Pixar Animation Studios announced that its next feature film release will be Luca. Directed by Academy Award nominee Enrico Casarosa (La Luna) and produced by Andrea Warren (Lava, Cars 3), Luca is set to open in cinemas June 17, 2021.
Set in a beautiful seaside town on the Italian Riviera, the original animated feature is a coming-of-age story about a young boy experiencing an unforgettable summer filled with gelato, pasta and endless scooter rides. Pixar’s Luca shares these adventures with his newfound best friend, but all the fun is threatened by a deeply-held secret: he is a sea monster from another world just below the water’s surface.
“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,'” said Casarosa. “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.”
Earlier this year, Pixar’s Onward launched shortly before the global health crisis that forced cinemas to close. It ended its box office run with $100 million globally before Disney released it early on digital rental platforms. Pixar’s next project, Soul, is slated to premiere on November 20, 2020. The animated feature sees Jamie Foxx lending his voice talents to Joe, a middle-school band teacher with a passion for music who gets the chance to play at the best jazz club in town.
