Warrior Cats

Warrior Cats is a 2021 adventure, action, and drama CGI realistic animated film produced by Alibaba Pictures and STX Entertainment, with the film being distributed by Heyday Films. It was directed by Gary Wang, written by Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger, and produced by Gigi Pritzker and David Heyman.

The film, upon officially releasing on the week before Christmas, received positive feedback from critics, proving Alibaba wrong about the high budget deal, as Warrior Cats had the best opening weekend out of any Alibaba film ever made. A sequel was announced for Holiday season 2022. Voices for the film include Patton Oswalt, Mark Addy, and Grey DeLisle.

Film summary
Spottedleaf (Strong), the ThunderClan medical cat, receives a prophecy from their ancestors, the StarClan. When he ventured into what lies beneath his comfortable home, Rusty (Oswalt) runs into Graypaw (Addy), one of ThunderClan's apprentices, he has to train with his new warrior friends to be one of ThunderClan's great leaders.

Plot
A group of feral cats known  as ThunderClan are battling against their rival, RiverClan, by a river for control over a territory called Sunningrocks, to which both clans have equal claim. Redtail, ThunderClan's deputy, soon realizes ThunderClan is badly outnumbered and orders the battle patrol to retreat. Tigerclaw, a ThunderClan deputy, reluctantly follows the order, angered that Riverclan should be allowed to win territory so quickly. In the ThunderClan camp, Bluestar, leader of ThunderClan, is trying to seek answers from StarClan, troubled by that nights defeat. At that moment, Spottedleaf, the medicine cat of ThunderClan, recieves a prophecy from StarClan, echoing to Bluestar that "Fire alone can save our Clan."' Bluestar is confused, for fire is feared by all clans, and ponders what the meaning of this prophecy could possibly be.

A housecat, or kittypet in clan cat terminology, named Rusty has a dream about catching a mouse in the forest, and lets his prey go due to a distracting noise. This dream motivates the young cat to step into the forest against the warnings of his friend Smudge, where he is briefly ambushed by Graypaw, a ThunderClan apprentice. Instead of fleeing, Rusty fights back against Graypaw. Unbeknownst to the two young cats, two warriors from ThunderClan are watching, Lionheart, Graypaw's mentor, and Bluestar. Impressed after having seen Rusty and Graypaw fight, Bluestar offers Rusty a chance to join their Clan of feral cats and train as an apprentice.

The next day, Rusty is escorted to the ThunderClan camp by Lionheart and another ThunderClan cat, Whitestorm. Most of the cats disagree with a kittypet joining their ranks, especially Longtail, who begins to relentlessly taunt Rusty. Rusty attacks Longtail after being persuaded by Lionheart to prove his loyalty and worth to the clan. Rustys collar snaps off during the fight, which is taken as an omen from StarClan that Rusty belongs in their clan. Bluestar renames him Firepaw, after his flame colored pelt, and officially appoints him as a clan apprentice. Suddenly, another apprentice, Ravenpaw, rushes into camp with the news that Redtail has been killed in a skirmish near Sunningrocks. Tigerclaw soon follows with Redtail's body, claiming Redtail to have been killed by Oakheart, who Tigerclaw says he has killed in vengeance. Lionheart is made deputy in Redtail's place.

Firepaw is not immediately assigned a mentor of his own and instead trains with Ravenpaw and Graypaw and their mentors, Tigerclaw and Lionheart, respectively. Firepaw soon learns that kittypets are traditionally thought to be weak and useless amongst Clan-born cats. He is steadily able to adjust to his new life despite being seen as an inferior.

In the meantime, Tigerclaw, driven by a lust for wrath and power, travels with a fellow ThunderClan warrior, Darkstripe, a former member of BloodClan, to make a deal with Scourge, leader of a cult of alley cats who call themselves BloodClan. Tigerclaw offers Scourge a share of ThunderClan's territory in return for BloodClan helping him to become leader of all four Clans, to which Scourge obliges.

