SHORT: Disney Reveals Heart-Warming Holiday Short With Taika Waititi

SHORT: Disney Reveals Heart-Warming Holiday Short With Taika Waititi

November 13th, 2024

Lauren Ashton

Known for its timeless and novel storytelling, Disney will once again bring feelings of cheer and inspiration this holiday season. In collaboration with Oscar-winner Taika Waititi, a new short has just made its debut.

“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,” explained Taika Waititi. “I think they go hand in hand and it’s the perfect match – and only Disney could have made something like this…with me.”

“For generations, Disney has been an ever-present part of the holiday season all over the world, and this short builds on the enduring connection that so many families have with Disney during this special time of year,” noted Asad Ayaz, Chief Brand Officer, The Walt Disney Company. “We’re thrilled to collaborate with Taika Waititi on this timeless story of childhood friendship against the backdrop of this magical season.”

“A Disney Holiday Short: The Boy & The Octopus” follows a young boy who finds an octopus stuck to his head while on a seaside getaway. Once home, the child and the octopus become true friends. Together they use the Force with the boy’s lightsaber, play with a Buzz Lightyear action figure, and wonder how Santa Clause will fly around the world while looking at the map on the wall. Tucked away under his Mickey Mouse beanie, the boy takes his new friend into the world to experience the magic of the holiday season. While enjoying Disney’s The Santa Clause (1994), the boy realizes that the octopus has a longing to explore all that life has to offer- this leads him to develop a plan to help his friend achieve this dream. The pair’s special moments of childhood and friendship go hand-in-hand with the joy of the season. In classic Disney fashion, fans will enjoy the hidden Easter eggs throughout the film

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Lauren Ashton

Lauren Ashton is a Los Angeles-based writer. She has also taught stop-motion animation and film history since 2020, and holds a BFA in Acting from The California Institute of the Arts. Lauren has previously worked with Walt Disney Imagineering, and since graduating from CalArts, she has worked at Spellbound Inc. (a YouTube Production Company), Gnomon School of Animation, and written plays and sketch comedy for various theaters.