Rise of the Guardians/Transcript

RISE OF THE GUARDIANS
 Written by
 
 David Lindsay-Abaire
 Screening script 9/6/12
 
 
 SEQ. 125 - ALONE IN THE WORLD
 
 DARKNESS
 
 JACK (V.O.)
 Darkness. That's the first thing I
 remember. It was dark, and it was
 cold. And I was scared.
 
 The silhouette of a body appears as it drifts into a ray of
 light, refracted through water, which turns into...
 
 
 A MOON - SEEN IN REFLECTION ON A SHEET OF ICE
 
 The moonlight intensifies almost magically, and the ice above
 begins to spider-web and crack.
 
 
 EXT. FROZEN POND - NIGHT
 
 Snow-covered trees in every direction. The ice in the pond
 continues to crack, until finally a hole splinters open. A
 young man floats out of the water, bathed in the intense
 moonlight. This is JACK FROST - thin, pale, barefoot, his
 tousled hair frosted white.
 
 JACK (V.O.)
 But then...then I saw the moon. It
 was so big and it was so bright,
 and it seemed to chase the darkness
 away. And when it did...I wasn't
 scared anymore.
 
 Jack floats back down onto the ice as the hole closes up
 underneath him.
 JACK (V.O.)
 Why I was there, and what I was
 meant to do - that I've never
 known. And a part of me wonders if
 I ever will.
 
 Jack looks around, confused, then turns toward the moonlight
 as it dims a bit.
 
 Jack carefully treads across the ice until he hits something
 with his feet. He looks down, and at his feet is a wooden
 staff. Curious, he picks it up. Almost immediately the
 staff begins to glow a cold blue in his hands. Odd.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 2.
 
 
 Jack almost drops it as the base of the staff comes in
 contact with the ground. Frost shoots out and spreads across
 the ice. Jack is visibly confused.
 
 He touches a few trees with his staff sending frost up their
 trunks. Then he swings the staff again, more confident, as
 he begins to run across the frozen pond.
 
 Another swing, and a gust of wind swirls him high up into the
 air. Jack floats for a moment only to fall back down to
 earth and into the trees. Jack grabs hold of a tree branch
 and pulls himself up to see a small town off in the distance.
 
 
 EXT. BURGESS SETTLEMENT - TOWN CENTER - CONTINUOUS
 
 A collection of simple timber houses with thatched roofs.
 Jack comes in for a landing, and it's a rocky one. He stands
 up, still elated, and brushes himself off.
 
 As Jack makes his way into town, settlers are warming their
 hands by campfire. Jack doesn't recognize anyone.
 
 JACK
 (to the townsfolk)
 Hello. Hello. Good evening,
 ma'am.
 (BEAT)
 Ma'am?
 
 The settlers walk past Jack, not noticing him. Jack crouches
 down as a YOUNG BOY runs toward him.
 
 JACK
 Oh, ah, excuse me, can you tell me
 where I am?
 
 The boy runs right through Jack, as if he were a ghost. Jack
 staggers back in shock. He's speechless, as if the wind had
 been knocked out him. His emotions causing it to snow.
 
 JACK
 Hello! Hello!
 
 Townsfolk continue to pass through Jack, unaware of his
 presence. Shaken, Jack turns and retreats into the forest.
 
 JACK (V.O.)
 My name is Jack Frost -- how do I
 know that? The moon told me so.
 But that was all he ever told me.
 And that was a long, long time ago.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 3.
 
 
 We pan up as the moon shines down over the snow covered
 trees.
 
 CUT TO:
 
 
 SEQ. 175 - INTRO TO NORTH
 
 EXT. NORTH POLE - DUSK
 
 FIERY GYPSY VIOLIN MUSIC as we move through clouds to reveal
 a MASSIVE ICE CANYON, and just around a bend, the incredible
 hidden fortress of NORTH, aka SANTA CLAUS.
 
 
 INT. NORTH'S WORKSHOP - DUSK
 
 We glimpse a familiar-looking RED JACKET and CAP with white
 trim on a coat hanger just as a pair of tongs SLAM a block of
 ice onto a stone work table--
 
 IN QUICK CUTS: A CHAINSAW shears the block in half, spraying
 ice. North lifts up the chainsaw revealing a massive tatoo
 on his arm, the word NAUGHTY clearly visible.
 
 Three ELVES huddle in a doorway around a plate of cookies,
 each licking their own tasty morsel.
 
 NORTH (O.S.)
 Still waiting for cookies!
 
 As North crosses the background, the elves lower the cookies
 from their mouths, their faces frozen in fear.
 
