The Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends Movie

The Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends Movie, titled simply The Foster's Home Movie, is a 2007 American animated adventure comedy film based on the animated television series Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends by Craig McCracken. Directed by Craig McCracken, produced by Rob Renzetti, Steven Spielberg and Andy Heyward and written by Lauren Faust, Craig McCracken and Tim McKeon based on a screenplay by Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger, it stars the voices of Sean Marquette, Keith Ferguson, Phil LaMarr, Tom Kenny, Candi Milo, Grey DeLisle, Tom Kane and Scarlett Johansson.

In the film, Bloo, Mac, and their friends embark on a daring quest to Washington, D.C., to meet with President Powers and convince her to repeal the law. Along their cross-country adventure, they encounter obstacles, heartwarming moments, and gain unexpected support. Development to a film based on Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends was announced October 2004, and entered production in December 2004. The Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends Movie was produced by Warner Bros. Pictures, Village Roadshow Pictures, Cartoon Network Movies and Amblin Entertainment, with Boulder Media providing animation services.

Premiering in Los Angeles on May 1, 2007, The Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends Movie was theatrically released on May 18, 2007 in the United States by Warner Bros. Pictures and on May 26, 2007 in Australia and New Zealand by Roadshow Entertainment. It received mixed reviews from critics, with some giving praise toward its animation, voice talents (particularly of Marquette, Ferguson, Kenny, Milo, DeLisle and Johansson), the musical score by Heitor Pereira and faithfulness to the source material, though some were divided on the plot and some criticized the runtime and pacing. It was a box office success, grossing $457 million worldwide against its budget of $50 million. The film won numerous awards, including the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. The film has since been titled a cult classic, which led to the production of a reboot film, set for release in 2024.

Plot
The film opens with a cheerful day at Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, where Madame Foster, the caring founder, is hosting a grand celebration for all the imaginary friends. Bloo, a mischievous and lovable imaginary friend, is thrilled to be at the center of attention. However, their joy is short-lived when the celebration is interrupted by a sinister announcement from the evil Herriman, the prim and proper house manager. Herriman reveals that a new law has been passed by the government, aiming to separate imaginary friends from their human creators. Foster's Home is set to be shut down, and the friends are to be relocated to an undisclosed facility. This revelation shocks everyone, and they realize they must find a way to change the law and save their home.

Determined to keep their family together, Bloo, along with his best friend Mac, the imaginative and caring young boy who brought him to life, rally the other friends for a daring quest to Washington, D.C. Their goal is to meet with President Powers and convince her to repeal the law. They embark on a cross-country adventure filled with laughter, challenges, and unexpected encounters. On their journey, the friends encounter Wilt, a compassionate but worn-out imaginary friend with a mysterious past, Coco, a quirky and lovable bird-like imaginary friend who communicates through unique sounds, and Eduardo, a timid and easily frightened imaginary friend with a heart of gold. Together, they face various obstacles and heartwarming moments that strengthen their bond.

Arriving in Washington, D.C., the group devises a plan to gain access to the president. They infiltrate government buildings, evade security, and use their imaginative powers to overcome obstacles along the way. Meanwhile, Bloo, Mac, and their friends begin to capture the attention of the public, gaining support for their cause through social media and grassroots movements. Their efforts catch the eye of Terrence, Mac's older brother, who had previously dismissed imaginary friends as childish. Realizing the importance of their mission, Terrence joins the group, offering his unique perspective and technical expertise to aid their cause. With their team now complete, they make their way to the White House.

As the friends face President Powers and her administration, they deliver an impassioned plea, explaining the deep connection between imaginary friends and their creators. They highlight the positive impact these friendships have on the lives of children and argue against the government's separation policy. Moved by their words and the overwhelming public support, President Powers agrees to reconsider the law and invites the friends to share their stories with the world. News of the friends' successful mission spreads across the country, igniting a movement. Thousands of children and their imaginary friends come together in a massive protest outside the White House, demanding the preservation of their special bonds. The power of their unity and unwavering belief in friendship convinces the government to repeal the law, ensuring the safety and happiness of imaginary friends everywhere.

With the law reversed, Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends is saved from closure, and the friends return triumphantly to their beloved sanctuary. Bloo, Mac, and their friends realize the immense strength they possess when they stand together and celebrate their victory with a heartwarming reunion at Foster's Home.

