Adapted from Shelby Van Pelt's beloved novel, Remarkably Bright Creatures is a 2026 Netflix drama directed by Olivia Newman. Sally Field leads the cast as Tova, a widowed night cleaner at an aquarium who strikes up an unlikely bond with Marcellus, a sharp-witted octopus who narrates the story. To bring the film's tone to life, the team — working closely with the director and editor — crafted whimsical animated titles that echo Marcellus's fluid movements and capture the shifting mood and landscape of the film. Subsequently, the titles were submitted by Netflix to the Television Academy's FYC section.
DIRECTED BY Olivia newman
CLIENT: netflix
ROLE: creative director, TITLE DESIGN + Animation
end credits
TYPOGRAPHY
Close Up of Texture
In order to express the lovable and endearing tone of the film, the focus was to make the sure the type was whimsical and heartfelt. Additionally, texture was added to the text to create a handmade and homemade feel.
animation
Earlier Animation Passes
Final Result
For the animated sequences, we sought to summon the feeling of water itself — the slow, deliberate grace with which an octopus moves its arms. To breathe this natural quality into the letterforms, we enhanced their anatomy through cel animation, lending the type a living, fluid character. The movement found its first inspiration in the film's dailies, which were studied and noted during the edit before being distilled into quick, exploratory styleframes. From there, animated swashes were woven into every letterform, appearing and dissolving across each card. What emerged was a design suffused with quiet, serene tranquility — drawn as much from the gentle curl of an octopus's arm as from the depths of the ocean that gave the film its setting.
Credits_
production
Starring // Sally Field, Lewis Pullman, Alfred Molina, Colm Meaney + Joan Chen
Director // Olivia Newman
POst
Post Production Supervisor // Ryan Price
Editor // Tamara Meem
Assistant Editor // Michelle Rueda
Title Design + Animation // Emily Suber
Cel Animation // Khylin Woodrow
Colorist // Nat Jenks