 The elves duck out of the way as North launches himself
 across the floor on his rolling chair -- CLOSE as his huge
 HAND gropes furiously among his WORK TOOLS, finally grabbing
 a miniature HAMMER. As North's humming along with his music,
 delicately CHISELING into the ice, we see a second arm sleeve
 tatoo, the word NICE clearly visible--
 
 His INTENSE BLUE EYE magnified in a JEWELER'S EYEPIECE -- a
 delicate SCULPTING TOOL cuts fine details into the ice--
 
 His hands place the finished piece on a curving ICE TRACK: An
 ice LOCOMOTIVE. It belches ice vapor and chugs down the
 track, picking up speed--
 
 NORTH
 Yes!
 
 North's hand grabs a cookie from a plate held up by the two
 Elves.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 4.
 
 
 One of the elves gives his cohort a look and points to the
 plate as it chews with a mouth full of food, to which it then
 unfurls its tongue and lets the half eaten morsels spill out
 onto the plate.
 
 NORTH
 Ah, finally!
 
 He takes a bite and leans toward the ice track. He chuckles
 as the train hits a loop, and launches off a ramp into midair
 -- then WINGS unfold -- JET ENGINES sprout and ignite and the
 train lifts off the track--
 
 Suddenly, the DOOR is thrown open by one of North's concerned
 YETIS, sending the flying ice locomotive skidding across the
 floor in pieces.
 
 YETI
 Arghbal...
 
 NORTH
 Ach!
 
 The yeti cries out covering his mouth in shame. North cries
 out, devastated. The yeti, equally emotional, lets out
 another whimper. North looks down at the broken toy and
 takes a moment to collect himself.
 
 NORTH
 How many times have I told you to
 knock?
 
 YETI
 Warga blarghgha!
 
 NORTH
 What...? The Globe?
 
 North leaps up -- draws a HUGE SCIMITAR from its sheath and
 HEADS OUT--
 
 
 INT. NORTH'S GLOBE ROOM - CONTINUOUS
 
 A sea of tiny BELLS on the heads of panicking elves part as
 North's huge boots stomp through.
 
 NORTH
 Shoo with your pointy heads. Why
 are you always under boot?
 
 He pushes his way past a couple of his YETI WORKERS --
 they're looking up in fear at -
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 5.
 
 
 THE GLOBE OF BELIEF
 
 Covered with LIGHTS blanketing the continents. But North
 notices that all at once, HUNDREDS OF LIGHTS suddenly go out.
 
 NORTH
 What is this?
 
 Now MORE LIGHTS, in GREATER NUMBERS, as if something is
 snuffing them out by the thousands. North's concern grows.
 
 NORTH
 (TO YETI)
 Have you checked the axis? Is
 rotation balanced?
 
 YETI
 (SHRUGS SHOULDERS)
 Wardle bawddrel.
 
 Before the Yeti can finish, a WIND whips up from out of
 nowhere -- North stares in outrage as a blanket of SWIRLING
 BLACK SAND, crawls over the lights, and shrouds the ENTIRE
 GLOBE in inky DARKNESS--
 
 The elves scurry in a panic, then all at once the BLACK SAND
 WHOOSHES UP off the Globe -- rushes up through the ceiling as
 the remaining sand bursts into a puff of smoke and dissipates
 into the air --
 
 As the wind dies, the scattered pieces of debris settle to
 the ground, and the globes lights come back on, North whirls
 to see a HUGE SHADOW flash across the floors and curving
 walls of his fortress. It quickly disappears, leaving
 nothing but the distant ECHO of...LAUGHTER?
 
 North is frozen, looking up into the darkness, gravely:
 
 NORTH
 Can it be?
 (then calls off)
 Dingle!
 
 A group of elves step forward gleefully pointing to
 themselves, as if they're all "Dingle". The excitement
 quickly turns to confusion.
 
 NORTH
 Make preparations! We are going to
 have company.
 
 North reaches out for a large EMERGENCY LEVER, TWISTS and
 PRESSES IT--
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 6.
 
 
 The Globe pulses with ENERGY, which lights up and ZOOMS UP
 the AXIS SHAFT toward the roof--
 
 
 EXT. NORTH POLE - CONTINUOUS
 
 From the tallest spire of North's fortress, NORTHERN LIGHT
 ENERGY radiates outward: for the first time in decades, the
 GUARDIANS' CALL GOES OUT!
 
 CUT TO:
 
 
 SEQ. 225 - GUARDIANS GATHER
 
 
 INT. CHILD'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
 
 A little fairy, carrying a coin, flies above the head of a
 sleeping child. She quickly ducks under the pillow and comes
 out the other side with a tooth in hand.
 
 
 EXT. TOOTH'S PALACE - DAY
 
 Hundreds of fairies fly toward a hollowed out mountain, this
 is Tooth's palace and it's a majestic site.
 
 
 INT. TOOTH'S PALACE
 
 Dozens of tiny FAIRIES flit about. Teeth are filed away in
 tiny wooden drawers. Coins are handed out.
 
