the children thought they were still being evaluated in one step to be officially protagonists of the production. For the final test, the production direction prepared a surprise: a visit from Mauricio de Sousa to announce that they had been chosen for the film. The children's reaction was filmed and later released as a promotional video. In May 2018, Monica Iozzi joined the cast as Monica's mother Mrs. Luísa. On December 7, 2018, it was announced at the Comic Con Experience convention that Rodrigo Santoro had joined the cast as the character Nutty Ned. Marketing The first trailer for Turma da Mônica: Laços was released on December 18, 2018. An episode of the animated series Monica Toy, titled "Laços de Amizade" and inspired by the film, was released on YouTube on June 19, 2019. Reception Denis Le Senechal Klimiuc, of Cinema com Rapadura, published a positive review, saying: "Daniel Rezende, in taking responsibility for bringing to the screen characters so dear and inherent to Brazilian culture, his mission was not simply to adapt, but to truly commit himself to transforming the colorful cartoon into a reality minimally credible. The result is enchanting." In a positive review for the CinePOP portal, Janda Montenegro wrote: "The careful work of the team seems to have really devoted special attention to every and any detail that could contribute to the immersion of the universe created by Maurício de Sousa in 1959. [...] It is a film for you to take your children, but also to take mom, dad , auntie and grandma, teachers and friends, after all, everyone grew up watching the adventures of this little gang, so it is good to meet old friends again". Julia Sabbaga, from Omelete, gave the film a top rating, saying: "The film has a unique rhythm that combines adaptation of comics and children's movie, without losing timing of jokes and following a structure of youth adventure. [...] Finally, Monica Gang's: Bonds marks the national cinema as an exemplary work of technique, charisma, and adaptation of one of our greatest patrimonies". Pedro Antunes, from Rolling Stone Brasil magazine, wrote: "The film has a very contemplative photograph and scenes of silence in the middle of the forest, proposes a breath, at first, after a great marathon that is to mature. The film disguised as a children's film beats the crap out of anyone who finally realizes that life won't