It’s unlikely that an octopus is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the holiday season, but that’s about to change.
On Tuesday, The Walt Disney Company debuted A Disney Holiday Short: The Boy & The Octopus in collaboration with Academy Award® winner Taika Waititi.
The short follows the journey of a child who discovers that a curious octopus has attached to his head during a seaside vacation. After returning home, the boy forms a true friendship with the sea creature by introducing his new companion to his life on land — harnessing the power of the Force with his Jedi lightsaber, playing with his Buzz Lightyear action figure, and imagining Santa Claus’ route around the world with the map on his wall — before taking the lovable octopus out into the world to experience the joy of the holidays, hidden under his Mickey Mouse beanie.
To find out more about the short, we spoke with Tim Pennoyer, Director of Brand Marketing and the marketing lead who helped spearhead the campaign.
How does A Disney Holiday Short: The Boy & The Octopus continue Disney’s legacy of creating timeless, original storytelling?
We explored several amazing concepts for this year, but A Disney Holiday Short: The Boy & The Octopus had a special kind of magic that stayed with us. It beautifully encapsulates the joy of discovering friendship and warmth in surprising places, which felt so right for a Disney holiday story. A Disney Holiday Short: The Boy & The Octopus builds on Disney’s tradition of stories that evoke feelings of joy, a belief that anything is possible, and the sense of magic that you feel in your heart and the world around you.
Does this short include any innovative effects or technology?
The biggest challenge in bringing A Disney Holiday Short: The Boy & The Octopus to life was creating an octopus character that felt both realistic and emotionally expressive. Working in conjunction with our amazing creative agency adam&eveDDB and VFX experts Untold Studios, we knew we were asking a lot — an octopus with eight tentacles that could move independently, shapeshift, and even change skin color, all while conveying the warmth and charm needed for our story.
It was the most complex character Untold Studios has ever brought to life, requiring an incredible level of detail in VFX to capture those intricate movements and transformations that feel both lifelike and relatable to make the character truly magical on screen. It was a huge technical and creative challenge, but we knew it was key to making the story unforgettable. We would spend hours talking through every single scene with the octopus debating each expression on his face, and even the sounds he would make. All these details bring him to life.
What went in to bringing this octopus to life?
We took inspiration from animals that have that undeniable, heart-melting effect — like kittens with those big, soulful eyes. I even shared a few references of cats with large, black pupils, including a slight nod to my own cat who has that exact charm. The goal was to create an octopus that could convey curiosity and playfulness, and that hint of kitten-like innocence helped give it an endearing quality audiences could really connect with.
How did Taika Waititi bring his creative vision to life while also staying true to the Disney brand?
Taika has this incredible ability to bring unique, unexpected relationships to life, which felt like a perfect match for a story about a young boy and his unlikely bond with an octopus. His signature award-winning style captures both the laughter and warmth of an unusual friendship while highlighting the magic of human connection, a theme we knew would resonate deeply during the holiday season. Taika’s vision adds a unique flavor to the story, making it feel fresh, heartfelt, and undeniably Disney.
How did the music choice add to the storytelling magic of the holiday short?
Choosing “Part of Your World” from The Little Mermaid (1989) was a natural fit. Music has always been one of Disney’s specialties, with our incredible catalog of iconic songs spanning over 100 years, and this one is no exception.
The themes of the song — Ariel longing to see the world above the water — mirrored the octopus’s own desire to explore the world beyond the sea. It perfectly encapsulates the octopus’s journey, which becomes the heart of the story as he and the boy come together to devise a plan for the octopus to see the world. The song’s message of curiosity and adventure tied beautifully into the emotional core of our film, while also honoring Disney’s tradition of timeless, meaningful music.
“Part of Your World” has such a flexible melody as well that allowed our music supervisor Toby Williams and his team from Leland to play with the song in different ways throughout the film to dial up the necessary range of emotions. This beautiful rendition of the classic Disney song was recorded live by a 60-piece orchestra and mixed in the legendary recording studio Abbey Road.
Disney has been a part of the holiday season for generations. How does this short build on the connection that so many families have with Disney during this special time of year?
We wanted to create something that resonates globally, and with a visionary like Taika Waititi, we were able to do that on a larger scale than previous years. This campaign expands our reach and impact, combining beloved holiday themes with Taika’s unique, magical style. While it’s a fresh approach, it still shares the same warmth, joy, and magic that audiences have come to expect from Disney during the holidays.
