DreamWorks has unveiled the first trailer for Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken, an upcoming animated movie featuring the voice talents of Lana Condor, Jane Fonda, and many other beloved performers. Previously known as Meet the Gillmans, the animated film brings sea creatures into the human world, where they suffer just like any regular teenager.
The trailer introduces the complex mythology that serves as a background for Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken. Since the ocean remains vastly unexplored by humans, many sea legends we know are vastly wrong. For instance, krakens are not giant shipwrecking creatures. Instead, they are protectors of the ocean, entangled in a millennia-old war against the vicious mermaids. Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken looks like it’s posed to become the next big hit for DreamWorks, creating another magical world to fall in love with, like the upbeat classics Abominable and Rise of the Guardians.
All these high fantasy concepts quickly give place to a surprising coming-of-age story, as the kraken Ruby Gillman (Condor) discovers a mermaid hiding in plain sight in her high school. Ruby pretends to be a human and goes to a regular school, just like the mermaid Chelsea, who’s selfish, vain, narcissistic, and determined to expose the kraken girl’s secret. So, basically, mermaids are like the queen bees we all met during our teenage years. Fortunately, Ruby is well-prepared to deal with the Chelsea menace, as she comes from a long lineage of kraken warriors.
The trailer is narrated by Ruby’s grandmother (Fonda), who reveals the girl is a special kind of kraken. Ruby has incredible powers, including camouflage, super speed, and even laser eyes, turning her into a mighty weapon against the mermaids. As the trailer underlines, Ruby will be split between two worlds, wanting to live an everyday teenage life while knowing she’s destined to replace her grandmother as a protector of the oceans. However, she’ll rise to the challenge, as the trailer gives us a peek at a beautifully animated battle between a gargantuan Ruby and a giant version of the mermaid Chelsea. Which leaves us wondering how the film’s villain will stack up against some of DreamWork’s most iconic villains.
When Is Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken Coming to Theaters?
Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken is directed by Kirk DeMicco, who previously helmed animated movies such as Vivo, The Croods, and Space Chimps. Faryn Pearl, a storyboard artist on The Croods: A New Age and Trolls World Tour, is co-directing the feature. So, Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken is in the hands of people with a lot of experience working with animation and DreamWorks—including some classics that consistently win over audiences.
Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken voice cast also includes Toni Collette as Ruby’s mother, Annie Murphy, Sam Richardson, Liza Koshy, Will Forte, Colman Domingo, Jaboukie Young-White, Blue Chapman, Eduardo Franco, Ramona Young, Echo Kellum, and Nicole Byer.
Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken will swim into theaters on June 30th. Check out the new trailer below:
