Curious George is a 2006 American animated adventure family film based on the book series you H.A. and Margret Rey. It stars Will Ferrell, Drew Barrymore, David Cross, Eugene Levy, Joan Plowright, and Dick Van Dyke and Frank Welker as the title character. Matthew O'Callaghan directed (after replacing Jun Falkenstein). It features new songs by Jack Johnson. This project had been under development at Imagine Entertainment for a long time, dating back at least as long ago as 1992 (and possibly many years before this).
The screenplay was written by Ken Kaufman, with a story by Kaufman and Mike Werb. Although it is a traditionally animated film, about twenty percent of it takes place in 3D environments that were computer-generated. It was the first Universal Pictures theatrically-released feature-length fully animated film since 1995's Balto, and Imagine Entertainment's first animated film. as well as Universal Pictures' last theatrically released traditionally animated movie. Until 2013's Moshi Monsters: The Movie a British production distributed by Universal in the UK, and it was created using Animated Flash and as theatrically released. 2009's Curious George 2: Follow that Monkey. 2015's Curious George 3: Back to the Jungle and 2016's The Land Before Time XIV: Journey of the Brave as direct to video released and they also Traditionally Animated.
The film grossed $69.8 million from a $50 million budget and has a 70% approval rating at Rotten Tomatoes, which calls it "a bright, sweet, faithful adaptation".
Due to the success of the film, the franchise was adapted to a TV series on PBS Kids, with Jeff Bennett replacing Ferrell as the voice of the Man with the Yellow Hat.
Cast[]
- Will Ferrell as Theodore "Ted" Shackleford/The Man in the Yellow Hat, Curious George's friend. He is clumsy but resilient and compassionate. In a deleted scene, his last name is established as Shackleford.
- Frank Welker as Curious George, a curious monkey who is compassionate and clever, with a proficiency in the visual art.
- Drew Barrymore as Margaret "Maggie" Dunlop, a teacher and Ted's love interest. She is named after Margaret Rey, one of Curious George's creators.
- David Cross as Junior Bloomsberry, the son and only child of the museum's owner.
- Eugene Levy as Clovis, a museum employee who builds robotic animals to help him with his work.
- Joan Plowright as Ms. Plushbottom, Ted's neighbor. She is an opera singer.
- Dick Van Dyke as Mr. Bloomsberry, the kind, elderly owner of the museum.
- Ed O'Ross as Ivan, the Russian doorman at Ted's apartment building.
- Michael Chinyamurindi as Edu, Ted's African guide.
- Billy West as the Manager, a man who buys stuff.
- Jeff Bennett as the Salesman, a man who buys stuff.
- Clint Howard as the Balloon Man, a man who buys balloons.
Production[]
In various points during its development, it was proposed that the film be entirely CG or live action mixed with CG, before the decision was finally made to use traditional animation to bring the titular character to life. As of July 2001, Brad Bird had written a script for the film.
Director Matthew O'Callaghan greatly appreciated having Dick Van Dyke voice one of the characters. "I was surprised when I actually finally met him that he had never done an animated voice before, with his association with Disney for all those years. I was just blown away so I'm going, 'This is great,' because as an animation director you always want to use people who are fresh, who haven't done animated voices – at least I do." he said. Voice-recording sessions took place in 2004. Afterward, animation production began at Wang Film Productions. Around this time, Universal Cartoon Studios had moved its offices into Universal City, California, and Hollywood Production Center had bought its Glendale studio.
CG supervisor Thanh John Nguyen states that they tried to duplicate the look of the cars in the book, which Executive Producer Ken Tsumura describes as bearing the look of the 1940s and 1950s; according to production designer Yarrow Cheney, the filmmakers also partnered with Volkswagen to design the red car that Ted drives, simplifying it a bit and rounding the edges. Cheney also said that prior to this they had based some of the models on Volkswagens due to their suitability.