On his first solo hunting assignment, Firepaw encounters Yellowfang, a former Shadowclan medicine cat. He immediately attacks, knowing rogue cats are not tolerated in enemy territory. After realizing the old cat is starving, however, he hunts a rabbit for her out of pity and eats the remains himself, breaking the Warrior Code. When a patrol lead by Bluestar arrives, the ThunderClan leader recognizes Yellowfang as ShadowClan's former medicine cat, and the Clan brings Yellowfang into camp as a prisoner. After appointing herself as Firepaw's mentor in order to speed up apprentice training, Bluestar puts Firepaw in charge of nursing Yellowfang back to health as punishment for eating before his Clanmates are fed.

At a Gathering, Brokenstar, the leader of ShadowClan, reports that ShadowClan has recently driven out a cat who has murdered ShadowClan kits. He makes it clear that this rogue should be killed as soon as any cat finds her and urges the Clans to keep a close eye on their kits. He also announces that he has cut a deal with Bloodclan to hand over forest territory to them in exchange for more hunting grounds for themselves. At that moment, Scourge and Bloodclan enter the Gathering and announce that they drove Windclan out of their territory and claimed it for themselves in their conquest to build their empire. Crookedstar, Riverclans leader, also announces that he has allowed Bloodclan hunting rights on the edge of their territory. When a Thunderclan cat, Rosetail, mocks Scourge for his size, Scourge reacts in violence and ruthlessly murders Rosetail as a warning. After the Gathering the ThunderClan cats rush back to camp, suspecting Yellowfang to be the cat Brokenstar warned them of, but Bluestar orders that Yellowfang shall not be harmed since there is no proof Yellowfang is the culprit. They also are put on battle readiness to prepare for a possible offensive by Bloodclan as the cats speculate among themselves who Bloodclan are, where they came from, and who led them to the forest.

Sometime later, Bloodclan launches an attack on Thunderclans camp, secretly assisted by Tigerclaw. Bluestar loses a life, Lionheart is killed in the battle and Tigerclaw is appointed as the new Thunderclan deputy. Spottedleaf, who was trying to guard the nursery, is also found dead after being killed by Bone, a Bloodclan warrior. Tigerclaw noticably is lenient during the battle, idley standing by as the battle rages on. Ravenpaw, Tigerclaws apprentice who had witnessed the earlier events at Sunningrocks, confesses to Firepaw that it was Tigerclaw, not Oakheart, who had killed Redtail, in his ambitions to become deputy and gain as much power as possible over not just Thunderclan, but every clan in the forest. Ravenpaw also reveals that Tigerclaw was the one who had originally cut a deal with Bloodclan and lured them into the forest, using Bloodclan as an asset in his conquest for power. Firepaw, still devastated by the death of Spottedleaf, whom he had developed a close bond with, is shocked upon discovering this news. Meanwhile, Scourge confronts Tigerclaw on the outskirts of Thunderclans territory about the deal that they had made concerning Bloodclan being promised land. Scourge warns Tigerclaw that he is the only cat in charge of Bloodclan and the only cat who makes decisions on their behalf, and that if Tigerclaw does not follow through with his deal the consequences will be deadly.

Soon after, Frostfurs litter of kits vanish, and Yellowfang is discovered to be missing as well. Tigerclaw immediately blames Yellowfang for the disappearance of the kits, in addition to asserting that Ravenpaw assisted Yellowfang in stealing the kits, as Ravenpaw is the only cat in the clan who knows about Tigerclaws murder of Redtail and deal with Bloodclan. Ravenpaw begins to become distrusted by most other members of the clan, ostracized and harassed by his own clanmates. Firepaw and Graypaw realize their friend is in great dager as long as he remains in the clan with Tigerclaw, and so they furtively sneak Ravenpaw out of the camp to live with Barley, a friendly loner who lives in a barn outside Windclan territory. Barley, a former Bloodclan member himself, tells Firepaw about Scourges history and how powerful he is, and that if he is not stopped soon, Bloodclan could obliterate all 4 clans. When Ravenpaws absence is noticed, Firepaw and Graypaw tell Tigerclaw that he was found murdered on Shadowclan territory.

