Believe it or not, 2016 will go down as the year it was cool to have a giant friend. With The BFG currently in release and Pete's Dragon coming not to far behind, it's apparently a trend for children to make nice with a gargantuan pal, all in the name of adventure. But the giant friend in A Monster Calls' latest trailer isn't only another member of such a trend, he also looks like another big friend to the world of movie audiences: Groot from Guardians of the Galaxy. Watch the trailer below, and judge for yourself.
Focus Features released this updated look at their childhood drama through their YouTube channel earlier today, and it is absolutely spectacular. While the first trailer for A Monster Calls was a more low key teaser, this second look at J.A. Bayona's adaptation of the book of the same name goes all out. In terms of visuals and story beats, the film's charms are on display and the result looks like a film that's going to be really pretty to look at, if only we could stop crying long enough to do so.
A Monster Calls tells the story of Connor (Lewis MacDougall,) an imaginative young man who is going through a tough time, between dealing with bullies and a mother who's gravely ill (Felicity Jones.) In his time of need, he summons a friend of great power and stature, a tree based being known only as "The Monster" (Liam Neeson.) With The Monster at his disposal, Connor will smash through barriers, lash out with his feelings, and hopefully come closer to inner peace. Inner peace with a friend that looks extremely similar to dear old Groot.
Of course, the differences between The Monster and Groot are minute enough to differentiate the characters in copyright court. In fact, the greatest difference is that The Monster has a messier look to his general figure, as well as a clearly defined nose. While Groot looks like the kind of tree-based organism that you would find in a Disney movie, The Monster is a much more stoic and haunting individual. Which is great for A Monster Calls' purposes, as the film looks like a deeply moving examination of the loss of childhood innocence, through the darker parts of the imagination.
As if the look of the film wasn't amazing enough, the cast to A Monster Calls is equally impressive, with Jones and Neeson being joined by fellow cast members Toby Kebbell, who wowed audiences as Koba in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, and legendary actor Sigourney Weaver. With four ringers, and an impressive looking debut performance from Lewis MacDougall, A Monster Calls looks like it's a perfect match for J.A. Bayona's sensibilities, as he's handled both the emotional and the supernatural with previous ensemble pieces The Impossible and The Orphanage.
We'll see just how scary The Monster really is when A Monster Calls opens on October 21st.
