Pixar's Animated Fantasy 'Onward' Announces Voice Cast With Chris Pratt, Tom Holland & More

Pixar Animation has announced the first four cast members in their upcoming animated fantasy adventure Onward, the story of two teenage elf brothers who embark on an extraordinary quest to discover if there is still a little magic left out there.

Marvel Cinematic Universe fans will be excited to hear that Guardians of the Galaxy frontman Chris Pratt and Spider-Man: Homecoming star Tom Holland will be voicing the two lead characters in the film, but they're not the only cast members announced for the film.

Onward is directed by Dan Scanlon and produced by Kori Rae, the team responsible for bringing us Monsters University in 2013. The story itself is inspired by the director's relationship that he had with his own brother. As we recounted after a sneak preview of the film at the D23 Expo in the summer of 2017, this is a very personal movie for Scanlon:

When he was young, his father passed away. He saw photos and videos of him, but he and his younger brother never heard his voice until later on in their lives. When Scanlon was a teenager, he was sent a cassette tape by a family member featuring his father's voice. All his father said on the recording was "bye," but Scanlon said it felt like magic to him and his brother.

Onward follows two teenage elf brothers as they head out on an adventure in the hopes of somehow finding their father in order to spend one last day with him. When it comes to the casting of those two characters, Scanlon says, "Tom has an infectious charm and sincerity that makes you root for him in every character he plays." Rae adds, "Chris brings equal parts huge heart and fantastic humor to his character."

Joining Chris Pratt and Tom Holland in the film will be Julia Louis-Dreyfus, returning to Pixar following a key role in A Bug's Life. Scanlon says, "There is no one funnier than Julia, but she also brings a warmth and loving side to her character."

That makes Julia Louis-Dreyfus one of the few voice actors (who aren't Pixar Animation employees) to star as different characters in Pixar movies. Others with that honor include Bill Hader, Brad Garrett, Bonnie Hunt, Edie McClurg, Jeff Garlin, and of course, good luck charm John Ratzenberger.

In addition, Octavia Spencer will also have a role in the movie. Rae says, "Octavia can do it all. We're especially excited about the depth as well as humor that she brings to her character."

Onward takes place in a modern fantasy world that puts an amusing twist on familiar tropes. For example, there are unicorns in this world, but they are seen as pests, always everywhere and digging into the trash like possums. It's a small element in a larger world that has lost interest in magic. This sounds like a promising original concept for Pixar, and we can't wait to hear more.Onward is slated to hit theaters on March 6, 2020.