Firepaw is determined to prove Yellowfang innocent, and so he goes with Graypaw to find and rescue the missing kits. When they find her, Yellowfang tells the apprentices she left camp as soon as she discovered the kits were missing and smelled the scent of Bone in the nursery. Yellowfang reveals that Scourge has been inducting kits into Bloodclan and mercilessly training them early so Bloodclan could grow and become the most feared clan in all of the forest, taking over the entire forest for themselves. It is also revealled that Brokenstar has been closely cooperating with Scourge behind the scenes, with Brokenstar supplying him with Shadowclan kits in exchange for prey. The three cats then spy Scourge and Bloodclan slink by into Shadowclan camp, where Brokenstar has been housing them for several moods.

Thunderclan, as well as a group of Shadowclan warriors who are against Bloodclan, launch an attack against Brokenstar and Bloodclan. Brokenstar and his followers are driven out, but not before he makes an attempt to blame Scourge for the death of the Shadowclan kits that he had, in fact, killed and blamed Yellowfang for their death. Outraged at Brokenstars sudden betrayal, Scourge orders his cult to attack Thunderclan and not stop until every single warrior is killed. In the thunderous midst of the battle, Tigerclaw corners Bluestar in an attempt to kill her, but Firepaw arrives just in time to save his leader. The two cats battle and just as Tigerclaw begins to overpower Firepaw, Scourge ambushes Tigerclaw, angered at him for lying to him and the rest of Bloodclan and using them as puppets. Scourge is about to kill Tigerclaw, but Bluestar comes between the two cats. Scourge and Bloodclan retreat into the forest, but the small leader promises all of Thunderclan that their quarrel isnt over, it has merely begun.

Thunderclan, with the rescued kits in tow, retreats from Shadowclan territory and back to their camp. Bluestar, still shaken by the battle and unable to believe Tigerclaws mutiny, announces his betrayal to the clan. In that moment, Firepaw reveals that it was Tigerclaw, not Oakheart, who had killed Redtail and that Tigerclaw had been conspiring with Bloodclan for moons and using them in his plot to overthrow Thunderclans leadership and become the leader of all 4 clans. Tigerclaw is exiled, and he swears revenge on Thunderclan.

Bluestar promotes Firepaw and Graypaw to warriors and they recieve their warrior names - Fireheart and Graystripe. Bluestar also asks Yellowfang to be Thunderclans new medicine cat, and she accepts, realizing that Shadowclan is not the clan she once knew. Fireheart and Graystripe begin their warrior vigil, guarding the camp until dawn comes. However, as Fireheart stands guard, he realizes that this is not the end of his fight with Tigerclaw, but is ready for the challenge. The movie ends with a pair of amber eyes (presumably Tigerclaw) glaring at Fireheart through the shadows.

An after the credits scene shows Scourge and Bloodclan lurking in the shadows of the forest, revealling that Bloodclan is still alive.

Production

 * On November 19th, 2016, David Heyman, producer of the Harry Pottermovie franchise,was signed on by Alibaba Pictures to produce the Warriorsfilm. Heyman describes the project as "a perfect Chinese-British project." STX board member Gigi Pritzer will produce the movie alongside Heyman.


 * According to the release, a deal for the film rights was signed in October between Alibaba Pictures, Working Partners and its parent company Coolabi Group Limited at the Frankfurt Book Fair in Germany.


 * "Heyman is the perfect pick to produce the film," said Alibaba Pictures President Zhang Wei in the statement. "His talent and experience in filmmaking is sure to make Warriors a world-class blockbuster." Zhang also promised the fans that the film "wouldn't disappoint," saying that "Alibaba Pictures is planning to turn Warriors into a film franchise that will bring to life the spectacular animal and jungle worlds depicted in the novels, using world-leading visual effects." Zhang Wei mentions it will be "a series of movies."


 * On May 14th, 2018, award winning Hollywood pair, Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Burger, have signed on to be the screenwriters for the film.


 * David Heyman and Alibaba Pictures do not know how many adaptations would be made out of the novels. The producer added, "The interesting thing about the books is there are such a lot of narratives. And the books are still being written, so there will be as many films as long as we can keep telling interesting stories and the audience is receptive of it. We'll keep on making it."


