The CN Movie

The CN Movie is a 2021 live-action/animated adventure comedy film directed by James Bobin, and is Cartoon Network Studios' first ever live-action feature-length film. The film takes place in November 2018 and the follows Finn reuniting with his old friends Flapjack and Chowder, and on the verge of getting them their own movies. Instead, they have to save the studio from being a film studio from a studio executive who has been a fan of their shows.

The film will include B. D. Wong, Zachary Levi, and Tina Fey as the supporting cast, with Jeremy Shada as Finn, Thurop Van Orman as Flapjack, and Raymond Ochoa (replacing Nicky Jones) as Chowder. The film will have a release in theaters on May 21, 2021, by Warner Bros. Pictures. This also makes it Warner Bros.' third live-action and hand-drawn animated hybrid film, preceding Space Jam and Looney Tunes: Back in Action.

A spin-off television series, entitled The CN Show, is released on July 7, 2022; and a sequel, CN World Tour, is released on December 13, 2024.

Plot
Ever since 2010, Finn had been friends with Flapjack and Chowder. But when August came around, Chowder and Flapjack's shows were canceled, and Finn was upset that they were gone. Doing his show, he could barely take his mind off them to stay focused, but with help from his friends, he was able to stay on track. Fortunately, after eight years on the air, Finn felt glad to be part of the concluded shows. In the present day, Finn had explained his predicament to the other defunct shows in the studio, which leaves everybody in pity for him.

In Ooo, he; Jake; BMO; Bonnibel; Marceline; Simon; Phoebe; Lumpy Space Princess and Lady travel to Lady's barn to celebrate Jake and Lady's children's birthday. While there, he is less enthusiastic. After the party, Bonnibel comforts Finn and has a talk with him. Still on the fact that he and his friends were still not on speaking terms, she questions if he could just go over and meet them otherwise; giving Finn an epiphany.

As Finn sets off to reunite with his old friends, he has Marceline lie about his whereabouts until further notice. Upon the reunion, they discuss about the two's decrease in popularity and recognition, so Finn decides to get them each a film as to re-introduce them to the public. Arriving at the Warner Bros. studio, they get thrown out by security. After many attempts of getting in, they disguise as their creators and claim that they want to pitch their idea for The CN Movie; in which works. Heading inside, they meet the receptionist to ask if they could see head executive for their request on giving Chowder and Flapjack their own movies, in which she declines due to their shows' declining qualities, followed by getting thrown out again.

They sneak into the executive's office via transition flip and meet executive Dan Manson. Unfortunately, he forgoes their wish of giving them a movie despite being their biggest fan, but he could make a movie about all three of them if they sign a contract, for "personal reasons", to forward the idea. Arriving back at the Cartoon Network studio, their friends are distraught at them for their absence, indicating that Marceline hadn't covered for Finn. Finn tries to make up for it by explaining that they got a deal for a movie about the trio and half the studio's other characters. Chowder eventually discovers that they had signed away the rights to the studio, thanks to the Powerpuff Girls ' narrator explaining the plot point.

The boys, knowing that they were responsible for signing away the rights, go back to the studio to get back the rights. Arriving back to Warner Bros., the boys try to get Manson to give back their studio's rights, in which he will for $50,000,000, much to their disappointment. With no other options, they decide to steal the contract back. At night, the boys sneak into the studio and break into Manson's office and find the contract. However, Manson found out that the boys would steal it, so he kept it with him, so they could not find it. In response to them trying to steal the contract, he brings security to escort them out, followed by knocking them out.

Waking up, they find themselves in a crate. Getting out, they find themselves in London, England. Unfamiliar with the country, they go around town to get help to get back to Burbank. At a nearby bar, they find out on the news that Manson will start owning the studio by tomorrow and will rebrand it as a film industry. Pressed for time, they travel through various traveling tactics via travel montage. Fortunately, they make it back to California. However, the Warner Bros. studio is an hour away to walk (as said by the narrator), so they hitchhike and fortunately get a ride by a couple who is in California for their honeymoon.

Arriving at Warner Bros., they confront Manson and suddenly retrieve the contract from him, during their argument, then run off into the studio lot to lose him. They then hijack a security cart and drive back to the studio, with Manson and his bodyguards giving chase. They eventually lose them by Chowder rocketing their cart into the sky via spicy peppers, with the trio landing on a cruise ship. As they continue, their cart's engine stalls, much to their dismay. Fortunately, they get a lift from Manson's assistant Andrew Neilly.

Arriving to the studio, they find everyone outside and relieved that they have returned. Unfortunately, Manson arrives and tries to take back the contract, leading to the boys to pass it on to many of the other Cartoon Network characters, with Phoebe grasping it last; leading to accidentally burning it in the process, leaving Manson in anguish. Fed up with the three, he reveals that he wants to buy the studio to make it as his film industry because every studio has rejected his ideas, so he had to buy a piece of land to produce his own movies. Unbeknownst to him, his entire confession has been broadcast by Dexter and BMO, leading to his arrest by the police. The characters rejoice and throw a celebratory dance party, with Marceline singing "Ultimate" by Lindsay Lohan.

