The Magician's Elephant is a 2023 animated fantasy adventure film directed by Wendy Rogers, written by Martin Hynes and produced by Julia Pistor. Based on the 2009 novel by Kate DiCamillo, the film features the voices of Noah Jupe, Mandy Patinkin, Natasia Demetriou, Benedict Wong, Miranda Richardson and Aasif Mandvi. Animated by Animal Logic, the film was distributed by Netflix and released on March 17, 2023.
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Plot
After the war, Baltese lost hope in magic and warmth, focusing on domestic animals. Peter (Noah Jupe), an orphan raised by soldier Vilna Lutz, approaches a fortune teller out of curiosity. Vilna had sent Peter to buy bread and fish, training him for war to boost his survival chances. Vilna saved Peter from the front after his family was killed and raised him to endure war's harshest conditions.
Vilna felt guilty for not saving Peter's sister, Adele, and lied about her death. A bomb led him to believe they were gone. Peter never searched for her, thinking she was dead. Vilna believed hope would hinder Peter as a soldier. Peter, curious about the Fortune Teller, learned that Adele was alive, and to find her, he must follow the elephant.
A magician accidentally summoned an elephant during an opera. This act was meant to restore hope, but it led to chaos when the elephant injured a noblewoman. The elephant's arrival brought joy to a boy searching for his sister.