Blue Sky Studios was always the underdog. While Pixar was busy making us cry about trash robots and DreamWorks was leaning into ogre memes, Blue Sky was just... there. Then came Ferdinand the movie 2017. It’s weird to think it’s been nearly a decade since this gentle giant hit theaters. Honestly, at the time, people just saw it as "that bull movie with John Cena." But if you actually sit down and watch it now, especially with the benefit of hindsight regarding the studio’s eventual closure, there is a lot of heart packed into that digital fur.
It’s big. It’s colorful. It’s kinda loud in parts. Yet, it manages to tackle some pretty heavy themes about pacifism and identity without feeling like a Sunday school lecture.
The Weird History of the Gentle Bull
The story didn't start with 3D animation. It started in 1936 with Munro Leaf. He wrote The Story of Ferdinand in less than an hour on a yellow legal pad. It’s a tiny book. Like, really tiny. It’s basically about a bull who prefers flowers to fighting. Simple, right? Well, it got banned in Nazi Germany. They called it "democratic propaganda." Franco banned it in Spain too.
When Blue Sky decided to adapt it into Ferdinand the movie 2017, they had a massive problem. How do you turn a 30-page picture book into a 108-minute feature film? You can't just have a bull sitting under a cork tree for two hours. People would walk out. So, they added a goat. A "calming goat" named Lupe, voiced by Kate McKinnon, who is basically the chaotic energy the movie needed to survive its second act.
The movie follows Ferdinand, a massive bull who escapes a training camp called Casa del Toro after his father never returns from a fight. He ends up on a flower farm with a young girl named Nina. It's idyllic. It’s perfect. Then, he grows up. He’s huge. He goes to a flower festival, gets stung by a bee, and—predictably—trashes the place. He gets sent back to the very place he escaped.
Why John Cena Actually Worked
Casting John Cena was a stroke of genius. Think about it. In 2017, Cena was still largely seen as the "Hustle, Loyalty, Respect" guy from WWE. He is a mountain of muscle. He looks like he could punch a hole through a brick wall. But he’s also famous for his record-breaking number of Make-A-Wish grants. He is Ferdinand. The contrast between his physical presence and his genuine, almost soft-spoken delivery gave the character a layer of authenticity that a standard voice actor might have missed.
He isn't just playing a bull; he’s playing a guy who knows he’s scary but chooses not to be. That's a specific kind of strength.
The Animation Style and Visual Choices
Director Carlos Saldanha, the guy behind Rio, brought a specific warmth to the Spanish landscape. If you look closely at the backgrounds in Ferdinand the movie 2017, they aren't hyper-realistic like Toy Story 4. They’re stylized. The colors are saturated—deep ochres, bright reds, and lush greens. It feels like a storybook that’s been breathed into life.
There's this one sequence in a china shop. It’s a total cliché, right? "A bull in a china shop." But the way the animators handled Ferdinand’s weight is incredible. You feel the tension in his muscles as he tries to be delicate. It’s physical comedy at its best. It reminds me of the old Looney Tunes shorts where the humor came from physics—or the lack thereof.
- The Hedgehogs: Uno, Dos, and Cuatro. (Don't ask about Tres).
- The Horses: Hans, Klaus, and Greta. They are peak "mean girl" energy but in equine form.
- The Matador: El Primero. He’s the villain, but he’s also a parody of toxic machismo.
The horses are actually a highlight for me. They represent the "elite" who look down on the bulls. Their choreography is stiff and pretentious, which contrasts perfectly with Ferdinand’s clumsy but sincere movements.
The Bullfighting Debate
You can't talk about Ferdinand the movie 2017 without talking about the ending. It’s controversial. Or at least, it was for people who wanted a more "realistic" take on Spanish culture. In the film, Ferdinand faces El Primero in the ring at Las Ventas. He refuses to fight. Even after being pricked and prodded, he just sits down.
In real life? That bull wouldn't get a standing ovation and a ride back to the farm. But this is a movie about breaking cycles. The film argues that "tradition" isn't a good enough reason to be cruel. It’s a bold stance for a kids' movie, especially one that was aiming for a global box office.
The movie basically tells kids that you don't have to be what people expect you to be. If you're born a fighter but want to be a florist, go buy some shears. It’s a message that resonated well enough to nab an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature, though it eventually lost to Coco. No shame in that; Coco was a juggernaut.
Is it Still Worth Watching?
Honestly, yeah. Ferdinand the movie 2017 holds up better than some of the more "trendy" movies from that era. It doesn't rely too heavily on pop-culture references that date it. There aren't many dabs or outdated slang terms. It’s just a story about a big guy who likes flowers.
The pacing is a bit wonky in the middle—there’s a lot of running around the streets of Madrid that feels like it’s just there to pad the runtime—but the emotional payoff at the end is solid. If you have kids who are sensitive or feel like they don't fit in, this is basically their anthem.
Blue Sky Studios is gone now, absorbed and then closed by Disney. That makes Ferdinand one of their final big swings. It’s a shame, because the movie shows a studio that was finally finding a balance between slapstick humor and genuine heart.
How to Get the Most Out of a Re-watch
If you're going to dive back into the world of Casa del Toro, pay attention to the score by John Powell. He’s the same guy who did How to Train Your Dragon. He uses Spanish guitars and orchestral swells to make the stakes feel much higher than they probably are. It’s a sophisticated score for a movie with a farting goat.
- Watch the original 1938 Disney short first. It’s only seven minutes long and gives you a great baseline for how much the 2017 version expanded the lore.
- Look for the "Easter eggs." There are subtle nods to other Blue Sky films like Ice Age hidden in some of the background art.
- Check out the "Home" music video by Nick Jonas. It was written for the film and actually captures the vibe of the movie surprisingly well.
Ferdinand the movie 2017 isn't a masterpiece on the level of Spider-Verse, but it’s a damn good family film. It’s about the courage it takes to be soft in a hard world. In 2026, that’s a message that feels even more relevant than it did back then.
To really appreciate the film's impact, compare it to other "animal on a journey" movies. Unlike Madagascar or The Secret Life of Pets, Ferdinand’s journey is internal. He isn't trying to get home as much as he's trying to stay himself while the world tries to change him.
If you're looking for something to stream this weekend that won't annoy the adults but will keep the kids glued to the screen, you could do a lot worse than this. Just be prepared to explain the concept of a "calming goat" to your toddlers. They might want one.
Next Steps for Your Movie Night:
- Check Availability: As of now, the movie is usually available on Disney+ or for digital rental on Amazon and Apple.
- Compare the Book: Grab a copy of the Munro Leaf book from the library. It’s a great way to show kids how stories can grow and change when they move to the big screen.
- Discuss the Themes: Use the "sitting in the ring" scene to talk to kids about peer pressure and standing up for what they believe in, even when it’s scary.