Disney has just released a brand-new original short film to commemorate the holiday season with its signature brand of magic.
Directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Taika Waititi, the short was created in collaboration with global creative agency adam&eveDDB and production company Hungry Man.
"A Disney Holiday Short: The Boy & The Octopus" features references to many of the brand's most iconic properties, including "Moana," "Lilo and Stitch," and "Toy Story," among others.
In a press release, Disney Director of Brand Marketing Tim Pennoyer spoke about how the story combines nostalgic holiday feelings with the emotional sensibilities of Disney films:
"It beautifully encapsulates the joy of discovering friendship and warmth in surprising places, which felt so right for a Disney holiday story.
'A Disney Holiday Short: The Boy & The Octopus' builds on Disney’s tradition of stories that evoke feelings of joy, a belief that anything is possible, and the sense of magic that you feel in your heart and the world around you."
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The Walt Disney Company Chief Brand Officer Asad Ayaz also highlighted Disney's status as an international icon of the holiday season and how the new short builds on the brand's timelessness.
"The Boy & The Octopus" is a heartfelt effort from a beloved brand that's mastered the art of storytelling over the last 101 years.
It's also an extension of the studio's solid brand values, which helps it create works with an unmistakable Disney charm.
My Octopus Friend
The four-minute short film opens on a crowded beach, as a little boy walks towards the waves.
Putting on his goggles, he confidently jumps into the water under the watchful eye of his mother. He swims through the deep blue ocean, eventually coming across an adorable orange octopus with big eyes.
The cephalopod terrifies the boy and his mother as it perches on his head, drawing a large crowd of people who don't know what to do.
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It eventually follows him home, with the boy hiding it under the hood of his jacket. Angrily looking at the octopus in the mirror, the boy slowly warms up to his new friend, showing off his toys and his room.
The pair quickly form a close bond as the boy regales his friend with stories of the outside world. After playing with a Star Wars lightsaber, the two peek out the window to see the town festivities in full swing.
An orchestral rendition of The Little Mermaid's "Part of Your World," which was recorded and mixed in the legendary Abbey Road, plays as the boy readies his Mickey Mouse beanie, cutting out holes for the octopus to see through.
After experiencing holiday joys, they go home to watch "The Santa Clause," a Disney holiday classic, igniting the octopus' desire to explore the world, which the boy immediately understands.
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Hatching a plan, the boy sets out milk and cookies for Santa while the octopus disguises itself as a tree ornament.
The brand film ends with the boy tearfully saying goodbye to his friend, with the octopus latching on to Santa's hat on the way to its next big adventure, and the message: "The greatest journeys start with a dream."
Disney's new holiday short arrives just weeks before the premiere of its most highly-anticipated film of 2024, "Moana 2."
Back in May, the "Moana 2" trailer became Disney's most-watched trailer in history.