Voice cast

 * Sean Marquette as Mac - a bright, and imaginative 8-year-old boy who is Bloo's creator and best friend.
 * Keith Ferguson as Bloo - Mac's imaginary best friend. Bloo is a blue, supple, domed cylinder not unlike a bollard with two eyes.
 * Phil LaMarr as Wilt - a very tall, friendly and incredibly nice red-colored friend with only a right arm and crooked left eye-stalk who is a basketball player and fan.
 * Tom Kenny as Eduardo - a Latin American monster created by a young girl, Nina Valerosa, to protect her in a dangerous neighborhood.
 * Candi Milo as Coco - a chicken-like bird with palm tree-like hair who can only say or write her name.
 * Milo also voices Madame Foster - the caring founder of Foster's and grandmother of Frankie. She is the creator Mr. Herriman.
 * Grey DeLisle as Frances "Frankie" Foster - Madame Foster's 22-year-old redheaded daughter who is referred to as "Miss Frances" by Mr. Herriman.
 * Tom Kane as Mr. Herriman - a gray and white elderly anthropomorphic lop ear rabbit friend imagined by Madame Foster who also speaks with a British accent.
 * Scarlett Johansson as President Powers - the president of Washington, D.C.

Additional cast members include Tara Strong, Maddie Blaustein, Jim Carrey, Frank Welker, Gilbert Gottfried, Colin Farrell, Monica Rial, Robbie Daymond, Ian Sinclair, Dee Bradley Baker, Amber Lee Connors, Charlie Adler, Billy West, Wendee Lee, Kari Wahlgren, Emma Berman, E.G. Daily, Pamela Adlon and Jennifer Hale.

Development and writing
Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends was a critical success on Cartoon Network, and series creator Craig McCracken had interest in adapting the show for cinemas. The idea entered production on December 19, 2004 and Warner Bros. Pictures picked up the project on December 25, 2004. Cartoon Network Movies, having previously been finished with The Ed, Edd and Eddy Movie, which came out on October 22, 2004, was tied to the project as the main brains behind the project. Craig McCracken was assigned as the director, and a co-writer alongside Lauren Faust and Tim McKeon. He was later appointed to a co-executive producer with Raja Gosnell. Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger were appointed as the screenwriters for the film. The storyboards were written by Rob Renzetti, who also served as the producer alongside Andy Heyward. Steven Spielberg of Amblin Entertainment was assigned to the film as a co-producer.

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Casting
Sean Marquette and Keith Ferguson returned to voice Mac and Bloo respectively, alongside Phil LaMarr as Wilt, Tom Kenny as Eduardo, Candi Milo as Coco and Madame Foster, Grey DeLisle as Frankie Foster and Tom Kane as Mr. Herriman. Included to the cast is Scarlett Johansson, who voices President Powers. According to a June 2005 interview with series co-producer and senior storyboard consultant Mike Moon, he stated that President Power's personality is "confident and experienced in presidency - with her being the president of Washington, D.C. - and has a heart that is unmatched with any other heart in the Foster's Home universe". Scarlett Johansson expressed interest in playing President Powers, with her stating in an interview that: "this is [my] most exciting project to work on. Watching Foster's Home is something that can bring heartfelt emotions to the inner child in you, and having [me] to work on this is something to behold".

Animation
The animation was produced at Boulder Media in Dublin, Ireland. The animation style was kept faithful to the television series, with series creator Craig McCracken leading animation production. Visual effects were handled by Mercury Filmworks and Sunwoo Entertainment. Scenes that involved panoramas were animated by Starz Animation and Rough Draft Korea, with CGI animation provided by Reel FX Creative Studios in Dallas, who also provided visual effects and panoramas. Backgrounds were designed as digital paintings created by Rough Draft Korea. For scenes of the plane in the air travelling to Washington, D.C., the animation was produced by Bardel Entertainment in Vancouver, British Columbia. Additional animation was produced by Cartoon Network Studios in Burbank, California. The animation process began on June 10, 2005, and wrapped up on February 20, 2007, with a total of 55,280 employees worldwide contributing to the production.

Soundtrack
The Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends Movie: Music from the Motion Picture is the licensed soundtrack to the film. The album was released through Interscope Records on June 21, 2007.

Among the main theme song included by series composer James L. Venable, other songs from Pat Benatar, Taylor Swift, Outkast, Black Eyed Peas, Avril Lavigne, Daft Punk, Smash Mouth, Britney Spears, Boston, Queen and Electric Light Orchestra were included in the film. Additionally, The Joker / Everything I Own by Jason Mraz and Chrissie Hynde, a song from the 2006 motion picture Happy Feet, was included in the film's ending credits.

Original score
The Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends Movie: Original Motion Picture Score is the score album to the film, and was released through Varèse Sarabande on May 15, 2007. The film's score was composed by Brazilian composer Heitor Pereira, who previously composed the music for Spy Kids (2001) and Curious George (2006). The score was composed at the Clint Eastwood Scoring Stage at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California. The album includes all 16 pieces of music from the film, and a 6-minute score suite which was included in the film's closing credits.

