Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2024 live-action film)

Atlantis: The Lost Empire is a 2024 science-fiction fantasy action-adventure film produced by Walt Disney Pictures. It is a live-action adaptation of Disney's 2001 animated film of the same name. The film reunites The Flash stars Grant Gustin and Candice Patton alongside Kurt Russell, Andre Braugher, Chris Parnell, Khary Payton, Katherine Heigl, Sofia Carson, Timothy Webber, (insert Mrs. Packard's actress), Frank Oz, and Bobby Moynihan). Set in 1914, the film tells the story of a young man who gains possession of a sacred book, which he believes will guide him and a crew of mercenaries to the lost city of Atlantis. It is directed by Patty Jenkins with a screenplay by Kass Morgan. James Newton Howard returned to score the film. Broadway star Eva Noblezada sang a cover of "Where The Dream Takes You" (originally sung by Mya in the 2001 film) for the credits.

The film was announced in August 2021 at the D23 Expo, along with the casting of Gustin and Patton. The rest of the cast was announced the next month. Filming began in May 2022 and lasted through August, taking place in Washington, D.C., the Pinewood Studios in London, and New Zealand.

Atlantis had its premiere in New York City, NY on April 7th, 2024 and was released worldwide into theaters on April 19th, 2024. The film received generally positive reviews from critics and was nominated at the Academy Awards for Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, Best Production Design, Best Sound, and Best Visual Effects.

Plot
A massive tidal wave, triggered by a distant explosion, threatens to drown the island kingdom of Atlantis. In the midst of an evacuation from the capital city, the Queen of Atlantis is caught by a strange, hypnotic blue light and lifted up into the "Heart of Atlantis", a powerful crystal protecting the city. The crystal consumes her and creates a dome barrier that protects the city's innermost district. She leaves behind her husband, the King of Atlantis (Forest Whittaker), and her young daughter, Princess Kida, as the island sinks beneath the ocean.

Several thousand years later, in 1914, Milo Thatch (Grant Gustin)—a cartographer and linguist at the Smithsonian Institution who is marginalized for his research on Atlantis—believes that he has found The Shepherd's Journal, an ancient manuscript allegedly containing directions to the lost island. After his proposal to search for the Journal is rejected by the museum board, a mysterious woman, Helga Sinclair (Katherine Heigl), introduces Milo to Preston B. Whitmore (Frank Oz), an eccentric millionaire. Whitmore has already funded a successful effort to retrieve the Journal as repayment of a debt to Milo's grandfather and recruits Milo to lead an expedition to Atlantis as soon as he deciphers it.

The expedition departs with a team of specialists led by Commander Rourke, who also led the Journal recovery expedition. The crew includes Vinny, a demolitions expert; Mole, a geologist; Dr. Sweet (Khary Payton), a medical officer; Audrey, a mechanic (Sofia Carson); Mrs. Packard, a radio operator; and Cookie, a mess cook. They set out in the Ulysses, a massive submarine, but are soon attacked by the monstrous Leviathan, a robotic lobster-like creature that guards Atlantis' entrance. The Ulysses is destroyed but Milo, Rourke, and part of the crew escape and make their way to a cavern, described in the Journal as the entrance to Atlantis.

After traveling through a network of caves and a dormant volcano, the team reaches Atlantis. They are greeted by Kida (Candice Patton)—who, despite her age, resembles a young woman—and discover that the Atlantean language is the basis of many existing languages (which allows the Atlanteans to understand English). Kida enlists Milo in helping her decipher the Atlantean writing, which was long forgotten by the natives. By swimming deep within the city's submerged ruins and translating underwater murals, Milo helps Kida uncover the nature of the Heart of Atlantis: it supplies the Atlanteans with power and longevity through the crystals worn around their necks. He is surprised this is not mentioned in the Journal, but upon examination realizes a page is missing.

Returning to the surface with Kida, Milo discovers Rourke has the missing page. Rourke and the crew betray Milo, intending to bring the crystal to the surface and sell it. Rourke mortally wounds the King of Atlantis while trying to extract information about the crystal's location, but finds its location for himself hidden beneath the King's throne room. The crystal detects a threat and merges with Kida. Rourke and the mercenaries lock Kida in a crate and prepare to leave the city, knowing that when the crystal is gone the Atlanteans will die. Milo berates his friends for betraying their consciences and ultimately convinces them to leave Rourke and remain in Atlantis. The King explains to Milo that the crystal has developed a consciousness; it will find a royal host when Atlantis is in danger. As he dies he gives his crystal to Milo, telling him to save Atlantis and Kida. Encouraged by Sweet, Milo rallies the crew and the Atlanteans to stop Rourke.

In a battle inside the volcano, Helga and the other mercenaries are defeated, including Rourke, killed when Milo slashes his arm with a crystal shard. As Milo and the others fly the crystal back to the city, the volcano erupts. With lava flowing towards the city, Kida (in her crystal form) rises into the air and creates a protective shield. The lava breaks away harmlessly, showing a restored Atlantis, and the crystal returns Kida to Milo. The surviving crew members return to the surface and promise to keep the discovery of Atlantis a secret. Milo, in love with Kida, stays behind to help her rebuild the lost empire.

Cast

 * Grant Gustin as Milo Thatch
 * Kurt Russell as Commander Rourke
 * Candice Patton as Kidagakash "Kida" Nedakh
 * Chris Parnell as Vincenzo "Vinny" Santorini
 * Khary Payton as Dr. Joshua Strongbear Sweet
 * Katherine Heigl as Lieutenant Helga Katrina Sinclair
 * Sofia Carson as Audrey Rocio Ramirez
 * Carol Kane as Wilhelmina Bertha Packard
 * Kevin Chamberlin as Fenton Q. Harcourt
 * Frank Oz as Preston B. Whitmore
 * Timothy Webber as Jebidiah Allardyce "Cookie" Farnsworth
 * Bobby Moynihan as Gaetan "Mole" Molière
 * Andre Braugher as Kashekim Nedakh