Luca: Splash down with a monstrous deleted scene from Pixar film's home release

Silenzio Bruno! SYFY WIRE is excited to transport you back to the seaside Italian hamlet of Portorosso with an exclusive deleted scene from Pixar's Luca ahead of its home release next week. 

The clip presents an alternate introductory sequence with the film's young protagonists: Giulia (Emma Berman), Luca (Jacob Tremblay), and Alberto (Jack Dylan Grazer). In these unused storyboards — complete with temp dialogue — we see Giulia learning about the boys' sea monster identities a lot earlier than she does in the finished movie.

"This was my favorite Pixar film experience," character art director Deanna Marsigliese tells SYFY WIRE. "I thought the crew was amazing and warm and extremely talented. It was challenging in a lot of ways — I grew a lot, but one thing I continue to say is that everyone on the crew genuinely loved working on the film and you could feel that. There was a lot of warmth and I loved it."

"Collaborating with [director Enrico Casarosa] was great and I’ve always admired his comics and illustration work," adds sets art director Paul Abadilla. "To see a feature film that he led and created was an honor to be a part of."

Watch the deleted scene below:

Luca's home release features a total of six deleted scenes, which are introduced by Casarosa:

• Starfish Hunt (Alternate Opening) – Luca explores the shore and the sea, gathering mussels and starfish, in this serene alternate opening to the film.
• Isola Del Mare (Alternate Opening) – Luca welcomes viewers to the quiet island he calls home.
• Festa Del Mare – The boys go to a festival filled with fun...and danger.
• Here Comes Giulia (which you see above) – Giulia explores Isola Del Mare, where she meets Luca and Alberto, and asks so many questions.
• Gelato Trouble – Giulia offers to treat Luca and Alberto to something called "gelato."
• Sea Monster Cannery – Luca dreams about a magical place filled with Vespas and gelato, but things aren't quite what they seem.

Credit: Disney / Pixar

According to Marsigliese and Abadilla, there is even more content that didn't make it into the movie, stuff you won't find among the list above. For example, Concetta and Pinnucia Aragosta — the two elderly sisters who pelt Luca and Alberto with cones of gelato — once had a pet donkey named Paolito.

"I remember designing him for a time," Marsigliese reveals to us. "We even had makeup on him — he was a prized donkey that they would enter into competitions. Kind of like a dog show. That never made it into the film, but it was pretty cool."

"Similarly related to those two characters, they had a home that we spent some time in," Abadilla continues. "We kind of follow Luca throughout the village and he has to go to the sisters’ home, and it was brilliantly designed by [set designer] Kristian Norelius and it was such a beautiful set."

In addition to the deleted scenes mentioned above, the home release also includes the following featurettes:

• Our Italian Inspiration – Experience the joy of discovery as Pixar artists travel to Cinque Terre, Italy, to absorb the beauty and culture of the coastal region which inspired the characters and the quintessential Italian backdrop of Luca.
• Secretly A Sea Monster – Explore the artistry and technical innovation of Luca's transformation from sea monster to human, and how the theme of transformation is central to the emotional journey of the main characters.
• Best Friends – Best friends can challenge us, inspire us, annoy us, and encourage us. The cast and crew of Luca share their own stories about how besties influenced their lives, and how those experiences informed the creation of screen pals Luca, Alberto, and Giulia.

Credit: Pixar/Disney+

"The more people that watch it, the better," Marsigliese concludes. "I just want to make this available for everyone to have in their homes. It’s a beautiful film that will take you on a vacation, so I’m just excited for folks to be able to experience it."

Luca splashes onto Digital, 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD Tuesday, Aug. 3. The film can also be streamed on Disney+ for platform subscribers.