teacher who pursues his dreams of being a big performer. But after an accident removes his soul from his body, he must put his dreams on hold. It stars Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, Quest Love, and Daveed Diggs.