 TOOTH (O.S.)
 Chicago, Sector 6 -- 37 molars, 22
 bicuspids, 18 central incisors.
 Moscow, Sector 9 -- 22 incisors, 18
 premolars: Uh oh, heavy rain
 advisory!
 (BEAT)
 Des Moines, we've got a cuspid at
 23 Maple. Head out!
 
 A hive of activity, and at the center a winged figure barks
 out orders like a harried air-traffic controller. This is
 TOOTH. A Mini Tooth Fairy flies up to Tooth as thousands of
 tiny MINI TOOTH FAIRIES continue their work behind them.
 
 TOOTH (O.S.)
 Wait!
 
 And suddenly everything stops. Tooth whips around, and we
 finally see her beautiful FACE.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 7.
 
 
 She's holding up a little tooth, and gazing at it with dreamy
 adoration. The surrounding fairies tweet with excitement.
 
 TOOTH (CONT'D)
 It's her first tooth. Have you
 ever seen a more adorable lateral
 incisor in all of your life?!
 (GASPS)
 Look how she flossed!
 
 The fairies' tweets turn to concern, turning Tooth's
 attention to North's AURORA SIGNAL stretching across the sky.
 She gasps, and flies off like a rocket toward the source of
 the signal, accompanied by a few of her ranking fairies.
 
 NORTH (V.O.)
 My fellow Guardians - It is our job
 to watch over the children of the
 world, and keep them safe - to
 bring wonder, hope and dreams.
 And so, I've called us all here for
 one reason, and one reason only -
 the children are in danger.
 
 Much of this we hear over the following...
 
 
 EXT./INT. CHILD'S BEDROOM
 
 We pull out from the face of a sleeping child to reveal a
 stream of sand swirling overhead. It's a dream and it's taken
 the shape of a child playing soccer.
 
 We FOLLOW the Dreamsand stream out his window and up into the
 sky where we see DOZENS of strands of sand descending to
 earth. Keep following up, through majestic CLOUDS...
 
 ...to reveal a small, GLOWING GOLDEN CLOUD of Dreamsand
 shimmering among the clouds, trailing the golden threads.
 
 The strands are being controlled by a small portly figure,
 THE SANDMAN. Suddenly, North's emergency signal zips by. The
 Sandman turns to look and his eyes narrow, visibly concerned.
 
 Sandy closes his eyes and in an instant the Dreamsand cloud
 suddenly SWIRLS around him, changing form into a small
 BIPLANE, with Sandy in the cockpit. He BARREL ROLLS the
 plane into a dizzying dive through the spectacular cloudscape
 and flies off into the distance.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 8.
 
 
 NORTH (V.O.)
 An enemy we have kept at bay for
 centuries has finally decided to
 strike back. We alone can stop
 him.
 
 Much of this we hear over the following...
 
 
 INT. EGG TUNNEL
 
 A few EASTER EGGS pop up out of the ground; their little legs
 carry them out of the way of a fast approaching object.
 
 Speeding along through a subterranean tunnel, we can barely
 keep up with a DIMLY-LIT FIGURE as it races at blinding
 speed, leaping and zigzagging through a series of TUNNELS --
 
 
 EXT. A SNOWY EXPANSE IN THE NORTH POLE
 
 A hole opens in the snow, and a pair of rabbit ears pops out.
 A huge rabbit climbs out and brushes off the snow, annoyed.
 The six foot tall figure is BUNNYMUND.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Ah, it's freezing.
 
 He shivers with cold, then goes slogging through the snow.
 
 BUNNYMUND (CONT'D)
 I can't feel my feet! I can't feel
 my feet!
 
 In the distance is North's ornately decorated and dimly lit
 palace built into the side of a mountain of ice.
 
 CUT TO:
 
 
 SEQ. 250 - THE CEREMONY
 
 
 INT. GLOBE ROOM - NIGHT
 
 Sandy's biplane circles the massive chamber, leaving trails
 of Dreamsand.
 
 NORTH (O.S.)
 Cookies? Eggnog, anyone?
 
 
 BUNNYMUND (O.S.)
 Oh, this better be good, North.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 9.
 
 
 TOOTH (O.S.)
 (to her fairies)
 Montreal, sector six: ten
 premolars, eight incisors and
 twelve canines. Steer clear of the
 wild goose migration.
 
 NORTH
 Sandy, thank you for coming.
 
 Sandy descends from the plane and floats to the ground. He
 joins North, Bunny and Tooth as they walk through the Globe
 Room. Sand glyphs appear above Sandy's head communicating
 that he is busy and has a lot of work to do.
 
 NORTH
 (TO SANDY)
 I know, I know, but I obviously
 wouldn't have called you all here
 unless it was serious.
 
 North, Bunny, Tooth and Sandy reach the center of the room.
 Tooth does her best to shush her mini-fairies.
 
