The River Dolphins are characters from the 2021 Disney live-action film Jungle Cruise, based on the titular attraction. They are a group of Amazon river dolphins which Frank, Lily, and McGregor encounter during their adventures across the Amazon.
Background[]
These dolphins are shown to live in a section that represents the Amazon River. Like their real-life counterparts, they are shown to be friendly creatures. However, despite that, local lore often interprets the dolphins as shapeshifters which cause misfortune to mortals who stare at them.
Development[]
The river dolphins were original characters created for the Jungle Cruise film that did not have any existing counterpart from the original attraction. Like various elements in the film, the dolphins were created through CGI technology through the use of VFX at the Rodeo Fx company.[1]
Role in the film[]
During their adventure across the Amazon, Lily Houghton, McGregor Houghton, and Frank Wolff arrive in a territory full of dolphins to which as they arrive, they encounter various dolphins frolicking around and upon seeing many of them leaping out of the water, Lily felt excited of seeing the dolphins playing happily. Frank then explains to Lily that according to local lore, the river dolphins living there are called "encantados" (shapeshifting spirits who can take the form of dolphins and humans), which he tells them to avoid staring at them as he thinks it might lead them to bad luck, despite the dolphins not being antagonistic towards the three. Lily then stares at one last dolphin swimming past by just as Frank, Lily, and McGregor continue their journey across the Amazon. They do not make further appearances after that aside from being mentioned.
Trivia[]
- The river dolphins are one of the few animals heavily featured in the film that did not appear in the original Jungle Cruise attraction nor were they mentioned in any other related connections.
- The way Frank interprets the river dolphins as "encantados" via local lore is a reference to the Boto encantado myth. The myth interprets these cetaceans in mythology as shapeshifting beings who can take the forms of humans and dolphins wielding magical abilities.
References[]
- ↑ "Jungle Cruise VFX Breakdown". CGMEETUP (October 13, 2021).
External links[]