 * The first live-action film with computer-generated characters will be an origin story, which follows the path of main character Rusty, a pet cat raised by humans, and his joining a wild cat Clan in the forest.


 * As of 2019, the language for the film is unknown, and may not necessarily be an English language or Chinese language movie. "The beauty of it is there are no humans walking around in the stories. What you have is you have cats. Cats are not specific to any country," David Heyman said about the movie. "Though I suspect it'd probably be set in a forest in the U.K., because the authors are British. We may use actors anywhere. It's too early to tell, but we're open to all possibilities."


 * The film will be a China - U.K co-production between Alibaba Pictures and Heyman's Heyday Films. Heyman spoke about the project and its Chinese roots. "Everybody wants to get into China, and China wants its culture out there," said Heyman. "It's not easy; there are different techniques in storytelling. Even though there is a lot of common ground emotionally and spiritually, and thematically. So I believe it is possible, and I believe what is great about this Warriors adaptation is that it's not Chinese, it's not British, it's both. And so it's the very best way for that soft power to be expressed."


 * Motion picture will not be used to capture the cats' performance. Instead, they will use actors for reference.


 * There is no budget set for the film yet - the cost of filming and visual effects would have to be looked at before a budget can be properly set.


 * On the Italian paperback version of Starlight, a Warriors movie is mentioned for late 2018, but no official release date has been given by the producers. This date is proven to be incorrect, as because of 2020, there has been no news about the release of the film.


 * When asked about involving the authors for the Warriors film, Heyman said, "with “Harry Potter” and “Paddington,” in neither of those cases were [the novelists] involved on a daily basis. But I’m an inclusive producer. Same with “The Light Between Oceans” or “The Yes Man.” I’ve done a lot of adaptations, and it is important that there be a separation between the book and the film. Because it is not a translation; it is an adaptation. But I always like sharing it with authors so they can prepare for the fact that it is different medium. But I’ve been lucky that the authors have understood that – Michael Bond, Jo [Rowling], and John Boyne [author of “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas”] have been generous and understanding. But it is a little nerve-wracking when you show them the script. I generally don’t show then the first draft. I usually want it a little further along."


 * The amount of books in the Warriors series was also mentioned to Heyman, who responded with, "Everything in the world. “Potter” was the same. Warner acquired the first one, and then there were trigger points for subsequent books. What I don’t know is how many [films] there will be. With “Potter,” we did one book, one film, until the end, and then we did two films with the last book. With this, we don’t yet know if we will be working across multiple books. I imagine that we will use more than the first book in the first film. It is like a really excellent melodrama. It could be a wonderful long-running TV show as well, because of its complexity and the amount of narrative within. What is important is that you try and give it a unity and it doesn’t just feel like a series of episodes."


 * The timetable for the movie has not been set yet. When asked about this, Heyman told the reporter, "None has been set. We have to find a good writer first. It is much better to work this way. I hate working to release schedules. I have and I do. But I always prefer to have the luxury of making something as good as it can be. “Paddington” was a good example of that. One of the challenges, after Warner Bros. put it into turnaround, was actually slowing down the process because I didn’t feel it was ready. One of the many gifts that “Potter” has given me is the ability to say: “Let’s not rush. I don’t need to make this. And if I’m going to make it, it needs to be good.” So the project took seven or eight years. I’m hoping “Warriors” won’t take so long."


 * Warriors will not be a low budget film, but it will not be an entirely high one either. Heyman has said, "They haven’t been discussed. With “Paddington” we had a budget from the studio that was 50% higher than the budget we ended up making. Warriors will not be a low-budget film. You can’t do something that is digital animation that cheaply. It shouldn’t be a $200 million film. And it’s not a $10 million budget film either."


 * The movie may or may not be shot in China. It is possible that it can all be done CGI wise, but it is mentioned to depend on the budget.


 * Heyman referred to this film as an origin movie, not a franchise. When asked to elaborate, he responded with, "In my mind I’ve never worked on a franchise. I’ve never made a franchise film, because that’s looking outside-in. Rather, it is really about finding what you connect with in a story and making the best film you can. If we don’t make a good first film, there is no franchise. If we don’t make a good second film, there is no franchise. Somebody asked about if there will be video games. That would be great, but first let’s make a good film. A film has the opportunity to build awareness that leads to all the other things."


