Marilyn: Part II

Marilyn is a 2003 2D Animated fantasy horror comedy film directed by Kenneth Anderson and produced by Tim Burton. Serving as a sequel to Marilyn, the film focuses on the titular character in her High School years who comes across a new threat to Urbington, one familiar to the tale of Dracula. Many actors from the first film, including Claire Danes, Tobey Maguire, Dom DeLuise, Brittany Murphy, Kate Winslet, and Anna Paquin, reprise their roles, with Anne Hathaway, Adrien Brody, Shia LaBeouf, Steve Buscemi, and Betty White voicing new characters. The film was released on September 26 2003 to critical acclaim and, like the first film, was a box office success, grossing $239 million on a $65 million budget.

Plot
5 years after the events of the first film, Marilyn Shine, now 17 years old, is about to graduate High School and wonders what life will be like for her after graduating, especially now that she has formed a band. That all changes, however, when she learns of a legendary but real Dracula curse that remains a major threat to Urbington.

Cast

 * Claire Danes as Marilyn Shine
 * A 17-year old high school student and horror fan who still dreams of an adventurous life while running her own band.
 * Danes also voices Marilyn in a flashback scene where she was 12 years old.
 * Tobey Maguire as Nathan Nomad
 * A 17-year old high school student and boyfriend of Marilyn who runs an after-school science club while also associating with Marilyn's band.
 * Anne Hathaway as Melissa Tumble
 * A 17-year old high school student from England who feels her life is empty and wishes for something better to happen.
 * Adrien Brody as Timothy Morbid
 * A mysterious 18-year old man and love interest of Melissa with a dark heart and cruel soul who carries an hour glass-shaped symbol in the center of his chest, reminding him of the curse that can be broken via true love. He is hated by Urbington and often hides in the basement of Urbington High School.
 * Kate Winslet as Madilyn Glaze
 * An 18-year old high school student and Marilyn's identical twin cousin from England who is the president of an after-school horror club while making plans to become an up-and-coming horror film screenwriter.
 * Steve Buscemi as Mr. Nosferatus
 * A vampire and main antagonist who wishes to enslave Urbington into the days of Dracula.
 * Dom DeLuise as Meek
 * A shy but friendly giant, Marilyn's friend, and former employee of Zany who now works as a famous author touring around the US, going by the alias "Meek Damon".
 * Brittany Murphy as Malinda Doe
 * An 18-year old high school student and rival of Marilyn who's in the planning process of running her own clothing company, called Emo Freak, after graduating.
 * Shia LaBeouf as Lawrence "Larry" Broker
 * A 16-year old high school student and Gretchen's love interest who prefers living in the dark. In reality, he is a vampire and can transform into a bat.
 * Anna Paquin as Susie Feeble
 * An independent but shy high school student, one of Marilyns' friends, and the bassist of Marilyn's band.
 * Natalie Portman as Linette Nadeen
 * A French student at Urbington High School, one of Marilyns' friends, and former employee of Malinda who now works at an Art Club to fulfill her artist dreams.
 * Rachel Leigh Cook as Tuesday Van Dour
 * A friend of Marilyn and Madilyn who is currently attending College as she graduated from High School a year ago.
 * Naomie Harris as Darlauc
 * A goth college student, friend of Tuesday, and great granddaughter of the famous Count Dracula from England who is also a vampire and can take the form of a bat, wolf, or mist.
 * Cree Summer as Evona "Eve" Avant
 * A goth college student, faithful Christian, and friend of Tuesday who has the heart of the surreal and soul of the classic / hard rock.
 * Matthew Perry as Adam Scoller
 * Susie's boyfriend who is currently attending College for a degree in Science as he graduated from High School a year ago.
 * Christine Lakin as Emma Bore
 * A nerdy high school student, one of Marilyns' friends, and drum player of Marilyn's band who has also gotten into anime and cute kittens.
 * Seth Green as Luke Hamming
 * A 17-year old high school student and best friend / assistant of Adam who has a big imagination. He assists Nathan in the school science club while Adam is attending College.
 * Lacey Chabert as Gretchen Dismal
 * A goth high school student and best friend of Tuesday who is a member of Madilyn's horror club and always sees the world from a negative point of view.
 * Paul Walker as Allan Portman / The Macabre
 * An 18-year old high school student, basketball player, and love interest of Emma who fights crime as The Macabre, a vigilante who punishes those who dare harm the innocent.
 * Justin Berfield as Zack Feeble
 * Susie's 14-year old brother who's just starting high school.
 * Anndi McAfee as Amber Feeble
 * Susie's 14-year old sister who's just starting high school.
 * Idina Menzel as The Snow Fairy / Claire Tremaine
