Untold Studios, the London VFX crew whose CG creature cred is on full display here and here, team with Hungry Man director Taika Waititi (JoJo Rabbit, Thor: Ragnarok) on a Disney holiday hear-warmer “The Boy & The Octopus”.

Taika Waititi: “The story manages to connect the feelings that you get around the holidays, and the joy, the goodwill and everything, with those same emotions and those same sensibilities you get from Disney films. I think they go hand in hand and it’s the perfect match.
 

“The brief was to create a story-driven campaign that would truly resonate emotionally, something that would feel distinctly Disney.”

 
Tim Pennoyer, director of brand marketing at Disney: “The brief was to create a story-driven campaign that would truly resonate emotionally, something that would feel distinctly Disney with a musical element to bring extra warmth and memorability.

“We explored more than a dozen ideas this year, but ‘The Boy & The Octopus’ had a unique kind of magic that stuck with us. It was the one story we kept texting each other about, captivated by the way it brought a boy and an unexpected friend together in such a whimsical yet relatable way.

“Taika has a remarkable talent for bringing unique, unexpected relationships to life. His signature style perfectly captures both the warmth and humor of this unusual friendship while elevating the magic of human connection — a theme we knew would resonate deeply with audiences during the holiday season.”
 
 

 
Client: The Walt Disney Company
Chief Brand Officer: Asad Ayaz
Director of Brand Marketing: Tim Pennoyer

Agency: adam&eveDDB

Production: Hungry Man UK
Director: Taika Waititi
Production designer: Olly Williams

VFX: Untold Studios