Pixar Animation Studios has been on a hot streak with its sequels as of late. Four of the studio’s last five films have been follow-ups to successful stories, and audiences have shown plenty of support for FINDING DORY, INCREDIBLES 2 and the most recent smash hit, TOY STORY 4.
But Pixar also shines when it branches off into original territory, like in its new release, ONWARD, which you can now watch on AMC Theatres On Demand. Before you press play, here’s everything you need to know about Pixar’s latest original film.
How Can I Watch Onward Today?
Now your whole family can enjoy ONWARD at home through AMC Theatres On Demand. To get started, log in to your AMC Stubs® account or sign up for a free AMC Stubs Insider membership. Once you’re logged in, you can easily access AMC Theatres On Demand from your online account. Sign in or sign up now to buy ONWARD.
Is There a Trailer for Onward?
A few of them, actually. Animated films obviously take a long time to produce, but that means they often have footage to share when they are early on in the process. ONWARD dropped its first trailer on May 30, 2019, but more recent trailers have given away important details about the plot, including the emotional components. We’re including the most recent look for you to enjoy right now.
Who Is the Onward Director?
Pixar loves dipping into its own director pool of creative talent, listening to pitches from proven storytellers on its own animation campus. ONWARD followed that path, as MONSTERS UNIVERSITY director Dan Scanlon helmed the new adventure story from a screenplay he co-wrote with C.S. Anderson. Scanlon was a story artist on the original CARS and TOY STORY 3 before he graduated to direct feature films with the MONSTERS, INC. prequel movie in 2013.
What Is Onward About?
Essentially a buddy-adventure movie with a family twist, ONWARD follows two brothers — Ian and Barley Lightfoot — who are elves from a magical world that’s populated by trolls, mermaids, goblins, gnomes and other wild creatures. Only, in this former fantasy land, reality has been dumbed down by the constant use of technological devices, from smartphones to cars.
The brothers set off on a quest to prove to themselves that magic still exists in the world, and along the way, they hope to figure out how to spend one more day with their father, who died when the boys were way too young. When trying to bring him back using a magic spell, the boys only manage to bring back their dad’s lower half. Can they complete the spell before their burst of magic runs out?
Who’s in the Onward Voice Cast?
There are four main actors who lend their voices to key characters in Dan Scanlon’s ONWARD. The brothers, Ian and Barley Lightfoot, are voiced by Tom Holland and Chris Pratt, respectively. It’s fun and interesting that both actors are from the Marvel Universe, and they played off of each other in certain scenes in AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR. They bring that same chemistry to this animated adventure.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus makes her triumphant return to Pixar to voice Laurel Lightfoot, the boys' mom. Seasoned Pixar fans will know that the “Veep” star voiced Princess Atta in the studio’s second feature film, A BUG’S LIFE.
Finally, Octavia Spencer plays a character called the Manticore, as you can see in the above trailer. She’s the one who tells the brothers all of the key details that they need — map, gem, the curse — to complete the journey.
You may also recognize the voices of Ali Wong, Lena Waithe and Mel Rodriguez — all three stars play police officers.
Embark on the magical journey of ONWARD today. Get the new Pixar original movie on AMC Theatres On Demand.