 * A magical fairy who's in charge of bringing winter to the world. She has a part-time job as Claire Tremaine, the music teacher of Urbington High School who helps Marilyn with her band and songwriting.
 * Catherine O'Hara as Clarissa Shine
 * Marilyn's mother who works as a florist.
 * Jeff Goldblum as Aaron Shine
 * Marilyn's father and former scientist who now works as a pop artist.
 * Shawn Wayans as Shadow
 * Marilyn's curious pet cat who loves the feel of adventure.
 * Marlon Wayans as Dagger
 * Dr. Incisor's trusty bulldog and best friend of Shadow.
 * Stanley Tucci as Arnold Shine
 * Marilyn's uncle and Aaron's little brother who works as a cartoonist and was more socially accepted than Aaron.
 * Alan Rickman as Eric Therman
 * A former science teacher at Urbington Middle School who now works as one of the science teachers at Urbington High School. He still rivals with Dr. Incisor with his wide arrange of odd experiments.
 * John Cleese as Dr. Herman Incisor
 * The top dentist of Urbington who’s secretly a mad scientist conjuring strange and twisted experiments, most of them unsuccessful.
 * Peter Fonda as Era D Kate
 * A suitcase-carrying masked being who is responsible for Timothy's curse.
 * Betty White as Laura Shine
 * Marilyn's grandmother and Aaron's mother who's not always up to date with the modern world.
 * Christopher Lee as Count Dracula
 * A legendary Transylvanian vampire and Darlauc's grandfather. Lee previously voiced the 1st head of Trirascal in the first movie.
 * Christopher Walken as Victor Cash
 * The former librarian of Urbington Middle School who now works as a film historian teacher at Urbington High School.
 * Richard E Grant as Gerald Glaze
 * Marilyn's uncle, Madilyn's father, and Clarissa's older brother from England who always saw himself as the better sibling and currently works as the head of a business in Washington DC.
 * Julie Walters as Scarlet Glaze
 * Marilyn's aunt, Madilyn's mother, and wife of Gerald from England who works as a painter in order to get money.
 * Billy Connolly as Jeffrey Shine
 * Marilyn's grandpa and Aaron's father from Scotland who loves telling WWII stories.
 * June Foray as Mirabell Shine
 * Marilyn's grandma and Clarissa's mother who finds her family the only comfort following the death of her husband Oliver "Grandpap" Glaze.
 * Norm Macdonald as Marvin Nomad
 * The current mayor of Urbington and father of Nathan.
 * Joanna Kerns as Sharyn Nomad
 * An interior designer and mother of Nathan.
 * George Carlin as Adrian Calgaria
 * An elderly business millionaire who is the heir to his family's company Calgaria Industries.
 * Mark "The Undertaker" Calaway as Mr. Mollar
 * Dr. Incisor’s assistant in dentistry and scientific experiments who, like in the first film, communicates through grunts and growls for most of the movie and doesn’t speak until near the end of the movie.
 * Tara Strong as Karen Shine
 * Marilyn’s older sister who works at a Fashion Company in New York.
 * Strong also voices Marilyn in a flashback scene where she was 8 years old.
 * Charles Shaughnessy as Sheldon Walker
 * The loyal butler of Calgaria who sees to his master's every whim.
 * Daran Norris as The Mysterious Stranger
 * A mysterious stranger who wanders around Urbington to make sure everything is in order.
 * Bill Fagerbakke as Leonard Cyclops
 * A cyclops from Golonthia and former employee for Zany who now works as Meek's publicist on his US tour.
 * Steve Whitmire as Eerie
 * A goblin and former employee for Zany who now works as security for Meek's US tour.
 * Dee Bradley Baker as:
 * Vex: A large house fly, partner of Eerie, and former employee for Zany who now works as security for Meek's US tour.
 * Daffadons: Yellow birds who like to sit on branches of Urbington trees to call to others.
 * Tom Kenny as Dimwit
 * A rare species of Dodomingo who is a frequent target for hunters.
 * Scott Innes as Maranzees:
 * A group of marine chimpanzees who are quite sociable and cause spontaneous mischief.
 * Frank Welker as:
 * Hector: A six-armed creature and former employee for Zany who now works as security for Meek's US tour.
 * Daffadons: Yellow birds who like to sit on branches of Urbington trees to call to others.
 * Maranzees: A group of marine chimpanzees who are quite sociable and cause spontaneous mischief.
 * Joseph Barbera as Barbera
 * A very calm and peaceful Tarsute who spends most of the time eating and sleeping, but can attack when threatened.
 * William Hanna as Hanna
 * A Tarsute and friend of Wallace. Hanna completed recording dialogue for the character before his death in March 2001. The film is dedicated to his memory.

Production
Kenneth Anderson and Tim Burton started production on Marilyn Part II in March 1998, 7 to 8 months before the release of Marilyn. Anderson studied and read various Dracula stories to incorporate the horror / dracula elements of the movie, and assisted in the screenplay / visited the set of Sleepy Hollow, which was directed by Burton, to further come up with ideas for the movie.

