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Gnomeo & Juliet

Gnomeo & Juliet
Theatrical release poster
Directed byKelly Asbury
Screenplay by
Story by
  • Rob Sprackling
  • John Smith
  • Andy Riley
  • Kevin Cecil
  • Kelly Asbury
  • Steve Hamilton Shaw
Based onRomeo and Juliet
by William Shakespeare
Produced by
Starring
Edited byCatherine Apple
Music by
Production
companies
Distributed by
Release dates
  • January 23, 2011 (2011-01-23) (El Capitan Theatre)
  • February 11, 2011 (2011-02-11) (United Kingdom and United States)
Running time
84 minutes[3]
Countries
  • United Kingdom[1]
  • United States
  • Canada[1]
LanguageEnglish
Budget$36 million[5]
Box office$193.9 million[6]

Gnomeo & Juliet is a 2011 animated romantic comedy film directed by Kelly Asbury from a screenplay by Rob Sprackling and John Smith. It is loosely based on the play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare and features the voices of James McAvoy, Emily Blunt, Michael Caine, Jason Statham, Maggie Smith, Ashley Jensen, Stephen Merchant, Matt Lucas, Jim Cummings, Julie Walters, Richard Wilson, Patrick Stewart, and Ozzy Osbourne. The story follows Gnomeo and Juliet, a pair of garden gnomes who fall in love, but due to the feud between their respective families, they must find a way to keep their blossoming romance a secret.

Gnomeo & Juliet premiered at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood on January 23, 2011, and was theatrically released on February 11 by Entertainment One Films in the United Kingdom[3] and Touchstone Pictures in the United States. The film grossed $193 million worldwide and received nominations for several Annie Awards. The song "Hello Hello" by Elton John and Lady Gaga was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, the Satellite Award for Best Original Song, and the Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Song. A sequel, Sherlock Gnomes, was released in 2018 by Paramount Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer without achieving the success of the first film.

Plot

In Stratford-upon-Avon, elder neighbours Miss Montague and Mr. Capulet despise each other. When they leave their respective gardens, their garden gnomes and other lawn ornaments come to life. The Montague garden is filled with blue-hatted gnomes led by Lady Blueberry, and the Capulet garden is filled with red-hatted gnomes led by Lord Redbrick, who share in their owners’ feud.

One day, in a back-alley lawnmower race, Lady Blueberry's son Gnomeo competes against his Red rival Tybalt, who destroys Gnomeo's lawnmower. That night, Gnomeo and his best friend Benny infiltrate the Red garden in disguise to vandalise Tybalt's mower as revenge, but Benny instead vandalizes Tybalt's pedestal and accidentally triggers a security light. During their escape, Gnomeo ends up in an abandoned garden nearby and bumps into a disguised Juliet, daughter of Lord Redbrick, who dislikes her father's overprotective nature and is attempting to retrieve a unique Cupid's Arrow orchid from the roof of the greenhouse. The two are enthralled by each other until they both fall into a pond and discover each other's colours. Shocked, Juliet flees home and tells her frog-sprinkler friend Nanette about her newfound love.

Gnomeo and Juliet continue to meet secretly in the nearby garden, where they encounter a pink plastic flamingo named Featherstone who encourages their love. Lord Redbrick pairs Juliet with an overbearing Red gnome named Paris, but Juliet distracts him with Nanette, who quickly falls for him. After the Reds infiltrate the Blue garden and destroy a plant nurtured by Gnomeo's late father, Gnomeo tries to take revenge by spraying the Reds' tulips with insecticide, but Juliet catches him in the act. Back in the abandoned garden, the two argue until Featherstone tells them about how he lost his beloved mate when the couple living in the garden's house divorced and each took a flamingo. Inspired by Featherstone's story, Gnomeo and Juliet reconcile and vow to build a garden together.[7]

Benny sees the two about to kiss and runs into the alleyway, unaware that Tybalt is waiting with his lawnmower. He successfully breaks Benny's hat, but an enraged Gnomeo intervenes, instigating a fight until the lawnmower runs into the wall, shattering Tybalt. The Reds attack Gnomeo, who is accidentally pushed into a busy road; a blue teapot falls from a passing truck and leads everyone to believe Gnomeo has been run over. A distraught Juliet attempts to rush into the road, but Lord Redbrick has her taken back to the garden and her feet glued to her tower for her own safety.

Gnomeo's mushroom friend, Shroom, discovers that Gnomeo is still alive and has been carried off by a dog to a nearby park, where he climbed onto a statue of William Shakespeare and tells him his story. Shakespeare notes that Gnomeo's tale is similar to his own story of Romeo and Juliet and predicts that Gnomeo's will have a tragic ending like his. Meanwhile, Benny sneaks into Miss Montague's house and uses her computer to order a powerful Terrafirminator lawnmower, seeking revenge on the Reds. The Terrafirminator quickly arrives and initially works well with destroying the Red garden, but Benny ultimately loses control of it and the machine starts destroying both gardens while the gnomes wage a full-scale war.

