Given the glut of content, making time for short films is hard. But the new Apple TV+ animated short film “The Boy, The Mole, The Fox, And The Horse” looks like something special. Based on the internationally best-selling book of the same name by celebrated author Charlie Mackesy, this story of kindness, friendship, courage, and hope for viewers of all ages premieres globally on December 25, Christmas Day, on Apple TV+.
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The film, featuring Mackesy’s distinctive illustrations brought to life in full color with beautiful hand-drawn animation, stars BAFTA Award winner Tom Hollander (“The White Lotus”) as ‘The Mole,’ SAG Award winner Idris Elba (“Luther”) as ‘The Fox,’ Gabriel Byrne (“All Things Bright and Beautiful”) as ‘The Horse,’ and newcomer Jude Coward Nicoll as ‘The Boy.’ The poignant journey follows the unlikely friendship of a boy, a mole, a fox, and a horse traveling together in the boy’s search for his home.
Matthew Freud presents a Charlie Mackesy film produced by Academy Award nominee Cara Speller (“Love, Death & Robots,” “Pear Cider and Cigarettes,” “Rocket & Groot”) of NoneMore Productions and J.J. Abrams and Hannah Minghella of Bad Robot Productions. Directed by Peter Baynton (“The Tiger Who Came To Tea”) and Mackesy, the film is adapted from the original book in collaboration with Jon Croker (“Paddington 2”). The film is executive produced by Jony Ive and Academy Award nominee Woody Harrelson (“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”). Original score by composer Isobel Waller-Bridge, performed by the BBC Concert Orchestra and conducted by Geoff Alexander. 
The film is presented in partnership with the BBC, which will premiere “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse” in the U.K., with the film available on Apple TV+ outside of the U.K. this Christmas.
“The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse” will debut on December 25. Take a look at this beautiful new trailer before then. Who knows, this may be a new modern Christmas classic we’ll watch every year.