In a mid-credits scene, All the cancelled/concluded show characters are back in the studio interacting with the current running show characters, as Finn calls it "under one roof".

In a post-credits scene taking place in a white void, Marceline dances to Ke$ha's "Boogie Feet" and flies briefly during the song. The trio arrives and dances along with her, along with the other Cartoon Network characters joining in.

Cast
Cameos consists of Ron Perlman as the director of Friends with Benefits; Kathleen Turner, Timothy Dalton, Randy Quaid, and Wayne Knight as the Friends with Benefits cast; Bryce Dallas Howard as a woman carrying luggage; Jason Bateman and Kristen Wiig as Walter and Jane Williams, the couple that gives the trio a lift to Warner Bros. Studios; Dennis Haysbert as a news reporter; and Will Arnett as the California police chief. Gavin Free and Dan Gruchy, of The Slo Mo Guys fame, were meant to cameo as two friends in London who help the trio get back to Burbank in the original version.
 * B. D. Wong as Dan Manson, a Warner Bros. executive who has been a fan of Chowder, The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack and Adventure Time ever since.
 * Zachary Levi as Andrew "Andy" Neilly, Warner Bros. vice-president and assistant to Manson.
 * Tina Fey as Sandra Alexander, receptionist at Warner Bros. Studios.
 * Dave Boat as Smith, Manson's bodyguard.
 * Ben Schwartz as Winston, Manson's other bodyguard.
 * Tom Cavanagh as a security guard at the Warner Bros. Studios' front gate.
 * Jeff Bergman provides the voice.

C. H. Greenblatt, Thurop Van Orman and Pendleton Ward also cameo as themselves as the trio's disguises.

Voices
Additional voices include John DiMaggio as Jake and Schnitzel; Hynden Walch as Bonnibel Bubblegum; Olivia Olson as Marceline Abadeer; Jessica DiCicco as Phoebe; Pendleton Ward as Lumpy Space Princess; Dee Bradley Baker as Cinnamon Bun; Niki Yang as Lady and BMO; Brian Doyle-Murray as Captain K'nuckles; Roz Ryan as Bubbie; Jeff Bennett as Peppermint Larry and Johnny Bravo; Jackie Buscarino as Sally Syrup and Susan Strong; Dwight Schultz as Mung Daal; Tara Strong as Truffles, Ben Tennyson, and Bubbles; Liliana Mumy as Panini; J. G. Quintel as Mordecai; William Salyers as Rigby; Sam Marin as Benson and Muscle Man; Mark Hamill as Skips; Janie Haddad Tompkins as Margaret Smith; Minty Lewis as Eileen Roberts; Linda Cardellini as CJ; Zach Callison as Steven Quartz Universe; Estelle as Garnet; Deedee Magno-Hall as Pearl; Tom Scharpling as Greg Universe; Shelby Rabara as Peridot; Jennifer Paz as Lapis Lazuli; Spencer Rothbell as Clarence Wendle; Sean Giambrone as Jeff Randell; Katie Crown as Mary Wendle and Ms. Baker; Eric Edelstein as Chad Caswell and Griz; Grey Griffin as Mandy, Frankie Foster, and Yumi Yoshimura; Sean Marquette as Mac; Keith Ferguson as Bloo, Candi Milo as Dexter and Coco; Phil LaMarr as Wilt and Samurai Jack; Roger Craig Smith as Thomas and Belson Noles, and Courtenay Taylor as K.O.
 * Jeremy Shada as Finn, the main character of Adventure Time.
 * Collin Dean as Finn back in 2010.
 * Thurop Van Orman as Flapjack, the titular character of The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack.
 * Raymond Ochoa as Chowder, the titular character of Chowder.
 * Chowder's original voice actor, Nicky Jones, makes a cameo as his original voice as to compare his current voice and regular voice to Finn and Flapjack. This is Jones' first time reprising his role as Chowder after 11 years prior to Chowder 's cancellation, and his first role to return after retiring in 2012.
 * Tom Kenny as the narrator of The Powerpuff Girls, who narrates throughout the film, with Chowder being the only one throughout said film who can hear him.
 * Kenny also provides the voice of the Mayor from The Powerpuff Girls, Eduardo from Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, Simon Petrikov from Adventure Time, and Sumo Sumouski from Clarence.

Cameos include Alex Walsh, Mumy, John Omohundro, Ian Jones-Quartey and Sam Lavagnino as the Bravest Warriors characters.

Production
The film was supposed to have Thurop Van Orman (voice of Flapjack) as director before James Bobin was chosen. Don Burgess, who has collaborated with Bobin before, is hired as the cinematographer, replacing Matthew F. Leonetti. Steven Rasch was previously chosen to edit the film until being replaced by Michel Aller. The locations featured in the film are filmed in Burbank, California and in London, UK.

