Directed by Academy Award nominee Enrico Casarosa (La Luna) and produced by Andrea Warren (Lava, Cars 3), Luca premieres today on June 18, 2021 exclusively on Disney+ Hotstar.
Set in a beautiful seaside town on the Italian Riviera named Portorosso, the original animated feature 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: 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 director Enrico 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.”
Bringing the stunning cast of characters to life were a roster of voice talent including Jacob Tremblay as titular character Luca Paguro, Jack Dylan Grazer as Alberto Scorfano, Emma Berman as Giulia Marcovaldo, Maya Rudolph as Luca’s mom Daniela Paguro, Jim Gaffigan as Luca’s dad Lorenzo Paguro and Sacha Baron Cohen as Uncle Ugo.
Luca called for a new approach when it came to recording, and the voice cast’s talents and adventurous spirit shone through their characters.
“It was an amazing, sometimes bizarre experience,” producer Andrea Warren says. “We recorded everyone from their homes—and sometimes from the closets in their homes. They were all so delightfully scrappy and willing to make it work during tricky circumstances.”
