The Blue Sky animated movie Ferdinand has all the makings of a heartwarming holiday tale with a strong message about finding one’s place in life. This shouldn’t be too hard for its director, the Brazilian Carlos Saldanha, whose previous credits include several of the Ice Age films and both Rio movies. And though Portuguese-style bullfighting differs from the more well-known Spanish-style, Saldahna at the helm implies a confident hand that will hopefully lend some authenticity to what’s a pretty simple story. Voiced by a star-studded cast of Latino, Spanish, and Anglo stars, the sweet tale will definitely pull on heartstrings.
Ferdinand the Bull is the apotheosis of big things come in small packages, and that’s mainly in how it’s been presented previously. Originally published in 1936 as a children’s morality story by Munro Leaf, The Story of Ferdinand follows a gentle bull who’d rather smell the flowers than fight with matadors. The Walt Disney Company came calling in 1938, putting out the first animated take on the story in a popular short. Since then, the world of Ferdinand the Bull has popped up here and there, mostly recently as a major plot point in 2009’s The Blind Side. The film’s first trailer blends the humor of Dreamworks – memorable side characters and an unfortunate trip to a China shop – with the Disney mentality of finding family and a purpose in life.
For a story that’s all about Spanish life, it’s great that we’re finally seeing the story told with some actual influence and knowledge. The cast assembled is a mix of big names (John Cena and Kate McKinnon), solid character actors (Gabriel Iglesias, Bobby Cannavale) and one Jane the Virgin (Gina Rodriguez).
Here’s your chance to meet the Latino and Spanish actors giving voice to this animated tale. Check out the list below.
Ferdinand opens in theaters on December 15, 2017. To hear what Ferdinand sounds like with a Spaniard’s accent, watch the Spanish trailer here.