Antz
| Antz | |
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Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by |
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| Screenplay by |
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| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Edited by | Stan Webb |
| Music by |
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Production companies | |
| Distributed by | DreamWorks Pictures (through DreamWorks Distribution)[a][1][4] |
Release dates |
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Running time | 83 minutes[5] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $42–105 million[6][7][4][8] |
| Box office | $171.8 million[9] |
Antz is a 1998 American animated adventure comedy film directed by Eric Darnell and Tim Johnson and written by Todd Alcott, Chris and Paul Weitz. Produced by DreamWorks Animation and PDI, the film features the voices of Woody Allen, Sharon Stone, Jennifer Lopez, Sylvester Stallone, Christopher Walken, Dan Aykroyd, Anne Bancroft, Danny Glover and Gene Hackman. Some of the main characters share facial similarities with the actors who voice them.[10] The film involves an anxious worker ant, Z, who falls in love with Princess Bala. When the arrogant General Mandible attempts to seize control of the ant colony, Z must combine his desire for purpose with his inner strength to save everyone.
Development began in 1988 when Walt Disney Feature Animation pitched a film called Army Ants, about a pacifist worker ant teaching lessons of independent thinking to his militaristic colony. Meanwhile, Jeffrey Katzenberg had left the company in a feud with CEO Michael Eisner over the vacant president position after the death of Frank Wells. Katzenberg would later go on to help co-found DreamWorks with Steven Spielberg and David Geffen, and the three planned to rival Disney with the company's new animation division. Production began in May 1996. DreamWorks had contracted Pacific Data Images (PDI) to begin working on computer-animated films to rival Pixar's features. During its production, a controversial public feud erupted between Katzenberg of DreamWorks and Steve Jobs and John Lasseter of Pixar, due to the production of their similar film A Bug's Life, which was released a month later. The feud worsened when Disney refused to avoid competition with DreamWorks' intended first animated release, The Prince of Egypt. Harry Gregson-Williams and John Powell composed the music for the film.
Antz premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 19, 1998, and was released theatrically in the United States on October 2 by DreamWorks Distribution.[a] It grossed $172 million on a budget of $42–105 million and received positive reviews from critics, who praised the voice cast, animation, humor, and its appeal towards adults.[12]
- ^ a b "Antz". American Film Institute. Archived from the original on October 20, 2020. Retrieved December 26, 2016.
- ^ "Antz". The Numbers. Archived from the original on October 19, 2020. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
- ^ "D'Works, PDI trumpet 'Tusker'". Variety. December 4, 1998. Archived from the original on January 8, 2018. Retrieved January 8, 2018.
- ^ a b "Antz (1998) – Box Office Mojo". www.boxofficemojo.com. Archived from the original on September 21, 2019. Retrieved February 21, 2019.
- ^ "Antz". British Board of Film Classification. Archived from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved August 23, 2015.
Approved Running time 83 m 7s
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
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LATAfterRushHourwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ August 23, le0pard13; Reply, 2013 at 10:03 am (August 23, 2013). "'Antz' & 'A Bug's Life'". Archived from the original on February 21, 2019. Retrieved February 21, 2019.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Antz". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on February 3, 2023. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
- ^ "Antz DVD – Review – Just a big kid". ciao!. January 30, 2001. Archived from the original on July 14, 2015. Retrieved July 13, 2010.
- ^ Cheney, Alexandra (July 29, 2014). "DreamWorks Animation Q2 Earnings Fall Short of Estimates, SEC Investigation Revealed". Variety. Archived from the original on June 23, 2018. Retrieved July 30, 2014.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
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