After Gnomeo hears that Juliet's in danger, he races back to the gardens with Featherstone and Shroom's help. Meanwhile, the Terrafirminator has destroyed most of the gardens and is now targeting Juliet's tower. Gnomeo and Juliet share a passionate kiss as the lawnmower crashes into the tower and self-destructs, seemingly killing them both. Realizing the consequences of their vendetta, Lady Blueberry and Lord Redbrick end their feud. Suddenly, Gnomeo and Juliet emerge from the ruins unscathed and, as the two clans celebrate, the couple kiss. Later on, a reformed Tybalt is rebuilt, and Featherstone is reunited with his mate. Everyone happily sees Gnomeo and Juliet off as they get married and drive away on a purple lawnmower, signifying the new union between the families.

Cast

Production

The film was the original idea of Sprackling and Smith, who sold the spec script to Disney through Rocket Pictures. Disney studio chairman Dick Cook greenlit the film, under then Disney-owned Miramax Films in 2006, after turning it down previously as Walt Disney Animation Studios project. Miramax was later sold by Disney in 2010, but the latter studio retained the rights to the film. Starz Animation produced and animated the film. After first sitting on the film as it was an animated film not by a Disney animation unit, Disney Studios then opted to release the film through its Touchstone Pictures banner.[8] Australian director Adam Elliot was approached and asked to direct the film, but he rejected the offer due to the film's incompatibility with his style, as well as his lack of experience with CGI.[9]

Asbury got on board in 2006, and was attracted to the movie in order to work with Elton John.[10] Asbury and Hamilton Shaw then rewrote the film "sort of from scratch," [10] A particular challenge, according to Asbury was how to differentiate the ending between the original play and the movie in order to "keep daggers and poison and suicide out".[10] Asbury had free range of the casting and conducted the process only through listening to voices, not knowing which actor was auditioning until he felt they were right for the character.[10] Prior to the casting of James McAvoy and Emily Blunt, the roles of Gnomeo and Juliet were originally to be voiced by Ewan McGregor and Kate Winslet, respectively.[11]

Music

Main article: Gnomeo & Juliet (soundtrack)

Gnomeo & Juliet: Original Soundtrack is the soundtrack album and was released by Buena Vista Records on February 1, 2011.[12] It features music by Elton John (who was also the film's executive producer), Nelly Furtado, Kiki Dee, and selections from the score composed by Chris Bacon and James Newton Howard (who played keyboards for Elton John and arranged strings on many previous projects).

The duet of John and Lady Gaga for "Hello, Hello" was featured in the film, released on February 11, 2011, but the soundtrack version only features John.[13] Additionally, on May 4, 2011, the duet was leaked online and available for download on most sharing websites.

Release

Gnomeo & Juliet's worldwide premiere was at El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood on January 23, 2011. The film was released by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures under the label Touchstone Pictures on February 11, 2011.[1] The film was Touchstone's first animated film since 1993's The Nightmare Before Christmas and also Touchstone's first and only film to receive a G rating from the MPAA. The film was distributed by Disney worldwide except for a few countries like the United Kingdom and Canada, where Entertainment One Films released the movie.[4] Elton John and director Asbury presented 10 minutes of the film at the Cannes Film Festival.[14]

Home media

Gnomeo & Juliet was released by Touchstone Home Entertainment on Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray, and DVD on May 24, 2011.[15][16] The film was produced as three different packages: a 1-disc DVD, a 2-disc Blu-ray/DVD combo pack, and a 3-disc Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray, and DVD combo pack. The 3-disc package also includes access to a digital download of the film.[17] Both the DVD and Blu-ray versions of the release include the music video for Elton John and Nelly Furtado's version of John's "Crocodile Rock", as well as the extras "Elton Builds a Garden" and "Frog Talk" with Ashley Jensen.[18] In addition, the Blu-ray version also has several deleted and alternate scenes, as well as a feature with Ozzy Osbourne called "The Fawn of Darkness".[19]

Reception

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 55% based on reviews from 126 critics, with an average rating of 5.6/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "While it has moments of inspiration, Gnomeo & Juliet is often too self-referential for its own good."[20] On Metacritic, it has a score of 53 out of 100, based on 28 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[21] Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film a grade B+ on scale of A+ to F.[22]

