Oscar-winning director Taika Waititi has teamed up with Disney to create a holiday short film The Boy & The Octopus, as viewers around the world get to watch four minutes of a cheerful Christmas journey. The story revolves around a small boy who comes across a tiny octopus while playing at the beach.
Initially scared by the strange creature, the boy slowly gets used to it and the two soon become friends, as their heartwarming saga unravels. Director Waititi has reportedly said in a statement:
"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 – and only Disney could have made something like this…with me."
Disney has kicked off the holiday season with Waititi by releasing this beautiful journey of childhood friendship on YouTube on November 12, 2024. Taika Waiti has directed some Marvel movies - Thor: Ragnarok (2017) and Thor: Love And Thunder (2022). He has also received an Academy Award for his 2019 masterpiece Jojo Rabbit and has been nominated multiple times for different categories.
Where to watch The Boy & The Octopus?
The four minute holiday short film is available for streaming on YouTube. The Boy & The Octopus premiered on November 12, 2024 and viewers can now watch it for free on the video sharing platform.
What is the story of The Boy & The Octopus?
The story of The Boy & The Octopus revolves around a small boy whose sudden encounter with a tiny octopus at a beach changes his life. Initially afraid of it, the boy quickly adapts and becomes fond of his new tentacled friend.
After he returns home, the two become very close to each other as viewers see the tiny creature always sitting on the boy's head. The boy helps his octopus friend to explore the outside world.
The two of them watch holiday movies together and even play with Buzz Lightyear action figures. They even go out together for their small adventures in the snow, as we see the octopus hiding underneath a cute Mickey Mouse beanie on the boy's head.
While enjoying the holiday, the small boy soon realises his friend, the octopus' desire to see the outside world, to explore more. So, he makes a plan to help his friend with Santa Clause at the heart of it.
Are there any Disney references in Taika Waititi's new short film?
Viewers will get to see a number of references to Disney's other projects in The Boy & The Octopus. For an instance, the instrumental rendition of Part Of Your World from The Little Mermaid playing as the background is a stirring callback.
Moreover, there is a sequence where we see the boy and his octopus friend playing with a lightsaber toy, a reference to Star Wars. There are also multiple hidden Easter eggs, from movies like Toy Story (1995), Lilo & Stitch (2002) and Moana (2016).
Towards the end of the holiday short, we see the small boy and the octopus watching the classic film The Santa Clause (1994), a Disney gem. Also, the fish tank in the boys room filled with clown fish, leaves a Finding Nemo reference.
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