The Snail and the Whale (2020): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 2020, The Snail and the Whale is a family and animation film directed by Max Lang, running about 26 minutes. “"How I long to sail!" said the tiny snail.” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. A half hour animated film for all the family based on the much-loved book written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler. The Snail and the Whale is the much loved classic that shows us a restless young snail who has ambitions to travel the world. The other snails think she should stay put, but she puts out a call for a “Lift wanted around the world”. Eventually her call is answered by a great big grey-blue humpback whale! She sets off with him across the seas. On their journey the snail and the whale discover towering icebergs and far-off lands, fiery mountains and golden sands. The snail is delighted by the wonderful world around her, until she realises how small it makes her feel.

Who’s in it. The Snail and the Whale stars Rob Brydon as Whale (voice), Sally Hawkins as Snail (voice), Diana Rigg as Narrator (voice) and Cariad Lloyd as Teacher (voice), among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 6.2/10, The Snail and the Whale has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.

Where to watch. In US you can rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Snail and the Whale page.

If you liked it. Fans of The Snail and the Whale tend to enjoy Spirited Away, Back to the Future, The Lion King and Coco.