The Magic Roundabout (2013 film)

The Magic Roundabout is a 2013 French-British-American computer-animated adventure comedy film based on the television series of the same name created by Serge Danot, and serves as a reboot of the 2006 film of the same name, where it was also known as Doogal in the U.S.. Featuring a new plot and a new storyline, the cast from the U.S. version reprise their roles as their respective characters.

The film was released on September 20, 2013 in the United Kingdom by StudioCanal and France by Pathe, and on October 18, 2013 in the United States by TriStar Pictures and FilmDistrict.

The film received positive reviews from critics, with many considering a huge improvement and a "spiritual successor" to the 2006 film, as well as praising the story, character design and development, voice acting, and animation.

This reboot is longer than the original, with a total of 130 minutes long, than the 2005 film which was 83 minutes.

A sequel to the film, titled The Magic Roundabout 2, was released on October 23, 2015 by Focus Features through its Gramercy Pictures label.

Plot
The film opens up with Zebedee (Ian McKellen) having another nightmare, this time involving Buxton the Blue Cat (Jonathan Freeman), and his sister, Breanna the Black Cat (Alex Kingston).

The next morning, Dylan (Jimmy Fallon) prepares his morning routine, while Doogal (Daniel Tay) and Florence (Kylie Minogue) start the day by playing a game of catch.

U.S. version

 * Daniel Tay as Doogal
 * Max Charles voices a young Doogal
 * Kylie Minogue as Florence
 * Jon Stewart as Zeebad
 * Jonathan Freeman as Buxton
 * Alex Kingston as Breanna
 * William H. Macy as Brian
 * Hugh Laurie as Demetrius, Dylan's late father
 * Chevy Chase as Train
 * David Hyde Pierce as
 * Whoopi Goldberg as Ermintrude
 * Andy Serkis as Fly
 * Jimmy Fallon as Dylan
 * Felix Avitia voices a young Dylan
 * Julie Andrews as Auntie Primrose
 * Judi Dench as Narrator
 * Natt Wolff as Dave Harrison
 * Bill Hader as Soldier Sam
 * Ian McKellen as Zebedee
 * John Hurt as
 * Kevin Smith as Moose
 * Eric Robinson as Basil
 * Heidi Brook Myers as Coral
 * Christopher Ragland, Glenn Wrage, Kerry Shale, Dan Russell, Kevin Frank, and Neil Crone voice Buxton's minions

UK version

 * Robbie Williams as Doogal
 * voices a young Doogal
 * Kylie Minogue as Florence
 * Tom Baker as Zeebad
 * Eddie Izzard as Buxton
 * Alex Kingston as Breanna
 * Jim Broadbent as Brian
 * Hugh Laurie as
 * Lee Evans as Train
 * David Hyde Pierce as
 * Joanna Lumley as Ermintrude
 * Andy Serkis as Fly
 * Bill Nighy as Dylan
 * Julie Andrews as Auntie Primrose
 * John Cleese as Narrator
 * Rupert Everett as Dave Harrison
 * Ray Winstone as Soldier Sam
 * Ian McKellen as Zebedee
 * John Hurt as
 * Ben Kingsley as Moose
 * Ediz Mahmut as Basil
 * Daniella Loftus as Coral

France version

 * Henri Salvador as Doogal
 * Vanessa Paradis as Florence
 * Michel Galabru as Zeebad
 * Dany Boon as Brian
 * Valerie Lemercier as Ermintrude
 * Eddy Mitchell as Dylan
 * Gerard Jugnot as Soldier Sam
 * Elie Semoun as Zebedee

Additional voices

 * Ava Acres
 * Steve Alterman
 * Emily Anderson
 * Erica Beck
 * Bob Bergen
 * Catherine Cavadini
 * John Cygan
 * Brian T. Delaney
 * Sandra Dickinson
 * Melissa Disney
 * Chris Edgerly
 * Cory Edwards
 * Teresa Gallagher
 * Pamela Hayden
 * Wendy Hoffman
 * Ashley Johnson
 * John Kassir
 * John Krasinski
 * Raquel Lee
 * Chloe Looper
 * Yuri Lowenthal
 * Sherry Lynn
 * Danny Mann
 * Mona Marshall
 * Mickie McGowan
 * Julia McIlvaine
 * Breckin Meyer
 * Bryce Papenbrook
 * Paige Pollack
 * Jan Rabson
 * Della Saba
 * Kerry Shale
 * Marilyn Tokuda
 * Kari Wahlgren
 * Frank Welker
 * Scott Whyte
 * Debra Wilson
 * Adam Wylie
 * Keone Young

