Make way for Puss in Boots! Our favorite cat vigilante is coming back to the big screen in what the makers described as a "spaghetti Western fairytale." The first half-hour of the animated movie Puss in Boots: The Last Wish was previewed during the Annecy International Animation Film Festival this week, Variety reported.
The character first broke out in Shrek 2 in 2004, the vigilante went on his first solo outing in 2011 Puss in Boots. “At the forefront of our minds was not just reintroducing Puss to the world, but introducing the world to where the character is now. For us, it was really just about introducing this larger-than-life legend, this fairy-tale character, in a different way than before.” explained director Joel Crawford.
The Last Wish is dramatically different from what the audience has seen before. The animated film tackles darker subjects like death and what happens when Puss’ all-time high spirit doesn’t last. “There are darker tones in this. Puss is down to the last of his nine lives. He’s grappling with his mortality, his fear of death is the engine that drives the movie, and the Grimm fairy tales were a big inspiration [on that front],” said Crawford. The filmmakers further made comparisons to The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, saying Sergio Leone’s visual and narrative sense were key inspirations behind the movie. Producer Mark Swift adds:
“Being 20 years into this series gives us license to evolve and change a little bit. We handle these kind of deeper topics, pretty scary topics, and one of the things that gives us a little license to do that is the fact that we have taken this film out of the realism look.”
Not only does the movie handle darker themes it has also got a fresh look given the technological advancements in the animation industry since the character first debuted. Crawford explained, “Technology-wise we have really found such a unique look. There’s a tangible feel, you see the paint and the brushstrokes… [Because] we wanted to give it a more painterly style, as if you were reading an old-fashioned book with color illustrations, to make you feel like you’re in a fairy-tale world.”
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish casts Antonio Banderas in the titular role, Salma Hayek as Kitty Softpaws, John Mulaney as the new villain Big Jack Horner, Harvey Guillén as Perro, and Florence Pugh as Goldilocks among others.
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish debuts in theaters on December 21.