Strawberry Shortcake (2019 film)

Strawberry Shortcake is a 2019 American computer-animated comedy film based on the greeting card of the same name by Barbi Sargent and Muriel Fahrion, produced by Blue Sky Studios and The Kerner Entertainment Company and distributed by 20th Century Fox. The film was directed by Kelly Asbury from a screenplay by Mark Dindal, Stephen Hillenburg (posthumously in his last film release), Derek Drymon, C.H. Greenblatt, Steve Martino and Michael Vogal. It stars the voices of Isabela Moner as the titular character alongside Ayo Edebiri, Jenna Ortega, Tati Gabrielle, Ariana Greenblatt, Linda Cardellini, Darren Criss, Ashley Tisdale, Millie Bobby Brown, Ben Schwartz, Issac Ryan Brown and Ed Helms.

Strawberry Shortcake was released on September 13, 2019. It received positive reviews and grossed $248 million worldwide against a $99 million budget, was dedicated to co-writer Stephen Hillenburg who died in November 2018 from ALS, and was the last film directed by Kelly Asbury, who died in June 2020 from cancer.

Voice cast

 * Isabella Moner as Strawberry Shortcake
 * Ayo Edebiri as Orange Blossom
 * Jenna Ortega as Lemon Meringue
 * Tati Gabrielle as Blueberry Muffin
 * Ariana Greenblatt as Lime Chiffon
 * Linda Cardellini as Aunt Praline
 * Darren Criss as Huckleberry Pie
 * Ashley Tisdale as Raspberry Tart
 * Millie Bobby Brown as Sour Grapes
 * Ben Schwartz as Bread Pudding
 * Issac Ryan Brown as Plum Pudding
 * Ed Helms as the Peculiar Purple Pieman

Development
In 2016, Iconic Brand Group, 20th Century Fox and Blue Sky Studios began developing a 3D computer-animated feature film based on Strawberry Shortcake, with Kelly Asbury directing from the screenplay by Mark Dindal, Stephen Hillenburg, Derek Drymon, C.H. Greenblatt, Steve Martino, and Michael Vogal. Jordan Kerner also joined as producer while Matt Ferguson would serve as co-director. This would mark as Blue Sky's second film adaptation of an Iconix property after The Peanuts Movie (2015).

A year later after Iconix's entertainment brands were sold to DHX Media, Iconix Brand Group would no longer have involvement in the film, with DHX allowing Fox and Blue Sky to use the characters under license.

Video game
A video game based on the film, titled [name], was released on September 8, 2019, for Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4, and published by THQ Nordic.

Home media
Strawberry Shortcake was released on digital platforms on December 14, 2019, before being released on DVD, Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D, and 4K Ultra HD a month later on January 11, 2020.

Streaming
Despite licensing contracts, Strawberry Shortcake was released on Disney+ on March 14, 2020.

Trivia

 * This film and Strawberry Shortcake: Berry in the Big City are dedicated to co-writer Stephen Hillenburg, who was the creator of SpongeBob SquarePants and passed away on November 26th, 2018.
 * A message appears at the end of the film with a sponge that has a spatula, a net and a bubble bottle, then the title appears that says "In loving memory of Stephen Hillenburg (1961-2018), You've made the happiest sponge in the whole wide world" before the credits roll.
 * Berry in the Big City was also dedicated to Kelly Asbury, who was the director of the film before passing away on June 26th, 2020.
 * This is the third and final Strawberry Shortcake media to be distributed by 20th Century Fox (before renamed 20th Century Studios) after the 2003 direct-to-video series and the home media releases of Berry Bitty Adventures.
 * It is also marked the first and so far only one to be officially distributed by 20th Century Fox due to being a Blue Sky Studios film.
 * It is Jordan Kerner's and his company The Kerner Entertainment Company's second fully animated film after 2017's Smurfs: The Lost Village.