Balto fans mark your calendars: Disney to release new, live-action Togo movie this month
In 1925, dog sled teams in the U.S. territory of Alaska transported diphtheria antitoxin to the small town of Nome. The world-famous Iditarod Race commemorates these life-saving efforts by 150 sled dogs and 20 mushers. The Walt Disney Company released a movie based on one of those dogs, Balto, in 1995. Now, Disney is releasing a movie on another one of the hero dogs involved in the serum run, Togo.
Disney has released a new trailer on the live-action movie detailing Togo’s role.
Another hero’s story is brought to the limelight
Set to debut on streaming service Disney+, the live-action film starring Willem Dafoe and has a release date of December 20, Just in time for Christmas. Directed by Ericson Core, the screenplay was written by Tom Flynn and was produced by Kim Zubick.
Togo, the hero Siberian husky
The story of the film centers on Togo, a Siberian husky that was the lead dog for Leonhard Seppala, a Norwegian dog breeder, trainer, and musher. He played a pivotal role in the 1925 serum run, on which the film is based. It was Seppala who first brought the Siberian husky dog breed to the world’s attention.
Speaking of Togo, Seppala said, “I never had a better dog than Togo. His stamina, loyalty, and intelligence could not be improved upon. Togo was the best dog that ever traveled the Alaska trail.”
The serum run of 1925
The serum run took place in 1925 in the U.S. territory of Alaska. Also known as the Great Race of Mercy. The race was run in conjunction with a diphtheria outbreak in the small town of Nome, Alaska and the surrounding area. The serum was delivered to Nenana, Alaska via train before the sled teams transported it to the remote locations.
The teams relayed the serum across 674 miles in freezing temperatures and gale force w2inds. Togo and Seppala traveled from Nome to pick up the serum in Shaktoolik, 170 miles away, completing the trip in three days. Upon returning to Nome, the team had to deal with a ground blizzard, making vision almost impossible, Togo was able to navigate the bleak conditions to Isaac’s Point, thereby saving them.
Seppala and the team, led by Togo, eventually passed the serum to the dog sled team led by Balto, who delivered the serum the last 55 miles to Nome. And while it was Balto that was hailed as the hero of the run, Togo and his team did a lion’s share of the work.
Katy Steinmetz, a Time consultant, commented on Togo, “The dog that often gets credit for eventually saving the town is Balto, but he just happened to run the last, 55-mile leg in the race. The sled dog who did the lion’s share of the work was Togo.”
The movie is true to life
In the movie, Willem Dafoe fills the role of Seppala. By watching the trailer, the movie looks to be very dramatic and covers the heroics of Togo. One such scene involves Togo leading his team across the ice as it breaks up, which happened in real life. You can watch the trailer for the live-action Togo movie below.
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