'Luca': Pixar Reveals First Look & Details On A New Italy-Set Coming Of Age Movie

What’s Pixar Animation Studios up to these days? Well, apart from waiting for the right available theatrical window to unveil their jazz movie“Soul,” currently due November 2020, but who knows if that sticks given the COVID-19 shifts, they have four more mystery films on the docket with various release dates between 2021 and 2023. But today, Pixar announced 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 U.S. theaters June 18, 2021.

They’ve also revealed a first look photo which you can see below. Here’s the official synopsis:

Set in a beautiful seaside town on the Italian Riviera, 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,’” director Enrico Casarosa said in a statement. “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.”

No other details have been revealed, but it’s a sign that Disney/Pixar has a film close to completion with high hopes that everything will be back to “normal” next summer and “Soul” will actually come out when intended this fall. Wishful thinking? It’s too early to tell, but save the date for now and watch this space for more.