The upcoming Netflix movie Remarkably Bright Creatures is already generating significant Emmy buzz, thanks to its star-studded cast and heartwarming story. Based on Shelby Van Pelt's bestselling 2022 novel, the film features two-time Oscar winner Sally Field and a curmudgeonly octopus named Marcellus, voiced by Alfred Molina.
A Unique Bond
Field plays Tova Sullivan, a 70-year-old widow who works the night shift at an aquarium alongside a custodian played by Lewis Pullman. Tova forms an unlikely friendship with a giant Pacific octopus, and together they unravel a mystery from her past. The film also stars Colm Meaney, Joan Chen, Kathy Baker, Beth Grant, and Sofia Black-D'Elia.
Behind the Scenes
Directed by Olivia Newman, who previously helmed Where the Crawdads Sing, the film hits Netflix on May 8. Field, who also helped develop the screenplay, shared her experience working with a non-existent octopus at a recent Emmy event. “Many people ask me, ‘How was it working with an octopus?’” she said. “In reality, there was nothing ever there. Except, that’s not true. Because cinematographer Ashley Connor, many times, was in the tank, filming out at Tova. So, in a lot of ways, Ashley was Marcellus!”
Field, now 79, added that her deep involvement in the project allowed her to connect with her eight-limbed co-star. “By the time we were actually shooting this, I had worked on it for so long, in such detail, that I knew Marcellus so well. I could hear him. I could see him. I could feel him. He was there.”
Emmy Prospects
Remarkably Bright Creatures currently ranks third in Gold Derby's Emmy probability rankings for best movie, with an 81 percent chance of landing a nomination. Newman described the film as a “warm hug that we all need right now,” adding, “It is a movie that looks at heavy topics like grief and longing for connection, but it’s also a joyful film. It makes you laugh, it makes you cry, but ultimately there’s a hopefulness to it.”