Theatrical
The Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends Movie was originally intended for a release on July 28, 2006. However, the film was pushed back to May 18, 2007, with The Ant Bully, another film by Warner Bros. Pictures, took the July 2006 release date. The film held its premiere in Los Angeles, California on May 1, 2007, and was theatrically released on May 18, 2007 in North America by Warner Bros. Pictures, followed by a release in Australia and New Zealand on May 26, 2007 by Roadshow Entertainment. It was rated PG by the Motion Picture Association of America for "mild language, rude humor and some peril".

Home media
The Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends Movie was released on DVD, Blu-ray and Universal Music Disc on September 1, 2007 by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. It included an animation demo by Irish animation studio Boulder Media, a cast interview with Sean Marquette, Keith Ferguson, Candi Milo, Phil LaMarr, Grey DeLisle, Tom Kenny and Tom Kane, three how-to tutorials: one of how to draw Mac, one of how to draw Bloo, and one of how to draw Frankie; two animated music videos -- one of Let's Get It Started by Black Eyed Peas and one of The Joker / Everything I Own by Jason Mraz and Chrissie Hynde; an interview with musical score composer Heitor Pereira, an audio commentary with director and writer Craig McCracken, Mac voice actor Sean Marquette, Bloo voice actor Keith Ferguson and animation consultant Genndy Tartakovsky, animated outtakes and deleted scenes that weren't in the final cut. The film was re-released on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray on April 14, 2017.

Box office
The Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends Movie opened in North America on May 18, 2007 and in Australia and New Zealand on May 26, 2007. It opened on Friday alongside Shrek the Third with $12.5 million in the United States and Canada, with $3.4 million in Thursday night previews. The film went on to gross $21.1 million throughout its opening weekend, finishing third place. It went on to gross $37.2 million in its first week, falling incredibly short of its expectations of $60-70 million. In its second weekend, its projections were estimated to $20-30 million, and grossed $21.7 million, and later grossed $19.6 million in its second week, for a decrease of 24%. It was then shadowed by Shrek the Third 's performance at the box office, with the latter film making $121.6 million in its first weekend, making more than triple that of The Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends Movie. In its third week, projections were estimated to $40-50 million, though projected with $6.7 million, for a decrease of 38%. Now in June, summer was about to kick off, meaning more people would be heading to the theatres. However, The Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends Movie was still performing weak at the box office, with $17.4 million at the domestic box office in its third weekend, following a 12% in its fourth week with $9.8 million.

Outside of North America, The Foster's Home with Imaginary Friends Movie performed well in its opening weekend, with $38.1 million, including $6.2 million in Thursday night previews, breaking even with its projection estimates of $25-40 million. It then went on to gross $47.1 million in its first week, breaking its projections of $35-45 million. The second weekend saw a decrease of 12%, with it bringing in $29.5 million against its estimates of $30-50 million, though performed better in its second week, earning $51.7 million. The film's biggest international markets were the United Kingdom ($98.2 million), Austria ($72.5 million), Poland ($69.1 million), Russia ($54.4 million), Switzerland ($34.2 million) and France ($29.3 million). The film's box office performances concluded on March 25, 2008. The film made $162 million in the United States and Canada and $295 million in other territories for a worldwide total of $457 million against its budget of $50 million. The film was considered a box office disappointment in North America, with the main cause being from the poor marketing opportunities from Warner Bros. Pictures. According to Forbes, the film made Warner Bros. lose an estimated $150-200 million in revenue domestically, while it lost an estimated $50-85 million internationally. The film became the tenth highest-grossing film of 2007 and the fourth highest-grossing animated film of 2007.

Critical response
On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 63% of 188 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.40/10. The critics' consensus reads: "It may bring audible laughs to kids for sure, and fans of the show will adore this movie on end, but adults will more than likely find Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends Movie a movie made only for little children with its humor and tone, though gives off some heart with its music and the friendship with the voices of Sean Marquette and Keith Ferguson." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 54 out of 100 based on 30 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore assigned the film an average grade "A-" on its A+ to F scale.

Roger Ebert assigned the film two-and-a-half out of four stars, writing: "The Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends Movie is a movie that can entertain little children, but was there really any need of a movie based on it? Don't get me wrong here; I think it's fun to watch. The voice talents are immaculate, with Bloo being the center of attention here." While he praised the animation, visuals and the musical score, he criticized the plot as "too desaturated and stretched out too far for the 95 minute runtime".