 * When he was asked about who he was looking for in a director, Heyman replied, "A humanist. And someone who knows how to work with animation. Or maybe we partner the director with a very strong animation director. I want someone who connects with the story and characters in the same way that I do. Someone who has a visual side but is also comfortable with the depth of the emotion and the breadth of tone that this has. Because it is funny, it is sad, it is thrilling, and there is a lot of high drama. One of the challenges is getting that emotion across with animals — with cats."


 * As of 2020, Heyman does not have the script for Warriors yet. It also remains to be seen if the creative team will be composed mostly by the Chinese. Although Alibaba Pictures is on board for this movie, there is no guarantee that it will be released in China. Heyman confirmed that because it is cooperating with Alibaba Pictures, there will definitely be Chinese actors.


 * The Warriors movie will be a live-action and CGI hybrid.


 * Heyman has stated that it is possible the movie could be turned to a long-running TV show because of the complexity and amount of narrative within it. Contradicting the TV series statement, Heyman has also said, "The interesting thing about the books is there are such a lot of narratives. And the books are still being written, so there will be as many films as long as we can keep telling interesting stories and the audience is receptive of it. We'll keep on making them."


 * At the David Heyman meeting, the editors of Chinese Warriors Wikipedia made a special trip from Sichuan and Shandong to Beijing. On this day, Beijing experienced its first snowfall of the winter, ushering in at 0 degrees. Some of them cried with joy because their favorite novel could be adapted into a movie, and some volunteered on the spot to apply for a free screenwriter.


 * David Heyman revealed that he believes the most challenging part adapting the novel into a movie, the most challenging thing is to design the characters of these warriors in the movie, because each reader has a different image and imagination in his heart. As for wondering if the production team will be in China, Heyman says it is too early to find out, hoping to find the best team and then discuss the budget after.


 * Heyman has also said that it is challenging for him to design the protagonist, and that he will not add Chinese cats, but hopes to incorporate Chinese elements.


 * While being interviewed, Zhang Wei stated:
 * "For us, this movie is not only attractive in the international market, but also very attractive in the domestic market. This work itself has proved that it is a global work, so we made this film not only for the Chinese market, including the international market. The work [Warrior Cats] is very, very rich. Everyone can extract different things and different needs in it. For myself, reading this book, I must choose a key word, "courage." For such a domestic cat, first of all, he is willing to leave the comfortable environment and walk into the forest, the wild environment, and such a complex environment. First of all, he must comply with his inner expectations and look for it. In fact, I think this feeling is many young people in this room have this in their hearts. Everyone has a hope for the future when you are young. There is a kind of eagerness to be uncomfortable with the status quo, to break, to break through, and to make their own people live a better life. I think such a wonderful wish is very important. This is the driving force behind our society's development and the society's ability to become more and more beautiful. In the process of growing up, everyone has such a hope for the future and a desire to work hard. In this process, courage is very, very important if you can really make your own life not in vernacular. In this book, when Rusty comes to this jungle world, he will experience many, many complicated things. In our daily life, we can come into contact with the growth, courage, ability improvement, the loyalty and betrayal of friends around, love, friendship, and many levels. Very complicated world. For us, everyone will experience it in your life. In this, I think "courage" is very, very important."


 * After, Heyman added, "The content in this novel is very rich. It is about growth and how the most important social and friendship are fundamentally built. I believe this is a movie suitable for all age groups and global audiences."


 * In 2021, information finally was released regarding a release date, was around the 2021 holiday season. Trailers were released throughout November, hyping people in the Warriors fandom.

Home media
The film was released on DVD on January 26, 2022. It later was released on Netflix the following month.

Soundtrack
The soundtrack was recorded in Los Angeles and the U.K., featuring two original songs performed by Kristin Chonweth and Katy Perry.

Score
The score was recorded entirely in Los Angeles, done by Christopher Lennertz.