Freedom Planet (film)

"Even the small ones can do the big ones."

- Poster tagline

Freedom Planet: The Movie (marketed and known in some countries as Freedom Planet: 映画) is a 2022 American computer-animated science-fiction fantasy adventure film based on the 2014 video game Freedom Planet. The film was directed by Conrad Vernon and Greg Tiernan, with a script and original story by Matt Lieberman and Jared Stern.

Talks of a film based on the video game were proposed in 2014, where script writer Matt Lieberman pitched a script to American video game designer Sabrina DiDuro, who accepted it. The film then began development in 2015, and then was acquired by Sony Pictures Entertainment in 2016, but was put on turnaround until 2018, where it was announced to be back in development under 20th Century Fox, later known as 20th Century Studios. The film’s animation were provided by 20th Century Animation, Cinesite Studios and its subsidiary Nitrogen Studios.

Freedom Planet: The Movie was released by 20th Century Studios on November 25, 2022, to mixed reviews by critics, who criticized the screenplay, but praised the animation, performances, and faithfulness to the games. It grossed $215 million worldwide on a $70 million budget, making it a box-office success.

Synopsis
"Another intergalactic warlord from distant outer space is making its way to the planet Avalice to steal a new artifact, and eventually, destroy the planet from existence. The three kingdoms can't do anything to stop this state of emergency from happening. So the fate of the world will instead rest on three heroines and their former rivals who'll have to go to outer space to stop this catastrophe from happening. But there is only one thing that stands out: Can they all set aside their differences and work together?"

-20th Century Studios

Plot
TBA.

Voice cast

 * Dawn M. Bennett
 * Andi Sina
 * Aidee Smith
 * Ashlyn Selich
 * Jonah Hill
 * Danny McBride
 * Taika Waititi
 * Michelle Rodriguez
 * Alejandro Saab
 * Sean Chiplock

Development
Prior to the release of Freedom Planet in July 2014, writer Matt Lieberman pitched a spec script to American game developer Sabrina DiDuro, who was the developer of the game. She read the script and said it was possible, but said that the fate of the film will depend on how successfully the game does. In March 2015, it was announced that the film was greenlit and is in development, and it was announced that Lieberman, along with Jared Stern, would rewrite the script, while DiDuro would executive produce the film.

On May 7, 2016, it was announced that Sony Pictures Entertainment had acquired the production rights to the film, with an unspecified release date of somewhere around mid 2019, along with Reel FX Animation Studios set to animate the film. It was also announced that Chinese-based film company Tencent Pictures will be financing the film, with director Tim Hill set to direct the film. However, Sony Pictures Entertainment put the film in turnaround in the same year. But in early 2018, the film was later back in development, after it was announced that 20th Century Fox had acquired the film rights from Sony. Hill and Reel FX were no longer attached to the film, and were replaced by directors Conrad Vernon and Greg Tiernan, with Cinesite Studios and Nitrogen Studios instead set to animate the film.

Casting
On July 2, 2018, it was announced by DiDuro that the cast of the game would reprise their roles for the film, with the additions of new cast members such as Jonah Hill, Danny McBride, Taika Waititi, and Michelle Rodriguez.

Animation
Animation was provided by Cinesite Studios and Nitrogen Studios.

Music
In April 2019, it was announced that American composer Brian Tyler was set to compose the score. Prior to this, Alan Menken was originally planned to compose the score, but left due to creative differences. American singer Brad Paisley contributed an original song called "Light", which was released on August 19, 2022.

Release
Freedom Planet: The Movie was originally scheduled to release on May 6, 2022, but was delayed indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In September 2021, it was announced that the film’s release date was on November 25, 2022.

Home media
20th Century Studios Home Entertainment released the film on digital, including Hulu and HBO Max on January 17, 2023, and then on DVD, Blu-Ray, and 4K UHD on February 21, 2023. Bonus features include audio commentary, deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes footage, and the short A Night in Shining Armor. It was later released on Disney+ a month later.

Box office
In the United States and Canada, the film grossed $83.2 million and grossed $131.9 million worldwide, for a total of $215.1 million. In North America, the film released alongside The Son, and was projected to gross $20-25 million from 3,400 theaters on its opening weekend.

Critical reception
On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 65% based on 287 reviews, with an average rating of 6.01/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Although it still has the amazing charm and adorable chemistry the game offered, Freedom Planet: The Movie sticked the unfortunate landing in the writing department." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted score of 58 out of 100, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Audiences polled on CinemaScore gave the film an "A-" on an "A+ to F" scale, while audiences on PostTrak gave the film a 83% positive score, with 67% saying they'd recommend it.