A24 has released a trailer for The Legend of Ochi, a fantasy adventure film for the whole family starring Willem Dafoe, Emily Watson, Stranger Things‘ Finn Wolfhard, News of the World‘s Helena Zengel, and an adorable little puppet monster. Have a look:
As evidenced from the trailer, the story concerns a teenage girl who comes across a fledgling “ochi”—essentially, a golden snub-nosed monkey with larger ears destined to grow up into a hulking, Sasquatch-like monster feared by the villagers of a small island community. Despite the warnings of her peers and bloodthirsty elders, our hero is determined to return the creature home to its own family.
Based on an original screenplay by music video director Isaiah Saxon (making his feature debut), The Legend of Ochi has been described as both an “adventure musical” and “a movie about the mysteries of animal communication” by the man’s very own Tumblr page. To our eyes, it looks like a cross between The Great Panda Adventure and Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris. The story’s fictional location also seems to be partially based on every island culture at once, emitting heavy Babe: Pig in the City fumes.
And yes, that’s A24 favorite Willem Dafoe as the crusty, ochi-hating zealot destined for a bittersweet comeuppance. The film additionally boasts an original score by Dave Longstreth of the Dirty Projectors’ fame. As of this writing, no release date has been set.
So, are you excited for The Legend of Ochi? Will its practical puppet win the hearts and minds of the moviegoing public like Gizmo the Mogwai and E.T., or is its merchandisable lead destined to be as fondly remember as Nukie, Munchie, or Kirbi from Hyper Sapien: People from Another Star? Let us know in the comments.
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