'The Penguin Lessons' Trailer Befriends Flightless Birds

One of the 2024's Toronto International Film Festival favorites has been scooped up by Sony Pictures Classic and is slated for release in the spring of 2025. The Penguin Lessons, Steve Coogan's adorable dramedy, in which he plays a wayward British teacher who befriends/is adopted by a penguin, was a hit with audiences at TIFF and soon landed global distribution through the Sony label. Coogan, a well-known U.K. comedian who has strayed into drama more of late (his next TV series will be opposite Harriet Walter in Brian & Margaret) was a draw, of course, but audiences really showed up for the penguin.

“We had to kick against the cuteness at all times,” Coogan said in an interview with Variety ahead of the film's festival premiere. “Fortunately, I’ve done a lot of improvisation in my career, so I know not to freeze when animals aren’t behaving as planned. You lean into it instead of pushing back against it. That can lead to some of the best moments.” But despite fighting the cuteness, Coogan admitted he'd come to love his co-star birds. “By the time I was on set, I was comfortable picking them up. By the time we said goodbye, it was very emotional. They disarm you. Human beings are too inward-looking and preoccupied with things that aren’t important. These birds remind you not to take everything so seriously.”

Not that the movie doesn't have a dramatic angle. Check out the trailer.