The animation for the Cartoon Network characters is done by Hong Ying Animation, Saerom Animation, and Rough Draft Studios. Live-action objects the characters had to interact with in the film are animated by Sony Pictures Imageworks, rather than strings or robotic arms to hold actual props.

The show characters chosen to be in the film are the ones only produced by Cartoon Network Studios, with the exception of Ed, Edd n Eddy, as the show was produced by a.k.a. Cartoon. However, the titular characters appear in a poster alongside the supporting characters of their show. This also included the Lego shows produced by Wil Film ApS and The Lego Group, as well as any one of the shows produced by DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation.

Cultural references

 * The Warner Bros. Pictures logo customized for this movie pays homage to the Warner Bros. Family Entertainment logo, as Bubbles steps out of the shield (in place of Bugs Bunny) and eats a cookie.
 * One scene has Bubbles blasting a poster of the 2016 series of The Powerpuff Girls, a nod to fans' dislike on the reboot.
 * The security guard character portrayed by Tom Cavanagh in the film is reminiscent of Michael Maltese's character in the Looney Tunes short You Ought To Be in Pictures.
 * The film includes a cameo with Timothy Dalton, Kathleen Turner, Wayne Knight, and Randy Quaid together on the set as the cast of Friends with Benefits; making this their second time in a live-action/animated hybrid film.
 * At the beginning of the chase scene as Chowder, Finn and Flapjack drive back to the Cartoon Network studio, they crash through a billboard promoting Teen Titans Go!; serving as a jab at the show's backlash. They also crash through one of the pillars holding the Warner Bros. water tower, leading to one of the workers saying "Not again!"; referencing the end of the studio lot sequence in Looney Tunes: Back in Action, another live-action/animation hybrid film.

The CN Movie: The Score
The film's score is composed by John Debney. The music of the film consists with guitar, drums, reggae organ, and orchestral instruments, such as violins; piano and trumpets.

The CN Movie: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
The soundtrack is released on the same day as the film, consisting of songs featured from the film. The only exception is "My Generation" by The Who (which was only used in the second trailer), "Hooray for Hollywood" by John Williams and "Rule Britannia" by Theodore Shapiro.

Release
The film will release in the United Kingdom on April 23, 2021, followed by releasing in Canada on May 7, and on its general release on May 21 in North America.

Marketing
The film's teaser is released on December 8, 2020 on the Warner Bros. Pictures YouTube channel, along with the second/final trailer revealed on March 17, 2021.

On January 13, three individual teaser trailers are released in theaters. With Chowder in Willy Wonka's chocolate factory of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Finn in the Hogwarts Quiddich competition of Harry Potter, and Flapjack with Aquaman of the DC Extended Universe.

On February 7, the film is first promoted on television with Super Bowl Sunday, with characters from Chowder; The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack; Adventure Time; Regular Show; Steven Universe; Clarence; The Powerpuff Girls; Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends; Dexter's Laboratory; and OK K.O! Let's Be Heroes in a stadium seeing the football game. Cinemark promotes the film with a phone policy announcement on April 16; On May 1, Cartoon Planet gets revived for the film's promotion, broadcasting a line of shows. McDonald's releases a line a six Happy Meal toys on May 3; and Cartoon Network shows promotional tie-ins on its network on May 16, consisting of bumpers with Finn, Flapjack and Chowder in a movie theater announcing the film. In addition, they host the entire line-up during intermissions between commercial breaks.

Home media
The CN Movie will have a Digital HD release on August 3, 2021; and on DVD and Blu-ray on September 7, by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.

The Blu-ray release includes a short film entitled Marcy's Real World Adventure, which serves as a separate subplot focused on Marceline going outside the studio and traveling the streets of Burbank. The DVD release includes a CD entitled "Marcy's Track List", which consists of songs such as:
 * Avril Lavigne's "Sk8er Boi"
 * Lillix's "What I Like About You"
 * Bon Jovi's "Raise Your Hands"
 * Green Day's "Holliday"
 * P!nk's "So What"
 * Aerosmith's "Dream On"
 * Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive"

Critical response
Critical response aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes gives the film an approval rating of 47% based on 84 reviews. The critical consensus reads: "The CN Movie succeeds on returning our favorite characters from our childhood – however, it fails on a first impression by going on the Roger Rabbit rout." Metacritic gives the film scored a 51/100, indicating "mixed-or-average reviews". CinemaScore's review on the film is a "B" on its A+ to F scale.

Commercial reaction
Despite the mixed reviews, the film becomes a commercial success, which brings Cartoon Network to make shorts and specials of their defunct shows.

Television series
The series was brought up after one of the co-writers had gotten inspiration from a MAD segment. Its genre was chosen as a mockumentary sitcom with Finn, Flapjack and Chowder as the main characters. The series is executive produced by Brian A. Miller and Rob Sorcher, executive producers of this film. The CN Show is released on July 7, 2022 on Adult Swim.

Sequel
After having second thoughts back and forth, the sequel was finally put into production. James Bobin, director of this film, would have no involvement in the sequel and the film would be directed by Bobby and Peter Farrelly. CN World Tour is released on December 13, 2024.