Animation for the film was done at the Glendale, California facility of Warner Bros. Feature Animation, with additional animation being done at a warehouse owned by Anderson in Los Angeles. The warehouse would go on to become Ken Anderson Studios for work on future animated films and TV shows. Production was completed in December 2002.

Marketing / Release
The first teaser trailer was released in November 2002, attached to all screenings of Harry Potter & The Chamber Of Secrets. The teaser shows Marilyn and her band performing (lip syncing) to the song Young Turks by Rod Stewart.

This was followed by 2 more trailers, one released in April 2003 attached to What A Girl Wants, and another in July 2003 attached to all prints of Terminator 3: Rise Of The Machines. The film was given a PG-13 rating by the MPAA. Like the first film, Anderson aimed the film at the older children / teen demographic, while still being marketed for the family audience too.

Promotional campaign licensees for the film included Burger King, Mattel, Verizon Wireless, and Gap.

Soundtrack

 * 1) Running, Claire Danes
 * 2) Running, No Doubt (credits version)
 * 3) Don't Let Me Down, No Doubt
 * 4) It's My Life, No Doubt
 * 5) Seven Nation Army, The White Stripes
 * 6) All The Things She Said, TATU
 * 7) It's About Time, Lillix
 * 8) Intergalactic, Beastie Boys
 * 9) Smooth Criminal, Alien Ant Farm
 * 10) Someday, Sugar Ray
 * 11) Sk8er Boi, Avril Lavigne
 * 12) Bound For The Floor, Local H
 * 13) Don't Leave Me This Way, Thelma Houston

Reception
Like the first film, the film received critical acclaim, currently holding a 92% certified fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The film was released on September 26 2003, grossing a record $50 million on its opening weekend and ranking #1 at the box office. It stayed #1 for 2 weeks until the week of October 12, when Kill Bill Volume 1 was released that day. The film grossed $239 million at the end of its theatrical run, making it a surprise box office success and grossing more money than the first film.

Accolades

 * Academy Awards
 * Best Director (Nominated, lost to Peter Jackson for Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King)
 * Best Original Screenplay (Nominated, lost to Lost In Translation)
 * Best Animated Feature Film (Nominated, lost to Finding Nemo)
 * Best Original Song - Running (Nominated, lost to Into The West from Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King)
 * Best Film Editing (Nominated, lost to Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King)
 * Annie Awards
 * Best Animated Feature (Nominated, lost to Finding Nemo)
 * Best Character Animation (Nominated, lost to Finding Nemo)
 * Best Character Design In An Animated Feature Production (Nominated, lost to Finding Nemo)
 * Best Directing In An Animated Feature Production (Nominated, lost to Finding Nemo)
 * Best Effects Animation (Nominated, lost to Finding Nemo)
 * Best Music In An Animated Feature Production (Nominated, lost to Finding Nemo)
 * Best Storyboarding In An Animated Feature Production (won)
 * Best Voice Acting In An Animated Feature Production - Claire Danes (Nominated, lost to Ellen DeGeneres for Finding Nemo)
 * Best Writing In An Animated Feature Production (Nominated, lost to Finding Nemo)
 * British Academy Film Awards
 * Best Original Screenplay (won)
 * Best Editing (Nominated, lost to Lost In Translation)
 * Best Original Music (won)
 * Critics Choice Awards
 * Best Picture (Nominated, lost to Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King)
 * Best Director (Nominated, lost to Peter Jackson for Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King)
 * Best Writer (won)
 * Best Animated Feature (Nominated, lost to Finding Nemo)
 * Best Composer (Nominated, lost to Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King)
 * Best Song - Running (won)
 * Golden Globe Awards
 * Best Motion Picture - Musical Or Comedy (Nominated, lost to Lost In Translation)
 * Best Screenplay (Nominated, lost to Lost In Translation)
 * Best Original Score (Nominated, lost to Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King)
 * Best Original Song - Running (Nominated, lost to Into The West from Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King)
 * Best Original Song - Don't Let Me Down (Nominated, lost to Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King)
 * Satellite Awards
 * Best Animated Or Mixed Media Film (won)
 * Best Director (won)
 * Best Editing (Nominated, lost to The Last Samurai)
 * Best Film - Musical Or Comedy (Nominated, lost to Lost In Translation)
 * Best Original Score (Nominated, lost to The Last Samurai)
 * Best Original Song - Running (won)
 * Best Original Song - Don't Let Me Down (Nominated, lost to Running from Marilyn Part II)
 * Best Original Song - Seven Nation Army (Nominated, lost to Running from Marilyn Part II)
 * Best Original Screenplay (Nominated, lost to Lost In Translation)
 * Saturn Awards
 * Best Fantasy Film (Nominated, lost to Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King)
 * Best Director (Nominated, lost to Peter Jackson for Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King)
 * Best Writing (Nominated, lost to Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King)
 * Best Music (Nominated, lost to Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King)
 * Best Animated Film (Nominated, lost to Finding Nemo)