A24 has revealed the trailer for The Legend of Ochi, a family-friendly fantasy adventure film starring Willem Dafoe, Emily Watson, Finn Wolfhard (Stranger Things), Helena Zengel (News of the World), and an adorable puppet creature.
The story, as revealed in the trailer, centers on a teenage girl who discovers a young “ochi”—a creature resembling a golden snub-nosed monkey with large ears, destined to grow into a towering, Sasquatch-like figure feared by the villagers of her small island.
Despite dire warnings from her peers and the village’s bloodthirsty elders, the girl is determined to return the creature to its family.
Written by music video director Isaiah Saxon, who is making his feature film debut, The Legend of Ochi is described as both an “adventure musical” and “a movie about the mysteries of animal communication,” according to Saxon’s own Tumblr page.
From what we can see, the film feels like a blend of The Great Panda Adventure and Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris.
The fictional island setting seems to draw inspiration from various island cultures, and it evokes a similar vibe to Babe: Pig in the City.
Yes, that’s A24 regular Willem Dafoe playing the role of a grizzled, ochi-hating zealot, whose character seems headed for a bittersweet reckoning.
The film also features an original score by Dave Longstreth of Dirty Projectors fame. At the time of writing, no official release date has been announced.
Are you looking forward to The Legend of Ochi? Will its charming puppet creature capture the hearts of audiences like Gizmo from Gremlins or E.T., or will it become a more obscure, niche favorite like Nukie, Munchie, or Kirbi from Hyper Sapien: People from Another Star? Share your thoughts in the comments.
