Disney forges onward with a magical journey

SET in a suburban fantasy world, Disney and Pixar’s Onward introduces two teenage elf brothers who embark on a quest to discover if there is still a little magic left out there.

The story introduces Ian, an elf who lost his father before he was born. Uncertain and introverted, Ian longs to be confident and strong and he’s sure if he’d grown up with his father, he would be both. Ian finds himself on his 16th birthday wanting more than ever to be bolder so when his mother presents the boys with a gift their late father left them, Ian sees an opportunity to finally do what he’s always dreamed of doing: get his father’s guidance.

Barley is immediately on board as he’s long been a fan of the history of their world as well as magic, but the spell doesn’t go as planned and the boys end up destroying the gem before the process is complete.

“They end up only conjuring their dad’s legs,” said director Dan Scanlon. “They have 24 hours to find another gem and try to fully conjure their dad before he vanishes forever.”

The brothers summon Barley’s treasured van he calls Guinevere and embark on a quest that promises to test their relationship.

“The story is inspired by my own

relationship with my brother and our connection with our dad who passed away when I was about a year old,” added Scanlon. “He’s always been a

mystery to us. A family member sent us a tape recording of him saying just two words: ‘hello’ and ‘goodbye’. But to my brother and me, it was magic.”

Onward features the voices of Tom Holland as Ian, Chris Pratt as Barley and Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Mom. – JBJ Reporter

PICTURE: DISNEY/PIXAR In Disney and Pixar’s ‘Onward’, brothers Ian and Barley Lightfoot (voiced by Tom Holland and Chris Pratt) are given a special gift from their late father on Ian’s 16th birthday. But when an accompanying spell meant to magically conjure their dad for one day goes awry, they embark on a quest fraught with some of the most unexpected obstacles.