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Full trailer for Pixar's Onward is like Weekend at Bernie's with elves and manticores
Up to this point, Pixar has been sort of vague about the plot of its next original project, the fantasy-inspired Onward. Thanks to the drop-eth of a new trailer this morning, we now know that the film's story about two elven brothers (voiced by Chris Pratt and Tom Holland) setting out on an epic quest to find some magic left in the world has to do with bringing their father back to life.
Upon discovering a wizard's staff in the attic, the siblings are only able to restore half of their dad and have 24 hours to seek out the extra magic needed to resurrect the rest of him. Taking papa's already-kickin' legs with them, Ian (Holland) and Barley (Pratt) Lightfoot basically live out Weekend at Bernie's with a lot more fantasy elements: dragons (now domesticated like dogs), unicorns (more of a neighborhood nuisance like raccoons), and a map-carrying Manticore voiced by Octavia Specner (Ma).
Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Seinfeld, Veep) rounds out the voice cast as the brothers' mom, Laurel Lightfoot.
Watch the official trailer now:
Like we said before, much of Onward has been cloaked in mystery until now. For example, we had no clue what character Spencer would be voicing before the official trailer was released. Per Disney, the Manticore has an ancient map that Ian and Barley need to complete their quest. "[She was] once a fearless warrior whose tavern served as a way-station for travelers embarking on epic quests," reads the release. "Part lion, part bat and part scorpion, the Manticore has adapted to changing times — but her adventurous spirt still lurks within." By "adapting to changing times," Manticore has turned her once-seedy tavern into a franchise-y family restaurant akin to Bennigan's, TGI Fridays, or Applebee's.
That's just one creative subversion of the fantasy genre that Onward promises to deliver. And if the brothers do manage to bring back the rest of their father, we imagine he'll be voiced by another major star that Pixar wants to keep on the down-low for now. By the time this movie hits theaters, Pratt and Holland will both be vets of the animation genre thanks to both Lego films and Spies in Disguise.
Oh, and before we forget, have a new poster while you're at it:
Directed by Dan Scanlon (Monsters University), Onward journeys into theaters March 6, 2020.
