Whether you're a Pixar diehard or just looking for a feel-good film to watch with the whole family, you might be wondering how to watch Luca. Pixar's 24th film is earning the enthusiastic critical acclaim you've probably come to expect from the animation studio, which has collected 10 Best Animated Feature Academy Awards since Monsters Inc. won them the first prize back in 2002 - the same year the award was first introduced into the ceremony.
Set in the Italian countryside, the film follows two young sea monsters who make their way to the surface, masquerading as humans and developing a deep bond through their shared "otherness". So if you're looking for a summery movie that offers fun in the sun or a touching story that also happens to have sea monsters - and may or may not be Disney's first queer film (just don't ask Disney), then Luca should do the trick.
We've put together a handy guide on where to watch Luca, where you can see it in theaters, and everything else you need to know to dive into Pixar's latest gem.
Editor's Note: New Ways to watch Luca on digital, DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K have been added - January, 20, 2022
Where to Watch Luca on Streaming
Good news for folks who like to watch their movies at home, Luca will be available to stream for Disney+ subscribers on Friday, June 18. Here is the direct link to the landing page if you want to bookmark it or just get right to watching. If you don't want to watch Luca online, the film is also available via the Disney+ app, wherever the platform is available.
Pixar pretty much always delivers big bucks at the box office, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that the film was originally slated for a theatrical release, but was retooled as a Disney+ premiere amidst the pandemic release date shuffling. That means if you have a Disney+ subscription, you can watch Luca on streaming. If you don't have one, a subscription costs $7.99 a month - or $79.99 a year. Alternately, if you do a lot of streaming in your household, the Disney bundle includes Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ for $13.99 a month, or $19.99 a month if you want the ad-free version of Hulu.
Does Luca Require Disney+ Premier Access?
Nope! Unlike recent releases like Cruella and Raya and the Last Dragon, Luca does not require an additional Disney+ Premier Access purchase. Pixar's previous release, the Academy Award-winning Soul, followed the same release strategy when it launched directly on the streaming service last Christmas. The Disney+ Premier Access feature offers viewers the opportunity to stream movies while they're still in theaters for a $29.99 fee, but since Luca didn't get a theatrical release in most territories, the film arrived directly on Disney+ with no additional fee.
Is Luca Available to Rent or Buy on VOD?
Luca is available On Demand through AMC, available for $19.99 here. Luca is also available on DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K. Luca will stream on Disney+ in perpetuity, and you'll also find all 23 of the previous Pixar films on the service, as well Pixar's shorts and Disney+ Original Series.
What Is Luca About?
Pixar's latest acclaimed film offers a sun-soaked coming-of-age story from Oscar-nominated filmmaker Enrico Casarosa (La Luna), featuring the voices of Jacob Tremblay, Jack Dylan Grazer, Emma Berman, Saverio Raimondo, Maya Rudolph, Marco Barricelli, Jim Gaffigan, Sandy Martin, and Giacomo Gianniotti.
Here's the official synopsis:
Disney and Pixar’s original feature film “Luca” is a coming-of-age story about one young boy experiencing an unforgettable summer filled with gelato, pasta and endless scooter rides. Luca shares these adventures with his newfound best friend, but all the fun is threatened by a deeply-held secret: they are sea monsters from another world just below the water’s surface.