The first few seconds of DreamWorks Animation’s teaser trailer for this upcoming summer’s Turbo might lead you to believe the studio is ripping off Pixar’s hugely successful Cars, but stick with the video and you’ll find the star of the film isn’t actually an automobile or racecar driver: It’s a snail.
The movie, set for release on July 19th, 2013, tells the story of an underdog snail (voiced by Ryan Reynolds) who gains super-speed abilities and dreams of winning the Indy 500. While the teaser doesn’t show us much, it does give a throwback to a decidedly less-kid-friendly film: last year’s Drive. Turbo‘s trailer features the Chromatics’ Tick of the Clock, and you’ll instantly be brought back to the violent tale which starred Ryan Gosling.
Also lending their voices to the project are Paul Giamatti, Michael Pena, Luis Guzmán, Bill Hader, Richard Jenkins, Ken Jeong, Michelle Rodriguez, Maya Rudolph, Ben Schwartz, Kurtwood Smith, Snoop Dogg and Samuel L. Jackson.
With most animated films these days being recycled iterations of popular franchises, it’s refreshing to see DreamWorks bringing a fresh story to the table. Plus, who doesn’t love a good racing moving with a lovable underdog?
Check out the trailer for Turbo below and let us know what you think.