Eek! The Cat: The Movie (2024)

Eek! The Cat: The Movie is a 2024 American computer-animated comedy film produced by Fox Animation Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. The film is based on the 1992 animated television series of the same name created by Savage Steve Holland and Bill Kopp, and follows the titular character as he tries to save his family from a group of criminals.

The film was directed by Chris Renaud and Jonathan del Val, from a screenplay by Michael Arndt and Jared Bush, and stars the voices of Andy Samberg, Kelsey Grammer, Kenan Thompson, Taraji P. Henson, and Tracy Morgan. In addition, Bill Kopp, who voiced Eek in the original series, makes a cameo appearance.

Eek! The Cat: The Movie premiered at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival on June 10, 2024, and was theatrically released in the United States on July 2, 2024. The film received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised its animation, voice acting, humor, and themes of family and friendship, although some criticized its plot for being too similar to other animated films.

The film grossed $487 million worldwide against its $110 million budget, making it a box office success. It received an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature, but lost to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.

Plot:
In the city of McTropolis, a purple cat named Eek lives with his human family: Mom, Wendy Elizabeth, and J.B. One day, while out on a walk, Eek comes across a group of criminals who have just robbed a bank. When they see Eek, they chase him, but he is able to escape.

Eek goes to the police station and tells them what happened. The police put out a bulletin for the criminals, but they are not caught. Eek's family is worried about him, so they decide to go on vacation to the country.

While they are packing, the criminals break into the house and kidnap Wendy Elizabeth and J.B. Eek tries to stop them, but he is knocked unconscious. When he wakes up, he finds that his family has been kidnapped and he is all alone.

Eek decides to go after the criminals and rescue his family. He enlists the help of his friends: Mittens the cat, Sharky the sharkdog, and Elmo the elk. Together, they set off to find the criminals and save Eek's family.

Distributed:
Eek! The Cat: The Movie was distributed by Walt Disney Pictures.

Soundtrack:
The film's score was composed by John Powell and the soundtrack album was released on June 30, 2024, by Walt Disney Records.

Animation:
The film was animated by Fox Animation Studios using CGI.

Trailers:
The first trailer for Eek! The Cat: The Movie was released on May 5, 2024.

Development:
In September 2020, it was announced that a CGI-animated film based on the 1992 animated television series Eek! The Cat was in development at Fox Animation Studios. Chris Renaud and Jonathan del Val were set to direct the film, from a screenplay by Michael Arndt and Jared Bush.

Casting:
In March 2021, it was announced that Andy Samberg, Kelsey Grammer, Kenan Thompson, Taraji P. Henson, and Tracy Morgan had been cast as the voices of the main characters. Bill Kopp, who voiced Eek in the original series, makes a cameo appearance in the film.

Release:
Eek! The Cat: The Movie premiered at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival on June 10, 2024. It was theatrically released in the United States on July 2, 2024.

Home media:
Eek! The Cat: The Movie was released on Digital HD on October 12, 2024, and on Blu-ray and DVD on November 9, 2024.

Box office:
Eek! The Cat: The Movie grossed $433 million worldwide against a budget of $80 million.

Critical response:
On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 87% based on 140 reviews, with an average rating of 7.3/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Eek! The Cat: The Movie offers colorful visuals, a star-studded voice cast, and plenty of laughs for younger viewers – even if its plot is a little too familiar."

On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 71 out of 100, based on 35 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".

Accolades:
At the Annecy International Animated Film Festival, Eek! The Cat: The Movie won the Crystal for Best Feature Film.

Legacy:
Eek! The Cat: The Movie was a box office success, grossing $433 million worldwide against a budget of $80 million. The film received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised its animation, voice acting, humor, and themes of family and friendship, although some criticized its plot for being too similar to other animated films.