The Garfield Movie Trailer Unleashes Chris Pratt As The Famous Feline
Sony Pictures Entertainment just dropped a trailer for The Garfield Movie, and by the looks of it we’re finally going to see our favorite lasagna-loving feline in his most pure form. Starring Chris Pratt, who most recently reprised his role as Star-Lord in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, The Garfield Movie will hopefully contain an equal amount of snark for all of us to witness upon its May 24, 2024 release. But unlike 2004’s ill-fated live-action Garfield: The Movie, starring Bill Murray as the titular tabby, this upcoming film looks like it will be a fan favorite for those who fondly flip through the Sunday Funnies.
The Garfield Movie trailer shows us how the lazy cat originally met his owner, Jon Arbuckle. It’s revealed that as Arbuckle is sadly trying to enjoy pizza by himself in a crowded Italian restaurant, he encounters a stray orange and black tabby named Garfield, who immediately goes on a gluttonous rampage, and decidedly decimates the plates of neighboring patrons.
But what makes The Garfield Movie different from Garfield movies of the past is the fact that we’re clued into the Monday hater’s past life, and we’re introduced to his long-lost father, Vic. Though it’s more than reasonable to assume that The Garfield Movie will have a PG rating, we can’t help but notice that another MCU alum, Samuel L. Jackson, will be portraying Garfield’s scruffy street cat father.
If you’re familiar with Jackson’s past filmography, you may be wondering if this was the right casting choice, but it’s worth noting that Jackson is more than capable of delivering lines without dropping a gratuitous amount of f-bombs.
If you’re familiar with the Garfield comics, you’ll notice that the source material is obviously a direct inspiration for The Garfield Movie. As expected, Garfield raids the pantry, antagonizes Jon and Odie, and even hops trains with his father as he embarks on yet another misadventure full of snacks and unwholesome loafing.
Unlike Garfield: The Movie, and its sequel, A Tail of Two Kitties, which both featured Bill Murray’s voice-acting, The Garfield Movie won’t be a live-action adaptation, but rather a fully animated film.
CG Animation for The Garfield Movie will be handled by DNEG Animation, who have recently utilized their VFX expertise on films like Oppenheimer, Haunted Mansion, Meg 2: The Trench, and the upcoming Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, which is slated for a December 22, 2023 release.
Though our enthusiasm is guarded after viewing the last couple of attempts to make a movie based on the Garfield comics, it looks like director Mark Dindal (Cats Don’t Dance, The Emperor’s New Groove, and Chicken Little) is the right guy for the job when you look at his past experience directing animated feature-length films. Given his track record, it’s safe to say that he’ll win Jim Davis’ approval if he successfully captures what has made Garfield such an iconic character since his 1978 debut.
The Garfield Movie is slated for a May 24, 2024 theatrical release, and will likely be available through Netflix, Disney+ and Hulu, after making its rounds at the box office.
