If you were scrolling through Disney+ back in early 2021, you probably remember the buzz. The Flora and Ulysses trailer dropped like a caffeinated superhero landing, promising something that felt weirdly specific. It wasn't just another talking animal flick. Honestly, it looked like a love letter to every kid who ever felt a little too cynical for their age.
Based on Kate DiCamillo’s Newbery Medal-winning novel, the movie had a lot to live up to. People love that book. I mean, really love it. So, when the trailer first hit screens, the stakes were actually pretty high for a family comedy about a squirrel.
📖 Related: Who Wants to Be a Millionaire Online: Why We Are Still Obsessed With That Lifeline
What the Flora and Ulysses Trailer Actually Showed Us
The footage didn't hold back. We saw Flora Buckman—played by the incredibly talented Matilda Lawler—as a self-proclaimed cynic. She’s obsessed with comic books. Her parents are separating. Life is, basically, a bit of a mess. Then comes the vacuum cleaner incident.
In the trailer, we see a heavy-duty Ulysses brand vacuum (hence the name) suck up a standard backyard squirrel. It’s chaotic. It’s loud. And then, the squirrel wakes up with the strength of a tiny, furry god.
A Superhero Origin Story for the Rest of Us
Director Lena Khan clearly wanted to lean into the comic book aesthetic. The trailer used bold graphics and transitions that mimicked panels on a page. It gave us our first real look at Ulysses’ powers—writing poetry on a vintage typewriter and flying through the air like a bushy-tailed Superman.
It wasn't just about the CGI squirrel, though. The trailer leaned heavily on the supporting cast. You had Ben Schwartz playing the well-meaning but struggling dad, and Alyson Hannigan as the romance-novelist mom. Seeing these two together felt like a weirdly perfect millennial fever dream. Danny Pudi also showed up as the "villain" (an animal control officer), bringing that Community energy that we all crave.
Why This Specific Trailer Worked
Most family movie trailers are just 90 seconds of fart jokes and Top 40 hits. This one felt different. It captured the "cynic vs. hope" theme that makes DiCamillo’s writing so resonant.
The pacing was erratic in a good way. It would jump from a quiet, heartfelt moment between Flora and her dad to a high-speed chase involving a donut shop. That variety is what hooked people. It wasn't just a movie for five-year-olds; it was a movie for anyone who ever looked at a stray animal and hoped it might be magic.
The CGI Challenge
Let’s be real for a second. CGI animals can be a disaster. If they look too realistic, it’s creepy (looking at you, first version of Sonic). If they look too cartoonish, it breaks the immersion.
The Flora and Ulysses trailer introduced a squirrel that walked that line perfectly. He looked like a real squirrel—twitchy, frantic, slightly damp—but his "expressions" felt human enough to carry a narrative. They used a real squirrel for reference on set, but the digital work by the VFX teams managed to give Ulysses a personality without making him look like a stuffed toy.
Breaking Down the Fan Reaction
When the trailer hit YouTube and social media, the comments weren't just "looks cute." There was a genuine relief among book fans. Adapting a Newbery winner is dangerous territory. If you lean too hard into the slapstick, you lose the soul. If you’re too serious, you bore the kids.
The trailer suggested a middle ground. It kept the "Holy Bagumba!" catchphrases and the philosophical musings of a ten-year-old girl. People noticed. It trended on Twitter (now X) for a hot minute because it felt like a return to the classic 90s family movies that weren't afraid to be a little bit "off-beat."
Key Moments People Talked About:
- The Typewriter Scene: Seeing a squirrel bang out "Squid! I am here!" on a typewriter is objectively funny.
- The Pop Culture Nods: The trailer was littered with Marvel and DC references, catering to the superhero-fatigued audience by poking fun at the tropes.
- The Emotional Core: That split-second shot of Flora looking at her parents' separate houses. It grounded the superhero antics in a reality most kids actually understand.
The Legacy of the First Look
Looking back, the Flora and Ulysses trailer did exactly what it needed to do: it promised a "shelter in the storm." Released during a time when everyone was still largely stuck inside, the idea of a backyard superhero felt attainable. It wasn't about saving the universe; it was about saving a family and a squirrel.
👉 See also: Streaming Lilo e Stitch: What Most People Get Wrong
The film eventually landed with a "Fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and much of that was credited to the tone established in those first two minutes of promotional footage. It didn't overpromise. It just said, "Hey, here's a weird girl and a heroic rodent."
How to Revisit the Magic
If you’re feeling nostalgic or if you’ve somehow missed this gem, the first thing you should do is watch the trailer again with a critical eye. Notice the color grading—it's bright but has a slightly dusty, nostalgic filter. Pay attention to the sound design. The "whoosh" of Ulysses flying is layered with actual squirrel chittering.
Practical steps for fans and collectors:
✨ Don't miss: Why the No Way Out Chinese Drama Is Making Everyone So Nervous Right Now
- Read the Source Material: If you only know the movie, the book by Kate DiCamillo offers a much deeper, more philosophical look at Flora's cynicism. The illustrations by K.G. Campbell are basically the blueprint for the movie's look.
- Check the Easter Eggs: Go back to the trailer and pause during the scenes in the comic book shop. The shelves are packed with actual Marvel references because, well, Disney owns both. You can spot Captain America and Iron Man cameos if you’re fast enough with the spacebar.
- Explore the Director’s Work: Lena Khan has a very specific "indie-fied" lens. Checking out her other work, like The Tiger Hunter, helps you see why Flora and Ulysses didn't feel like a standard corporate product.
- Watch the Behind-the-Scenes: Disney+ has a few "Making Of" featurettes. Watching how they animated Ulysses around Matilda Lawler—who was often acting against a stuffed gray shape or a laser pointer—makes you appreciate her performance way more.
The Flora and Ulysses trailer serves as a masterclass in how to market a "quiet" story in a "loud" superhero world. It didn't need a multi-million dollar Super Bowl spot to find its audience. It just needed to show a squirrel eating a giant donut. Sometimes, that’s more than enough.
For those looking to dive deeper into the world of cinematic adaptations, comparing the pacing of this trailer to other DiCamillo adaptations like The Tale of Despereaux or Because of Winn-Dixie reveals a fascinating shift in how Hollywood handles "children's literature." We've moved away from pure sentimentality toward a more self-aware, snarky, yet ultimately hopeful style of storytelling.