Astro Boy (film)
| Astro Boy | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | David Bowers |
| Written by | Osamu Tezuka (manga) Timothy Harris (screenplay) |
| Produced by | Maryann Garger |
| Starring | Freddie Highmore Nicolas Cage Donald Sutherland Kristen Bell Eugene Levy Nathan Lane Bill Nighy Madeline Carroll Matt Lucas |
| Edited by | Robert Anich Cole |
| Music by | John Ottman |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Summit Entertainment (US) Hoyts Distribution (Australia) E1 Entertainment (UK) Kadokawa Pictures (Japan) |
Release dates | October 10, 2009 (Japan) October 23, 2009 (US)[1][2] |
| Countries | Template:FilmUS Hong Kong |
| Language | English |
Astro Boy, Also called Atoma (アトム, Atomu) in Japan, is a 2009 computer-animated 3-D film based on the highly successful Japanese franchise of the same name by Osamu Tezuka. It is being produced by Imagi Animation Studios,[3] the animation production company of TMNT. The studio announced the project in September 2006. It will be directed by David Bowers (Flushed Away) and produced by Maryann Garger[4] with Pilar Flynn as associate producer.[5] It has been announced that Freddie Highmore will provide the voice for the character of Astro Boy in the movie.[6] The film features the voices of Freddie Highmore, Kristen Bell, Nathan Lane, Eugene Levy, Matt Lucas, Bill Nighy, Donald Sutherland and Nicolas Cage. A short trailer of the movie was shown in the North American Home Theater of PlayStation Home from December 28, 2008 to January 8, 2009. On Tuesday, August 11, 2009 an english trailer was released exclusively on MSN Video & on Monday, August 31, 2009. The movie is set to be released first in Japan on October 10, 2009, prior to the US release on October 23, 2009. An exclusive clip "Escape Metro City" was released September 18, 2009.
Plot
An origin story set in futuristic Metro City, Astro Boy (Freddie Highmore) is about a young robot with incredible powers created by a brilliant scientist, Dr. Tenma (Nicolas Cage), in the image of the son he had lost. Unable to fulfill the grieving man's expectations, our hero embarks on a journey in search of acceptance, becoming part of a group of rowdy kids led by a girl named Cora (Kristen Bell), and experiencing betrayal and a netherworld of robot gladiators led by the greedy ring master, Ham Egg (Nathan Lane), before he returns to save Metro City and reconcile with the father who had rejected him.
Production
In 1999, Sony Pictures Entertainment purchased the film rights to Astro Boy from Tezuka Productions, intending to produce a combination live-action/animatronics/CGI feature film alongside Jim Henson Productions originally slated for a Christmas 2000 release, with Eric Leighton (Dinosaur) attached to direct. Nothing more came out of this announcement.
In June 2004, Leighton was replaced with accomplished animator Genndy Tartakovsky (Dexter's Laboratory, Samurai Jack) with a scheduled 2007 release. However, some time after this announcement was made, Tartakovsky left the film to produce the Dark Crystal sequel, The Power of the Dark Crystal, also for Jim Henson Productions.
In summer 2006, it was announced that Hong Kong-based animation firm Imagi Animation Studios would produce an all-CGI animated film based on Astro Boy, as part of a three-picture distribution deal with Warner Bros. and The Weinstein Company alongside TMNT, and Gatchaman. The film is to be released sometime in 2009. In 2007, Colin Brady (Everyone's Hero) was signed on to direct the movie. In 2008, Summit Entertainment took over the film's distribution rights. That same year, Brady was replaced with David Bowers.
Cast
- Nicolas Cage as Doctor Tenma[7]
- Kristen Bell as Cora[8]
- Charlize Theron as 'Our Friends' Narrator[citation needed]
- Samuel L. Jackson as Zog[citation needed]
- Bill Nighy as Doctor Elefun/Robotski[citation needed]
- Freddie Highmore as Astro Boy[6][9]
- Donald Sutherland as President Stone[citation needed]
- Eugene Levy as Orrin[citation needed]
- Nathan Lane as Ham Egg[citation needed]
- Moises Arias as Zane
- Matt Lucas as Sparx[citation needed]
- Madeline Carroll as Widget/Grace[citation needed]
- Sterling Beaumon as Sludge[citation needed]
- Victor Bonavida as Sam[citation needed]
- Tony Matthews as Cora's Father
Marketing
On November 5, 2008, D3Publisher of America announced it will published a video game based on the film. The games are scheduled to be released for console and handheld systems in the fourth quarter of 2009 to coincide with the film's theatrical release.[10] Astro Boy: The Video Game for Wii, PlayStation 2 system and PSP system is under development by High Voltage Software and Nintendo DS by Art Co. Ltd.[11]
IDW Publishing will release a trade paperback of Astro Boy: Movie Adaptation written by Scott Tipton and drawn by E.J. Su[12], as well as Astro Boy Movie Prequel: Underground written by Scott Tipton and drawn by Diego Jourdan, with the cover artwork painted by Ashley Wood.[13]
On May 29, 2009, a trailer for the film was released with the Disney-Pixar movie Up.
This film is rated PG by the Motion Picture Association of America.
A panel of the movie was held at the San Diego Comic-Con on July 23, 2009.
References
- ^ ""Astro Boy" Set for North American release on October 23, 2009". Summit Entertainment. September 22, 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-24.
{{cite web}}:|first=missing|last=(help) - ^ "Astro Boy in '09". IGN. September 24, 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-24.
{{cite web}}:|first=missing|last=(help) - ^ Imagi International Holdings "Our Films", "Astro Boy"
- ^ "Imagi Press Release: Astro Boy" (PDF).
- ^ "Press Release: Astro Boy".
- ^ a b Freddie Highmore Signed for Imagi Studios' Astro Boy. Retrieved on 2008-02-28.
- ^ http://mirrorus.imagi.com.hk//web/pdf/press_release/press_20080923E.pdf
- ^ http://scifiwire.com/2009/07/astro-boys-kristen-bell-o.php
- ^ "9 (2009)". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 2009-04-15.
- ^ "Imagi Studios & D3Publisher Ink Exclusive Worldwide Videogame Publishing Agreement for Astro Boy". D3Publisher of America. November 5, 2008. Retrieved 2009-01-06.
- ^ "D3Publisher to Bring Summit Entertainment and Imagi Studios' ASTRO BOY to Wii, Nintendo DS, PlayStation2 System, and PSP System This Fall". Business Wire. May 7, 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-07.
- ^ Amazon.com - Astro Boy: Movie Adaptation (Paperback)
- ^ Amazon.com - Astro Boy: Movie Prequel (Paperback)