Joe Morgenstern of The Wall Street Journal gave it a positive review, "This lively little film, a comic take on Shakespeare's tragedy, is really entertaining."[23] Ty Burr of the Boston Globe says "It has its own bizarre charms and a breezy confidence that renders it the very definition of a simple pleasure."[24] Justin Chang of Variety writes "A welcome dose of honest silliness at a time when most family-oriented toons settle for smart-alecky."[25]

In a mixed review Tasha Robinson from The A.V. Club criticizes the film "Far too much of the film is devoted to eye-rolling pop-culture gags and long montages set to recycled Elton John songs."[26]

Box office

Gnomeo and Juliet earned about $100 million in North America and $94 million in other countries, for a worldwide total of $193.9 million.[6] Gnomeo & Juliet was ultimately a hit for Disney, outperforming the much higher-budgeted (and eventual box office bomb)[27] Mars Needs Moms the studio released a month following Gnomeo & Juliet. On the first weekend of its US release, the film had a worldwide opening of $30,700,000, finishing in second place behind Just Go with It ($35,800,000).[28][29] On its second weekend —Presidents' Day weekend— it topped the worldwide box office (without being in first place either in North America[30] or internationally[31]) with $29,800,000, ahead of Unknown which ranked second ($26,400,000).

It opened in 2,994 theaters in North America on Friday, February 11, 2011, grossing $6,200,000 on its first day and ranking third behind Justin Bieber: Never Say Never and Just Go with It. It then finished the weekend with $25,400,000 in 3rd place.[32] However, it scored the largest opening weekend ever for an animated feature released during the winter period (both January and February). It also made the largest debut on record for a minor animated movie (i.e., one with little status, expectations or built-in audience), according to Box Office Mojo.[33] With a $99,970,000 total it became the highest-grossing animated feature among those released in winter, until it was surpassed by The Lego Movie in 2014.[34]

In the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Malta, it topped the weekend box office by earning £2,900,000 ($4,700,000) on its opening. In total it has grossed $25,300,000, making the UK the only market, except North America, where it grossed more than $10,000,000.[35]

Accolades

Award Category Recipients Result
Annie Awards[36] Directing in a Feature Production Kelly Asbury Nominated
Storyboarding in a Feature Production Nelson Yokota
Voice Acting in a Feature Production Jim Cummings
Writing in a Feature Production Andy Riley, Kevin Cecil, Mark Burton, Kathy Greenburg, Emily Cook, Rob Sprackling, John Smith, Kelly Asbury, Steve Hamilton Shaw
Critics' Choice Movie Awards[37] Best Song "Hello Hello", performed by Elton John and Lady Gaga/written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin
Golden Globe Awards[38] Best Original Song
Satellite Awards[39] Best Original Song

Sequel

Main article: Sherlock Gnomes

In March 2012, it was reported that a sequel titled Sherlock Gnomes was in development at Rocket Pictures. Andy Riley and Kevin Cecil, two of the nine writers on the first film, were writing the script for the sequel. Steve Hamilton Shaw and David Furnish produced the film, and Elton John was an executive producer, and again composed songs for the film. The film featured Sherlock Gnomes, "the greatest ornamental detective" hired by the characters from the first film, to solve the mystery of disappearing gnomes.[40] John Stevenson, director of Kung Fu Panda, directed the sequel, and Johnny Depp voiced Sherlock Gnomes.[41] The film was released March 23, 2018.[42] Unlike the original, it was released by Paramount Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

References

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  2. ^ "Elton John Rips Disney with Rant over 'Gnomeo and Juliet'". The Hollywood Reporter. March 2011.
  3. ^ a b c "Gnomeo & Juliet (2D)". British Board of Film Classification. Archived from the original on March 6, 2016. Retrieved May 27, 2014. 83m 45s
  4. ^ a b Vlessing, Etan (May 23, 2011). "Film and TV Focus Lifts Entertainment One Profits". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on September 29, 2015. Retrieved September 28, 2015. Among Entertainment One's movie releases was Gnomeo & Juliet 3D released in Canada and Britain,...
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  7. ^ In Sherlock Gnomes, the couple are said to be a younger Miss Montague and Mr. Capulet, who reconcile between the events of the two films.
  8. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (November 6, 2015). "Johnny Depp Lending His Voice To Paramount/MGM Sequel 'Sherlock Gnomes'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 8, 2015. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
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  40. ^ Fleming, Mike (March 8, 2012). "Rocket Pictures Plots 'Gnomeo & Juliet' Sequel, With New Tunes By Elton John". Deadline. Archived from the original on March 9, 2012. Retrieved March 9, 2012.
  41. ^ Fleming, Mike (September 5, 2012). "John Stevenson Tapped To Direct 'Gnomeo & Juliet' Sequel 'Sherlock Gnomes'". Deadline. Archived from the original on September 7, 2012. Retrieved September 5, 2012.
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