The Last Unicorn

The Last Unicorn is a upcoming computer animated film released by 20th Century Fox and Blue Sky Studios for Christmas 2028. Based on the novel The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle. It stars Reese Witherspoon Eddie Redmayne, Chris Pine, Rebel Wilson, Josh Gad,Scarlett Johanson and Martin Bayfield.

Plot

In an enchanted forest, a talking unicorn learns she is the very last of her kind. A butterfly reveals that a monstrous animal called the Red Bull herded her kind to the ends of the earth. Venturing into unfamiliar territory beyond the safety of her home, the Unicorn journeys to find them and bring them all back.

Upon her journey, the Unicorn is captured by the evil witch Mommy Fortuna and is put on display in Mommy Fortuna's Midnight Carnival. As most of the attractions are normal animals with a spell of illusion placed on them (to wit, a toothless lion for a Manticore, a paralyzed chimpanzee for a Satyr, and a mere snake for the Midgard Serpent), Fortuna uses a spell to create another horn on the unicorn's head that the non-magical carnival visitors can see, as they are unable to see her real form. Fortuna keeps the immortal harpy Celaeno captive as well and acknowledges the dangers of caging such a monster, but deems the risk secondary to the deed's recognition and prestige. While held captive, the unicorn is befriended by Schmendrick,[4] an incompetent magician in the service of Mommy Fortuna. With the help of Schmendrick, the Unicorn escapes, in the process freeing Celaeno, who kills Fortuna and her henchman Ruhk. The Unicorn and Schmendrick later gain a second traveling companion Molly Grue, the careworn lover of Captain Cully (the disappointing "reality" behind the Robin Hood legend).

When the Unicorn nears the seaside castle of King Haggard, the keeper of the Red Bull, she encounters the animal, which turns out to be a monstrous fire elemental. At the last moment before her capture, Schmendrick uses his unpredictable magic and transforms her into a human woman with white knee-length hair. With her in this guise, the Red Bull is uninterested and departs. The Unicorn suffers tremendous shock at the feeling of mortality in her body. While Molly wraps the Unicorn's human form in a blanket, Schmendrick states that the magic, not he, chose the form, and promises that he will return her to normal after the quest is complete.

Schmendrick, Molly Grue, and the now-human Unicorn proceed to King Haggard's castle. Haggard is at first unwelcoming, and Schmendrick introduces the Unicorn as his niece Lady Amalthea. Schmendrick requests that the three of them stay there as members of Haggard's court, only to be told that the only occupants of the castle are Haggard, his adopted son Prince Lír and four ancient men-at-arms. Nonetheless, Haggard consents to lodge the trio, replacing his more competent on-call wizard, Mabruk, with Schmendrick, and setting Molly Grue to work in his scullery.

Amalthea begins to forget her identity and her reasons for coming to the castle and falls in love with Prince Lír as the result of the mortality of her current form. Caught in her newfound emotions, she struggles with thoughts of abandoning her quest for the sake of mortal love. Haggard confronts Amalthea in private conversation, hinting at the location of the unicorns, yet from the waning magic in her eyes, he has doubts regarding his previous suspicions that she is more than she seems. Meanwhile, Molly is able to learn the location of the Red Bull's lair from a talking cat.

Molly, Schmendrick, and Amalthea are joined by Lír as they enter the bull's den, but Haggard attempts to trap them by destroying the way they came in. Schmendrick reveals Amalthea's true identity to Lír after explaining what they are looking for. Lír is unmoved and says that he loves her anyway. This makes Amalthea want to abandon the quest and marry Lír, but Lír dissuades her. The Red Bull appears, but is no longer deceived by Amalthea's human form and chases after her. As Lír struggles to protect her, Schmendrick turns Amalthea back into the Unicorn, but she is unwilling to leave Lír's side. The Bull drives her toward the ocean just as he earlier drove all the other unicorns, but she manages to run away and the Red Bull gives chase. Lír tries to defend her, but is killed by the bull. Enraged, the Unicorn turns on the Bull and forces him into the sea. Carried on the white surf of incoming tides, the other unicorns emerge en masse from the water, causing Haggard's castle to collapse into the sea as they rush past, with Haggard falling to his death.

