About Onward

"Onward" is a 2020 fantasy-adventure movie produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The movie is set in a fantastical world where technology has replaced magic. The story centers around two elf brothers, Ian and Barley Lightfoot, who embark on a magical journey to spend one day with their father who died when they were too young to remember him. They use a spell their father left for them, but the spell goes awry and only partly brings their dad back. The boys then venture out to seek the mythical Phoenix Gem to complete the spell and fully resurrect their father before sunset.

Making / Production

"Onward" is directed by Dan Scanlon, produced by Kori Rae and penned by Scanlon, Jason Headley, and Keith Bunin. The movie was dedicated to fathers around the world, with Dan Scanlon drawing experiences from his own life, as he and his brother were also very young when they lost their father.

Actors

• Tom Holland as Ian Lightfoot – Ian is a nerdy and shy elf who is turning 16. Holland plays the role with innocence and endearing vulnerability.
• Chris Pratt as Barley Lightfoot – Barley is Ian's older enthusiastic and courageous brother. Pratt lends his character a boisterous energy and an infectious spirit.
• Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Laurel Lightfoot – Laurel is the loving, protective, and understanding mother of Ian and Barley. Louis-Dreyfus gives a warm performance as the matriarch of the Lightfoot family.
• Octavia Spencer as Corey The Manticore – Corey is a once-fierce manticore who has become a restaurant manager. Spencer gives a lively performance, bringing comic relief to the film.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• This is the first Pixar film to be released in the 2020s.
• Onward is Dan Scanlon's second feature film for Pixar after Monsters University.
• Guinevere, Barley’s van, is named after King Arthur’s queen Guinevere, a figure in Arthurian legend known for her beauty.

Awards

"Onward" was nominated for Best Animated Feature at the 93rd Academy Awards.

Quotes

• "Long ago, the world was full of wonder. It was adventurous, exciting... and best of all, there was magic." - Barley Lightfoot
• "Bridging a gap doesn't mean you forget one side." - Ian Lightfoot
• "My curse became my gift. Your fear. your curse. It’s also your gift." - Corey The Manticore

Music, Soundtrack

• "Carried Me With You" – Performed by Brandi Carlile
• "Quests of Yore" – Composed by Mychael Danna and Jeff Danna
• "Long Ago" – Composed by Mychael Danna and Jeff Danna