Soren and the Magic Owl

Soren and the Magic Owl is an 2016 3D American computer animated comedy adventure musical film directed by John Stevenson and Mark Osborne with co-directed by Saoirse Ronan, produced by Pam Marsden, Matthew Jacobs, Bill Miller, Alan Moloney, Scott Rudin and Andrew Adamson, and written, story and screenplay by Tab Murphy, Jonathan Roberts, Gary Eck, Greta Gerwig, Warren Coleman, John Orloff, John Collee, Judy Morris and Paul Livingston.

The film stars the voices of Jim Sturgess, Ben Kingsley, Jim Broadbent, Joanna Lumley, Bill Nighy, Ian McKellen, Hugh Laurie, John Cleese, Rupert Everett, John Hurt, Ray Winstone, Mike Myers, Maria Bonnevie, Elle Fanning, Bryan Cranston, Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman, Hugo Weaving, Anthony LaPaglia, Magda Szubanski, Miriam Margoyles, Alfred Molina, Dan Fogler, Richard Carter, Common, Dustin Hoffman, Ryan Potter, Tamsin Egerton, Andy Dick, Ian McShane, David Walliams, Julie Walters, Tracy Letts, Anna Kendrick, Simon Bird, Olivia Williams and Saoirse Ronan.

The film was released on May 13, 2016 in United States and June 10, 2016 in United Kingdom. It was also released in 3D, RealD 3D, IMAX 3D and 4D. The film has a lot of mixed reviews, and also poor sales, but it was a box office success. Empire stated "A wonderful triumph of imagination" with critics stated that "It’s the best animated story since The Lion King. Rotten Tomatoes stated it "Two Thumbs Up" while Roger Ebert stated that "It’s awesome kid’s flick in decades". Variety stated that "3D is the best blowing wild ride of adventure".

Cast

 * Jim Sturgess as Soren
 * Saoirse Ronan as Talia
 * Dustin Hoffman as Shifu
 * Jeremy Irons as Scarface, an hawk and the main Antagonist. His goal is to destroy Soren.
 * Alec Baldwin as
 * Ben Kingsley as
 * Jim Broadbent as Tony, a Cat.
 * Rupert Everett as
 * Julie Walters as
 * Ryan Potter as
 * Hugh Laurie as
 * Freddie Highmore as Justin, a young boy and Talia’s Love interest.
 * James Corden as Unicorn
 * Mike Myers as Jonathan, a wisecracking caribou with a Scottish accent.
 * Ryan Kwanten as Kludd
 * Hugh Jackman as Memphis
 * Nicole Kidman as Norma Jean
 * Alfred Molina as Reginald
 * Tamsin Egerton as Lara
 * Miriam Margoyles as Mrs Pilthiver and Mrs Astrakhan
 * Dan Fogler as Zeng
 * Magda Szubanski as Miss Viola
 * Anthony LaPaglia as Twilight
 * Bill Nighy as
 * Ian McKellen as Wizard
 * John Cleese as
 * Richard Carter as
 * Common as
 * Marie Bonnevie as Princess
 * Ray Winstone as
 * Elle Fanning as Felicie
 * Bryan Cranston as Talia’s Dad
 * Hugo Weaving as Noctus, Soren, Kludd and Eglantine’s father.
 * Weaving also voices Noah, a penguin elder.
 * Joanna Lumley as Talia’s Mom
 * Miriam Flynn as
 * Sia as Melody
 * Steve Coogan as
 * Sofia Vergara
 * Andy Dick as Scarface’s Minions
 * Ian McShane as Scarface’s Minions
 * Sofia Vergara as
 * Simon Bird as
 * Tracy Letts as
 * Anna Kendrick as Rosie

Soundtrack
Harry Gregson-Williams and Hans Zimmer composed the original score for the film. The album was released by Sony Classics. Alan Menken wrote the songs with themes by Elton John and Tim Rice.

Songs

 * The Magic Begun - Elijah Kelly
 * I Wanna Be Like Other Girls - Saoirse Ronan and Tamsin Egerton.
 * Life’s a Happy Song - Saoirse Ronan
 * Locomotion - Atomic Kitten
 * Best Years of Our Lives - Baha Men
 * Stay Home - Self
 * Some Things May Never Leave - Mya
 * I’m A Believer - Smash Mouth
 * Story of My Life - Smash Mouth
 * Life’s a Happy Song (Reprise) - Saoirse Ronan, Oren Waters, Susan Stevens Logan, Rick Logan, Maxi Anderson, Carmen Carter, Randy Crenshaw, Camille Twillie, Terry Wood, Catherine Bott, Liz Constantine, Terry Young, Amy Keys and Eddie Lehman Boddicker
 * Princess Song - Tamsin Egerton
 * Magic - Keke Palmer
 * Losing Streak - Eels
 * Life’s a Happy Song (Finale) - Saoirse Ronan, Freddie Highmore, Tamsin Egerton, Kelly Clarkson
 * We Are - Keke Palmer
 * Streets of Gold - Ruth Pointer
 * The Party’s Just Begun - Jessie J
 * I Wish - Stevie Wonder. Fantasia, Patti LaBelle, and Yolanda Adams
 * Life’s A Happy Song (End Credits) - Christina Perri, Kelly Clarkson, Pink, Stevie Wonder, Common, 98 Degrees, Jason Mraz, Janelle Monáe
 * I Wish (Finale) - Jim Sturgess, Fat Joe, Common, Fantasia, Oren Waters, Saoirse Ronan, Hugo Weaving, Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman, Cee Lo Green

Trivia

 * Jim Sturgess and Saoirse Ronan appear in The Way Back.
 * Simon Bird’s first animated debut.
 * Was released on the same day as Gods of Egypt, also starring Geoffrey Rush.
 * The job of composing the score was offered to John Powell, but he turned it down because of his work on Jason Bourne.
 * Saoirse Ronan, Tamsin Egerton and Freddie Highmore all did their own singing.
 * Kandor Graphics was one of the studios, yet Warner Bros and Village Roadshow Pictures are distributed it.
 * Saoirse Ronan, Julie Walters and Jim Broadbent all starred in Brooklyn.
 * This film burrows a few ideas from Shrek; both characters go on a quest, using a magic gold dust from Thomas and the Magic Railroad.
 * Hugh Laurie, Jim Broadbent, John Cleese, and John Hurt appear in Valiant.
 * Tom Baker, Jim Broadbent, Joanna Lumley, Ian McKellen, Bill Nighy, Ray Winstone and Lee Evans appear in The Magic Roundabout.
 * This reunites cast members from The Lovley Bones; Stanley Tucci, Rachael Weisz, Rose McIver and Susan Sarandon.
 * Jeremy Irons recorded his dialogue before the rest of the cast recording their lines together.