Early this morning, Disney/Pixar posted a teaser trailer on their YouTube page for their upcoming fantasy epic, “Brave.” The trailer premiered with last week’s theatrical release of “Cars 2,” but for those of you who could care less about talking automobiles, PopFi has embedded the trailer above for your viewing pleasure.

From the looks of things, there’s a lot to get excited about with “Brave,” starting with the film’s protagonist, Princess Merida.

Merida goes against the grain, as far as Disney “heroines” are concerned. For one thing, that label actually fits her. There doesn’t appear to be a “damsel” bone in this princess’ body. She’s tough, she’s skilled, and she’s bucking the system—both in terms of eschewing her royal lifestyle in favor of pursuing a life as an archer, and by being the first female protagonist in Pixar’s impressive catalog.

Then there’s the animation. Back-dropped by a short (but nevertheless gorgeous) soundtrack replete with Highland drums and haunting pipes, and a narrator defining  “brave,” the viewer is treated to glimpses of ancient stone circles, soaring views of the Scottish highlands, the majestic lay of a rugged castle, and glowing will-o-the-wisps. The animation in “Brave” promises to be top-notch, if only for the attention paid to the details in Merida’s hair: her blazing curls look, of all things, soft. Not a parody of soft, or a shining helmet of hair like her predecessors’, but completely, utterly soft, like you could reach out and crush it between your fingers.

Also in its favor, “Brave” features a great voice-cast, most of whom are actually Scottish or English, which should help lend an air of authenticity to things. The cast includes Kelly Macdonald (as Merida), Emma Thompson, Billy Connolly, Robbie Coltrane, and late-night favorite, Craig Ferguson.

There’s a great deal of darkness in this trailer, it’s very likely that the film could take viewers into some very dark places. While it’s unlikely there will be any gore to speak of, some of the situations might prove scary for younger children. For the pre-teen crowd and up, however, the film should be fine.

If the finished film is as good as this trailer promises, Disney/Pixar has another hit on their hands. More than that, they could have a new sensation. “Brave” looks to be the stuff of legends. Literally.

Tags: Brave, Brave the movie, Brave trailer, Disney Pixar, Disney, Pixar, Disney Brave, Disney Pixar Brave, Pixar Brave, Princess Merida, Brave Merida, Disney Pixar, first female protagonist for Pixar, Pixar introduces tough new female protagonist, Pixar introduces first female lead, Pixar female hero, Pixar heroine, heroine, female hero, Disney princesses, Scottish Highlands, Kelly Macdonald, Emma Thompson, BIlly Connolly, Robbie Coltrane, Craig Ferguson, CGI, cartoons, movies, movie trailer

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