Trivia[]
- It has trailers for Curious George, Barbie in the 12 Dancing Princesses, PollyWorld, and The Land Before Time XII: The Great Day of the Flyers music video.
- This was the only theatrical film produced by Universal Animation Studios.
- The creators of the original Curious George, the Reys, fled Paris, France, just before Hitler's army invaded during WWII on home made bicycles and managed to take a few in-progress manuscripts with them.
- This was originally going to be made into a live-action/animated movie in the early 1990s.
- Originally David Newman and John Debney were considered to compose the score but they have all turned it down.
- David Cross' first time voice acting in a theatrically released film. Later he went onto voice Giddy in Battle por T.E.R.A. (2007), Crane in the Kung Fu Panda films, and Minion in Megamind (2010).
- The ship that takes Ted and George to the U.S. is named "H.A. Rey", after the author of the Curious George books, Hans Augusto Rey.
- The Man in the Yellow Hat never had a name until this film, when his name was given as "Ted." He's just Ted in most of the movie, but a deleted scene revealed his surname as "Shackleford".
- Will Ferrell's voice acting debut. Later he went on to voice the titular protagonist of Megamind (2010), Lord Business in the Lego Movie film franchise, Reggie the Border Terrier in Strays (2023) and Maxime Le Mal in Despicable Me 4 (2024)
- When Clovis, the contractor inventor for the museum, comes to Ted's office for his payment, Ted quickly comes out into the hall and closes his door in order to prevent George being discovered. On the wall is a museum display of arrow points. Clovis is also the name of a famous prehistoric arrowhead manufacturing site.
- To promote this movie, Universal Pictures manifested Dolby Digital trailers on each DVD and VHS released in 2005.
- When Sparky first appears, his nose blinks and makes the same noise as the titular character from Rudolph The Red Noised Reindeer (1964).
- When George is messing with the big box of clothes on the ship, a pair of underwear falls on his head that resembles Blue from Blue's Clues (1996).
- The first theatrically released animated movie for Eugene Levy. Later he went on to voice Lou the Porcupine in Over the Hedge (2006), Orrin the Robot in Astro Boy (2009), and Charlie the Palette Surgeonfish in Finding Dory (2016).
- Dame Joan Plowright and Eugene Levy appeared in Bringing Down the House (2003).
- The second theatrically released animated movie for Drew Barrymore after Titan A.E. (2000).
- Robin Williams, Jim Carrey, Steve Carell, Ben Stiller, Dave Foley and Woody Allen were considered for the role of Ted Shackleford/the Man with the Yellow Hat
- Amy Adams. Anna Faris. Priyanka Chopra and Lindy Booth were all considered For voice role of Maggie. Before Drew Barrymore was Cast.
- David Arquette. Ryan Philippe. George Lopez. Jason Biggs. Ethan Embry. Luke Wilson and Jeff Fahey Were all considered for Mr Bloomsberry. Before Dick Van Dyke was Cast.
- Universal Pictures' fifth theatrically released animated film to have an experienced voice-over as a major cast member, which applies to Frank Welker providing the vocal effects of this film's titular character. The previous four films had been An American Tail (1986) with Pat Musick and Will Ryan, The Land Before Time (1988) with Will Ryan, An American Tail: Fievel Goes West (1991) with Cathy Cavadini, and Balto (1995) with Jim Cummings, Danny Mann, Robbie Rist, and Jack Angel.
