After several years in development, a big day for Skydance Animation has finally arrived. The company formally released the teaser trailer for “Luck,” the first film for Skydance under the direction of computer animation pioneer John Lasseter. That trailer can currently be viewed in its entirety on YouTube, among other places.
“Luck,” tells the story of an unlucky girl named Sam Greenfield who, all things considered, may just be the unluckiest person in the entire world. She ends up teaming with a wide range of different magical creatures in an attempt to discover if there is something out there that is even more powerful than the concept of “luck” to begin with.
It stars Eva Noblezada as the aforementioned Sam Greenfield and Simon Pegg (he of “Mission: Impossible” and “Shaun of the Dead” fame) as Bob, a cat who ends up quickly becoming Sam’s companion on the journey she finds herself on.
Other notable names in the cast include Jane Fonda, Whoopi Goldberg, Flula Borg, and John Ratzenberger.
The film is directed by Peggy Holmes under the supervision of Lasseter, and it is currently scheduled to make its debut this fall on the Apple TV+ streaming service.
The film was first announced in 2017 as a joint production between Paramount Pictures and Skydance Animation. Paramount eventually left the project in early 2019, making “Luck” fully produced by Skydance.
“Luck” is also a notable production because parts of the animation were completed remotely due to the still-ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. It was announced in late 2021 that esteemed composer John Debney would be writing the original score for the film.
All told, “Luck” is poised to be another milestone in the career of John Lasseter – a man who already has a filmography with films grossing more than $19 billion (collectively) under his belt. That number makes him one of the most successful filmmakers in history as far as box office is concerned, and that is one trend that shows absolutely no signs of slowing down any time soon.
Even if you’re not familiar with the name John Lasseter, you’re undoubtedly aware of the man’s work. During his time with The Walt Disney Company, he left an indelible mark on the animation studio Pixar. There he directed films like “Toy Story,” “A Bug’s Life” and “Toy Story 2” – all in five years.
As the company moved into the 2000s, Lasseter directed films like “Cars” and “Cars 2.” Of course, he also had a hand in everything that Pixar put out in some form or another. That includes fan favorites like “WALL-E” and “Ratatouille” along with “Up,” “The Incredibles” and “Finding Nemo.”
John Lasseter came to Skydance Animation in 2019 after spending decades with Pixar.
Indeed, the future certainly seems to be a bright one for Lasseter and his team at Skydance Animation. In addition to “Luck” and its August 5th release, they have several other interesting projects in the pipeline. One of those is “Blush,” which continues the Pixar tradition of releasing high-quality short films in addition to a solid feature output. Also in development is another Lasseter project called “Spellbound,” although not much is known about it at this time. The company also just announced a film called “Raygun,” which will be making its debut at some point in the future.
Much like John Lasseter himself, Skydance Animation is a studio dedicated to bringing “wildly entertaining stories” to the world that will captivate audiences everywhere. They pride themselves on their ability to bring deeply creative artists into the fold – the kind who are passionate about telling bold, original stories that will pull at heartstrings across the globe.
One of those recent hires is Brad Bird, another innovative animator who worked with John Lasseter at Pixar for many years. After directing two live-action feature films – “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” and “Tomorrowland,” Bird returns to the world of animation where he began his career. Bird is also notable for being on the original staff of “The Simpsons” when that show began in 1989.All told, John Lasseter and Skydance Animation certainly seem to be a perfect pairing for one another. If Lasseter can be even half as successful as he was during all of those years at Pixar, it’s safe to say that Skydance Animation is about to become a legitimate force to be reckoned with.