11 Times Blockbusters Like “Avatar” And “The Dark Knight” Were Inspired By Lesser-Known Films

While Luca’s director, Enrico Casarosa, has cited multiple Studio Ghibli films as influences for his adorable sea-monster tale, viewers might spot that the town in the movie, Portorosso, is a direct play on words from the Ghibli film Porco Rosso, which is also set in Italy. While the two movies definitely differ in narrative styles, they share themes about nature, and both feature non-human protagonists interacting with their human counterparts.