Development
Plans for another film based on the show were planned by Action Synthese, but it was cancelled when they went bankrupt. Later in June 2011, Abbey Thickson confirmed that the cancelled sequel would be reworked into a reboot of the film, with a new plot and a new storyline. Pre-production began the following month, with Thurop Van Orman directing, and Nichols and Thickson producing. Butch Hartman later confirmed that he was returning to write the screenplay. The U.S. distributor of Doogal, The Weinstein Company, was confirmed not to be behind the reboot. According to Butch Hartman, the company was not given the option of working on the film and were already busy working on Spy Kids: All the Time in the World  when it was announced. It was announced on July 3, 2011 that TriStar Pictures and FilmDistrict would distribute the reboot.

Casting
On July 10, 2011, Daniel Tay announced on Twitter that he was returning to voice Doogal. Kylie Minogue confirmed her return later that day, as did Jon Stewart and William H. Macy. On August 4, 2011, it was announced that Chevy Chase, Whoopi Goldberg, Jimmy Fallon, Bill Hader, and Kevin Smith would all be returning for the reboot. On September 17, 2011, Ian McKellen confirmed that his character Zebedee will return. On October 7, 2011, Robbie Williams, Tom Baker, John Cleese, Rupert Everett, David Hyde Pierce, Andy Serkis, Bill Nighy, Joanna Lumley, Julie Andrews, Ray Winstone, Ben Kingsley, Lee Evans, Hugh Laurie, John Hurt, and Jim Broadbent will voice the United Kingdom voices. On January 14, 2012, it was confirmed that Jonathan Freeman had joined the cast to voice Buxton, the blue cat from the original series who serves as the main antagonist, with Alex Kingston voicing Breanna, Buxton's sister. It was also confirmed that Rupert Everett had voiced a new character in the film named Dave Harrison. Also, David Hyde Pierce, Julie Andrews, John Cleese, Hugh Laurie, and John Hurt are slated to voice both new characters.

Other animation actors who appeared in animated films together, McKellen, Serkis and Nighy appear in Flushed Away, Cleese, Everett, and Andrews appear in Shrek 2, Broadbent, Laurie, Cleese and Hurt appear in Valiant and Lumley and Laurie both appeared in Maybe Baby.

Animation
Most of the animation for the film was handled by NicThic Cinemation Studios, NicThic's in-house animation studio. During production on the film, Action Synthese (prior to its shutdown) agreed to let the studio use the CGI designs of the characters.

Music
On March 17, 2012, it was announced that Howard Shore and Mark Thomas will be composing the score.

Release
Coming soon!

Home media
The Magic Roundabout was released on DVD, Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D, and Digital HD on January 7, 2014 by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

Comparison with the 2005 film
The scene has its new scenes that was longer than its original.
 * After Zebedee falls into the ice, Doogal blames Dylan and Brian breaks up the fight.
 * Right before Dougal and his friends get into Train into lava, right after Train says "Talk about wagging around tails", Doogal apologises to the gang for leaving him, while Ermintrude accept his apology.

Box office
Coming soon!

Critical response
Coming soon!

Sequel
Regarding a possible The Magic Roundabout 2, producers D.A. Nichols and Abbey Thickson stated speaking to Cinema Blend that "If there's a good story to tell, I mean, our heads sort of break after having gotten this one done, like, "Oh my gosh" what could you do the further adventures of? But like any other sequel, from Bad Kitty 3 to Fox's Island 4, as long as there's a good story to tell, it's worth investing. We do love these characters, we love them as much as the public does." Regarding which character would be the main protagonist in the film, Nichols and Thickson stated that "if Harrison is a breakout character," "he would be involved in the sequel". Daniel Tay stated at a press event that possible stories have been discussed for The Magic Roundabout 2, though he would personally like for the film to delve into the aspects of the action-adventure genre, akin to the 2005 film.