- Curious George is Also The last theatrically released hand-drawn animated film to not be nominated for the academy award for best animated feature up until the Animated Movies wich Won and Nominated for The Academy Award. Ariel Award. César Awards and Brazilian Academy Film Awards and some that are not Nominated and Won Such as Asterix and The Vikings (2006). Animated Mexican-Argentine adventure comedy film An Egg Movie (2006). Animated Argentine Film Little Chief Patoruzito's Great Adventure (2006). American-Canadian-French Animated Film Franklin and the Turtle Lake Treasure (2006). Animated Brazilian Flash/Computer Animation Film Mônica and Friends in an Adventure in Time (2007). Branimals (2007). Animated Argentine Film Noah's Ark (2007). Isidoro The Movie (2007). Animated Mexican comedy horror film Legend Quest: The Legend of La Nahuala (2007). Animated Brazilian Film Worldturner Circus (2008). The Aviators (Spanish: Cher Ami... ¡y yo!; released as Flying Heroes in some countries) (2008). Ponyo (2008). Animated Mexican Mexican animated action-spy-comedy film Agent Macaw: Shaken & Stirred (2009). Animated Mexican adventure comedy film Another Egg and Chicken Movie (2009). The Secret of Kells (2009). The Princess and The Frog Wich was 2 nominateds for the academy award for best animated but was Loose for Up. Animated Mexican animated action-dramedy film Triple A (2010). Arrietty (2010). A Cat in Paris (2010). The Illusionist (2010). Winnie The Pooh (2011). From Up on Poppy Hill (2011). Animated Mexican-Argentine Film Top Cat the Movie (2011). Animated Mexican action-horror-comedy film Legend Quest: The Legend of La Llorona (2011). Animated Traditionally-Computer-generated-Live Action Argentine Film Soledad Y Larguirucho (2012). Animated Mexican adult animated action black comedy film El Santos vs. la Tetona Mendoza (2012). Animated French-Belgian-Luxembourgish film Ernest & Celestine (2012). Animated Brazilian Film Branimals: The Forest Is Ours (2012). The Wind Rises (2013). The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (2013). When Marnie Was There (2014). Animated Brazilian Film Boy and The World (2014). Song of the Sea (2014). Animated Mexican action-horror-comedy film The Legend of the Mummies of Guanajuato (2014). Animated Brazilian Film Adventures On the Red Plane (2014). The Phantom Boy (2015). French-Belgian-Japanese Animated Film The Red Turtle (2016). Animated Mexican animated comedy horror film Legend Quest: The Legend of Chupacabras (2016). Animated French-Belgian Film The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales. (2017). Animated Mexican action-horror-comedy film Legend Quest: The Legend of the Black Charro (2018). Animated Mexican adult science fiction comedy film Marcianos vs. Mexicanos (2018). Teen Titans Go: To the Movies (2018). Animated Brazilian Film Tito and The Birds (2018). Animated French-Italian film The Bears and the Invasion of Sicily in the United States (2019). Animated Brazilian Film Osmar: The Heel of the Loaf (2019). Klaus (2019). Animated Brazilian Film The Under Undergrounds: The Beginning (2020). Animated Mexican film Xico's Journey (2020). Wolfwalkers (2020). Animated Brazilian Film The Red Scroll (2021). Koati (2021). Animated French Film The Summit of the Gods (2021). Jellystone! And Maya The Bee and Willy in The Secret of Friendship (2022). Animated Brazilian-Canadian Film My Big Friend (2022). Animated Brazilian-Pernambuco Film The Folklore Heroes Against the Halloween (2022). Animated Brazilian Film Trunk Train The Movie (2022). Animated French-Luxembourgish Film Ernest & Celestine: A Trip to Gibberitia (2022). Animated Brazilian film Chef Jack: The Adventurous Cook (2023). Animated Brazilian Film Perlimps (2023). Animated Brazilian Film Branimals: Megavirus (2023). The Boy and the Heron (2023). Animated French-Spanish Mon Ami Robot English: Robot Dreams (2023). Zuzubaland The Movie (2024). The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie (2025). Animated Mexican-American Film Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires (2025). Animated Brazilian-American-Canadian-European-Internacional Traditionally Animated Film Chocolate Little Clown and Friends in The Wrath of Abah and His Band (2026) and Animated Brazilian-American-Canadian-European-Internacional Traditionally Animated Film The Parafriends Unstoppable Movie (2027).
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