Chris Pratt & Tom Holland are elves on an odyssey in Pixar’s Onward trailer

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Just moments after receiving word that Pixar/Disney's TOY STORY 4 is poised to unseat filmmaker Brad Bird's INCREDIBLES 2 as the best animated film opener of all time, it was announced that a teaser trailer for Pixar's next epic, ONWARD, would arrive later this evening. Directed and written by MONSTERS UNIVERSITY helmer Dan Scanlon, ONWARD stars Chris Pratt, Tom Holland, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Octavia Spencer for an animated odyssey set in a suburban fantasy world, where two teenage elf brothers embark on a quest to discover if there is still magic out there.

As per a first look feature courtesy of People, we've learned that Pratt will play a "boisterous older brother," while Holland will enter the film as a "gawky, younger sibling." Meanwhile, Louis-Dreyfus will play the teenage duo's mom, with Spencer's role having yet to be revealed.

When asked about casting Marvel's Friendly Neighborhood Tom Holland for the part, Scanlon told People that “Tom Holland is perfect for our character of Ian, the younger brother." The Pixar creative then added, “We were looking for someone who could have this shy quality and someone who is good at being a little awkward. And Tom is great at that! And yet has a genuine sweetness to him that you really root for him.”

As for Pratt's character, Scanlon told the outlet that the studio "wanted someone who was the exact opposite of that.” He then continued, “Someone who could be wild and chaotic and out of control, but in a very charming and infectious way. And Chris Pratt is perfect for that. He has this ability to be both sort of wild and out of control but in a really lovable, fun, infectious way.”

When asked about Pratt and Holland's chemistry both on and off screen, Scanlon confidently responded by saying “They are clearly friends. “They’ve worked together before and hung out together. It was fun to sit back and watch them make each other laugh.”

Judging from the comedic beats of Scanlon's newest animated feature, Pratt and Holland's pre-existing bromance is bound to come in handy when selling audiences on the brotherly duo's familial bond and then some. Be that as it may, Scanlon was also quick to say that the movie has a deep-seated emotional core, and that viewers should expect some significant feels alongside the project's many laughs.

“I absolutely hope that people are laughing their heads off and crying their eyes out,” Scanlon told People. “My hope is some of the questions that I’m asking in the film will be questions other people are asking about their own lives. And I think that’s what a lot of the times gets us to connect to a movie.”

Ah, good ol' Pixar, always there when you need a laugh and more than willing to make you piss tears. I don't know about you, but after films like COCO and the upcoming release of TOY STORY 4, it feels good to see that Pixar is exploring the possibilities of a magical world filled with interesting new characters and wonders. Here's hoping that ONWARD brings the fun and adventure when it opens in theaters on March 6, 2020.