Apple TV+ releases Luck produced by John Lasseter

(Los Angeles) Like any good animated family film, Luck assumes that no matter how desperate your situation, good will come out of it.

That’s probably also what Apple TV+ is hoping for John Lasseter, the legendary director who helmed new Skydance Animation productions — and produced Luck — after having to quit his job at Pixar in the face of a flurry of sexual harassment accusations in the wake of the #metoo movement.

This film, the first of the studio and which will be available on the platform of streaming Apple TV+ from Friday tells the adventures of Sam, a very unlucky 18-year-old orphan who tries, with the help of a talking cat, to get her hands on a lucky charm to help a friend to find an adoptive family.

The two embark on a journey to the land of luck, a fantastical land where all the luck and misfortune of the world is produced by dragons, unicorns and other goblins, before being sent to Earth.

If the entire French cast is not yet known – the heroine should be played by singer Louane, who announced it on Instagram – the original cast lines up stars like Jane Fonda, Whoopi Goldberg or even Simon Pegg, and gave rise in 2019 to the shattering departure of Emma Thompson, who refused to work with John Lasseter.

In his letter of resignation, published by the Los Angeles Timesthe British actress had regretted that the hiring of the director by Skydance would force “employees (of the studio) who would not want to give him a second chance to stay and be uncomfortable, or lose their jobs”.

“grab”, “kiss”

John Lasseter, who helped transform Pixar from a Lucasfilm appendage to one of the world’s most famous animation studios, was accused of inappropriate behavior at the height of the #metoo movement in 2017.

He then apologized, admitted “failing” to instil a culture of “trust and respect” in his studios, and announced that he was taking a sabbatical before leaving office the following year.

Internal sources at Disney / Pixar, quoted by the specialized weekly The Hollywood Reporterhad notably claimed that the director was known for “grabbing, kissing” women and “making comments about their physique”.

The resignation of Emma Thomson had disturbed the other actors of Luckbut after having “initially” doubted, Simon Pegg had decided to stay on the poster of the animated film.

For the actor, it was important that John Lasseter “admitted responsibility”, he told AFP.

“We’re all doomed if we get banned for things we regret and sincerely apologize for,” he continued.

Whoopi Goldberg had explained more succinctly to AFP that “everyone can make mistakes”.

The departure of Emma Thomson had led the film team to recruit superstar Jane Fonda, which had convinced Simon Pegg.

The arrival of this “legendary militant and feminist” had made it possible to “cement (her) decision to make” the film.