On the beach, the Unicorn magically revives Lír before departing for her forest. Schmendrick assures Lír that he has gained much by winning the love of a unicorn, even if he is now alone. He departs to start anew. The Unicorn returns to say goodbye to Schmendrick, who laments he has done her wrong by burdening her with regret and the taint of mortality, which could make her unable to rejoin her kind in the forest. She disagrees about the importance of his actions, as they helped them to restore unicorns to the world; though she is the only unicorn to feel regret, she is also the only unicorn to know love. Schmendrick and Molly watch the Unicorn depart for her home in the woods.

Cast Production
 * Reese Witherspoon as the Unicorn / Lady Amalthea, the eponymous "last unicorn" who, in her search for the other unicorns, is transformed into a young woman and learns about regret and love.
 * Eddie Redmayne as Schmendrick, a magician who accompanies the Unicorn on her quest to find others like her. Beagle commented that he was a bit "disappointed" by the way Alan Arkin approached the character because it seemed "too flat".[5]
 * Chris Pine as Prince Lír, King Haggard's adopted son who falls in love with Lady Amalthea. Although he is later told by Schmendrick that she is a unicorn, his feelings for her remain.
 * Rebel Wilson as Molly Grue, the love of Captain Cully who joins Schmendrick and the Unicorn. While explaining that there was no particular reason that he did not write a detailed background for Molly Grue's character, Peter S. Beagle stated that he has "always been grateful" to Grimes because she "brought such vocal life to the character that she covered things I didn't do."[5]
 * Josh Gad as The Butterfly, the creature that gives the Unicorn a hint as to where to find the other unicorns.
 * Scarlett Johannson as Mommy Fortuna, a witch who uses her illusory magic to run the Midnight Carnival, which showcases mythical creatures that are, in truth, just normal animals. Later, the harpy Celaeno, one of the two real mythical creatures, kills her and her henchman, Ruhk.
 * Martin Bayfield as King Haggard, the ruler of a dreary kingdom, who has never been happy, save for when he looks at unicorns.
 * Matt Smith as Captain Cully, the leader of a group of bandits.
 * Hynden Walsh as The Harpy Celaeno, a real harpy that was captured by Mommy Fortuna, freed by the Unicorn, and kills Mommy Fortuna and Ruhk out of vengeance for trapping her.
 * Justin Roiland as Mabruk, King Haggard's court magician who is replaced by Schmendrick.
 * Tim Curry as the Skull that guards the clock that serves as an entryway into the Red Bull's lair.
 * Keith David as Ruhk, a hunchback who works for Mommy Fortuna. He along with Mommy Fortuna are killed by the Harpy Celaeno.
 * Frank Welker as the Cat, an old cat who gives Molly hints on finding the Red Bull.
 * Tara Strong as the Tree, a tree that speaks and falls in love with Schmendrick after he casts the wrong spell on it.
 * Billy West as Jack Jingly, Cully's Men
 * Jim Cummings as Hunter #1, Old Farmer, Cully's Men
 * Tom Kenny as Hunter #2, Cully's Men

In late 2015 20th Century Fox Animation and Blue Sky Studios bought the rights to the novel "The Last Unicorn" to make a full animated remake on it.Carlos Saldahna declared that he would direct the film.On October 2016 Fox declared the film would be called "The Last Unicorn" In Late 2017 Carlos announced that this film will be a tribute to the great Christopher Lee due to his passing.

Casting

In October 2017 Reese Witherspoon was in talks to play The Last Unicorn.That same day Rebel Wilson and Chris Pine signed on to play Molly Grue and Prince Lir. Idris Elba Vin Diesel and Benedict Cumberbatch was first in talks to play The Butterfly.Johnny Depp was also rumored to play Schmendrick .In November 2017 Reese Witherspoon was casted as The Last Unicorn. On Chistmas 2017 Martin Bayfield signed on to play King Haggard. In Late 2018 Whoopi Goldberg was also in talks to play Mommy Fortuna but was later given to Scarlett Johannson. that same year Eddie Redmayne was casted as Schmendrick. Matt Smith later joined the lineup as Captain Cully. On September 2018 Josh Gad was casted as the butterfly.

Release Date

The film is set to release December 22nd 2028

Trivia

The film shall celebrate it's 30th Anniversary.

Awards