Following the back-to-back successes of Soul and Raya and the Last Dragon, this summer, fans will get to embark on an all-new Disney adventure, Luca, which will tell the story of a young sea monster (Jacob Tremblay) and his best friend Alberto (Jack Dylan Grazer) as they live an idyllic life on the Italian Riviera.
With many myths linked to the Mediterranean sea and the sea monsters that are believed to have once inhabited the waters, it's fair to wonder whether the creative team used any of these legends to design their main characters and create their underwater world. Director Enrico Casarosa further elaborates.
"There are a few different ones. There is a wonderful town that is right next to La Spezia, which is close to Cinque Terre that has, for example, a legend of a helpful octopus that rang the bell when the pirates were coming. I always found it fascinating, but you visit the place and the bell and the church is right on the sea. So, you can see why people would think an octopus can definitely walk out and ring the bell.
Other places had dragons, you know. There's a big history of sea dragons. And, for example, one is San Fruttuoso, which is a famous abbey, a beautiful place that we definitely took a lot of reference from. And that one was known as, “Don't go there. There's a dragon that lives there.” And that is, actually, the one that we totally thought, they must've had great fishing here and that is a bit what we found. Some of these different ideas that brought the sense of it."
More visually, as well, because, the maps and the wonderful krakens and leviathans, and the mystery of those things was always very fascinating to me."
While the film is sure to explore the characters' dual lives as sea monsters and young boys, the story is ultimately about the bond between Luca and Alberto and how a strong friendship can help you become the best version of yourself.
"This is a movie that really talks about a specific and important kind of friendship. Someone who's very different from you. And someone that you're actually challenged by, in good ways.
So, I just hope that because of the fun, we wanted to make this delightful and joyful, and a big journey of the ups and downs of friendships. You know, you didn't get to see the second and third acts, but we have put these characters through a lot, and their friendship through a lot. And then, that sense of helping each other. The sense of pushing each other. The sense of not being too afraid, and living courageously, and being willing to help each other. Those are all things that I really feel are part of the movie. And not listening too much to your, you know, we call it 'Bruno.'
It's this funny, silly idea of your insecurities, we give him a name. I think we can all relate. I had my 'Bruno' bugging me on some nights in the middle of production. So I hope that those things resonate with kids. I have a 13-year-old daughter and, luckily, we're in a little pod. I can see those friendships become even more important now that there's not a whole classroom, for example."