Family animation is once again turning to the seabed as a setting to explore complex emotions. The Legend of the Singing Whale will hit Spanish theaters on October 2, and Cinemascomics can exclusively show a new clip introducing one of the most unique characters in its underwater universe: King Karl of Karltopia.
The preview is particularly relevant just before the premiere because it reveals a new conflict within the journey of Vincent, the young protagonist, and his fellow travelers. The scene confirms that the ocean imagined by filmmaker Reza Memari is not limited to a single antagonist, but is inhabited by its own societies and authorities with whom the characters must negotiate their survival.
King Karl turns Karltopia into an unexpected obstacle
In the clip, King Karl addresses his subjects to announce that the orca Darya has been caught in one of his kingdom's traps and that Vincent and Walter have been captured. The monarch holds them responsible for causing damage within Karltopia, placing the trio in a vulnerable position just when Vincent is still doubting whether he has what it takes to become the new Whale Singer.
The appearance of this character expands the map of the underwater world created for the film. Karltopia thus joins other territories and creatures that Vincent must learn to understand during his journey, in an adventure that combines the threat of greater forces, such as the gigantic Leviathan, with more immediate conflicts derived from the rules and hierarchies of each corner of the ocean.
This balance between adventure and environmental message is key to the film's proposal, which seeks to introduce ideas about marine conservation without turning them into an isolated lesson within the story.
Vincent, a whale who thinks he has lost his voice
The story revolves around Vincent, a young humpback whale marked by the absence of his parents. His father was the last Whale Singer, a legendary figure capable of protecting the oceans through a magical song. Vincent, however, has not managed to find his own voice and lives with the feeling of not living up to that legacy.
Everything changes when the Leviathan escapes and puts marine life in danger. Instead of trusting in his own abilities, Vincent decides to embark on a journey to the mythical Star Pond with the intention of retrieving his parents so they can be the ones to face the creature.
He will not be alone on this journey. He is accompanied by Walter, a fussy remora fish who acts almost like his babysitter, and Darya, a brave deaf orca whose presence reinforces the film's inclusive approach. The journey will force Vincent to discover that the solution does not necessarily lie in recovering what he lost, but in accepting who he is and finding his own way to face fear.
The capture shown in the exclusive clip seems to fit precisely into that learning process, by forcing Vincent to survive characters who are not willing to trust his intentions without question.
Five years of work with Unreal Engine 5
Behind this underwater universe lies an ambitious technical development. Director Reza Memari and his team spent more than five years building the film's world, combining fantasy with recognizable behaviors of marine animals.
The production is a co-production between Telescope Animation Studios, PFX, and La Boîte à Fanny, with teams from Germany, the Czech Republic, and Canada. Furthermore, it is among the first animated films to use Unreal Engine 5 within its creative process.
The technical care also extended to the sound. The team in charge of this section even submerged themselves in pools to study how the movements of creatures of different sizes are perceived underwater, research that is especially relevant in a story where the song of the whales is an essential part of the narrative.
The soundtrack and the acoustic universe of the film feature the participation of two Icelandic artists, Daníel Bjarnason and Ásgeir, who were responsible for integrating the music with the sounds and songs of the ocean.
Real-world advice for a fantastic universe
Although the film builds a world of magical songs, legendary creatures, and underwater kingdoms, the production sought support from real scientific knowledge about cetaceans. To this end, it had the advice of specialists from Whales and Dolphins Conservation, an organization dedicated to the protection of whales and dolphins.
This collaboration responds to Reza Memari's intention to bring younger viewers closer to the fragility of marine ecosystems through an adventure, avoiding an overly didactic tone.
Ocean conservation coexists in the story with more personal themes such as grief, insecurity, friendship, and inclusion. The absence of his parents conditions the way Vincent perceives himself, while his inability to find the inherited song turns a great responsibility into a constant source of anxiety.
Memari himself has summarized the story as a journey about the possibility of facing fear and finding one's own voice, noting that courage can overcome fear and that, together, it is possible to create something beautiful.
A project designed to grow beyond the cinema
The production was not conceived solely as an isolated film. From the beginning, the team worked with a transmedia philosophy, taking advantage of the resources created for the feature film with a view to a future series and a video game.
This strategy explains the level of detail dedicated to the different places and inhabitants of the ocean. Characters like King Karl and settings like Karltopia do not function only as stops on a linear journey, but as pieces of a universe designed to have a certain autonomy and continuity in other formats.
Release in Spain and international tour
The Legend of the Singing Whale will reach Spanish theaters via Vercine on October 2, 2026, with versions dubbed into Spanish, Catalan, and Basque.
Before its release, the film has already had a run at international festivals. Reza Memari received the 2026 Director of the Year Award at Cartoon Movie, while the film has obtained recognition such as the Festival Club Award for Children at Schlingel in Chemnitz and the Grand Jury Prize at the Blue Water Film Festival in San Diego. It has also been to festivals such as Annecy, Zurich, and Anifilm.
The exclusive clip shared by Cinemascomics confirms that, before finding his own song, Vincent will have to overcome more than just his own fears: in Karltopia, King Karl has already decided that he, Walter, and Darya are a problem for his kingdom. Therein lies one of the keys to the story, in which Vincent begins by believing that he needs to recover those who protected him to save the ocean, when in reality his journey consists of learning to take that place himself.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is The Legend of the Singing Whale released in Spain?
The film arrives in Spanish theaters on October 2, 2026, distributed by Vercine, with versions dubbed into Spanish, Catalan, and Basque.
Who is King Karl in the film?
He is the ruler of Karltopia, an underwater territory that appears in the exclusive clip accusing Vincent and Walter of having caused damage to his kingdom, following the capture of the orca Darya.
What is The Legend of the Singing Whale about?
It follows Vincent, a young humpback whale who must find his own voice to face the threat of the Leviathan, after the disappearance of his parents, in a journey that combines adventure, grief, and an ecological message.
Who directs the film?
It is directed by Reza Memari, who also received the 2026 Director of the Year Award at the Cartoon Movie festival.
What technology was used to create the underwater world?
The team used Unreal Engine 5, becoming one of the first animation productions to use this technology, after more than five years of developing the film's visual and sound universe.
Does the film have real scientific advice?
Yes, it had the support of specialists from Whales and Dolphins Conservation to realistically approximate the behavior of cetaceans within the fantastic story.
Will the story continue in other formats?
The project was developed with a transmedia philosophy, with plans for a future series and a video game that take advantage of the same universe created for the film.