 NORTH (CONT'D)
 The Boogie Man was here - at the
 Pole.
 
 North points to the globe. The other Guardians turn to look.
 
 TOOTH
 (SHOCKED)
 Pitch? Pitch Black? Here?!
 
 NORTH
 Yes! There was black sand covering
 the globe.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 (CONFUSED)
 What, what...what do you mean black
 sand?
 
 NORTH
 And then a shadow!
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Hold on, hold on, I thought you
 said you saw Pitch.
 
 NORTH
 Well, ah, not exactly...
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 10.
 
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Not exactly? Can you believe this
 guy?
 
 Bunny turns to Sandy, who shrugs while forming a Dreamsand
 question mark above his head.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Yeah, you said it, Sandy.
 
 Bunny goes back to painting one of his Easter eggs.
 
 NORTH
 Look, he is up to something very
 bad. I feel it, in my belly.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 (his eyes narrow)
 Hang on, hang on, you mean to say,
 you summoned me here THREE DAYS
 BEFORE EASTER - because of your
 belly? Mate, if I did this to you
 three days before Christmas--
 
 TOOTH
 (to her fairies)
 Argentina. Priority alert! A
 batch of bicuspids in Buenos Aires.
 
 NORTH
 Please. Bunny. Easter is not
 Christmas.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Here we go...
 
 North grabs Bunny's painted egg, casually juggling it in his
 hand as he walks off. Meanwhile Sandy, who is being served
 eggnog by a yeti, suddenly notices something high above.
 
 BUNNYMUND (O.S.)
 (LAUGHS)
 North, I, I don't have time for
 this. I've still got two million
 eggs to finish up.
 
 The moon rises into view, high up in the ceiling; its rays of
 light begin to shine brightly through as they cascade down
 the walls of the globe room.
 
 NORTH (O.S.)
 No matter how much you paint, is
 still egg!
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 11.
 
 
 Sandy points to the moon unsuccessfully to get the others'
 attention.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Look, mate, I'm dealing with
 perishables. Right. You've got
 all year to prepare.
 
 TOOTH
 (to her fairies)
 Pittsburg, boy eight, two molars.
 Saltwater taffy.
 
 Sandy puts his fingers in his mouth to whistle, a silent
 musical note forming above his head.
 
 NORTH
 (TO BUNNY)
 Why are rabbits always so nervous.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 And why are you always such a
 blowhard!
 
 TOOTH (O.S.)
 (to her fairies)
 Ontario, sector nine: five canines,
 two molars, and fourteen incisors.
 Is that all in one house?
 
 Sandy waves a sand flag above his head, pointing and jumping
 up and down as the moonlight continues to fill the room.
 
 NORTH
 (turning his attention)
 Tooth! Can't you see we're trying
 to argue.
 
 TOOTH
 Sorry, not all of us get to work
 one night a year. Am I right,
 Sandy?
 
 Sandy tries to signal with a golden arrow, pointing toward
 the ceiling, but to no avail as the others continue their
 bickering. Sandy thinks Tooth has noticed for a split
 second, but then -
 
 TOOTH
 (to her fairies)
 San Diego, sector two! Five
 incisors, a bicuspid and a really
 loose molar on stand-by.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 12.
 
 
 BUNNYMUND
 (MOCKING)
 Come on, mate, Pitch went out with
 the dark ages. We made sure of
 that - remember?
 
 NORTH (O.S.)
 I know it was him. We have serious
 situation!
 
 BUNNYMUND (O.S.)
 Well, I've got a serious situation
 with some eggs.
 
 TOOTH (O.S.)
 Hey, I hate to interrupt the, "We
 work so hard once a year club" but
 could we concentrate on the matter--
 
 Sandy can't take it anymore, grabs an elf by his hat, and
 vigorously shakes it's bell. The other Guardians are finally
 silenced and all turn to look at Sandy, who points up, a sand
 crescent moon forming above his head. The dizzy elf staggers
 away. Finally the others turn to see the shaft of moonlight
 as it concentrates on the circle between them.
 
 NORTH
 Aah! Man in Moon! Sandy, why
 didn't you say something?
 
 Sandy gives him a deadpan stare, Dreamsand smoke shoots out
 his ears.
 
 NORTH
 (to Man in Moon)
 It's been a long time old friend!
 What is big news?
 
 Everyone looks to the center of the intense spot of
 moonlight, the light ebbs away, leaving a dark spot --
 
 -- which resolves into the shadowed silhouette of PITCH. The
 Guardians look on, stunned.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 It is Pitch.
 
 North pats his belly and gives Bunny a look.
 
 NORTH
 (back up to the moon)
 Manny...what must we do?
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 13.
 
 
 In answer, the shadow of Pitch disappears and the circle of
 moonlight intensifies and SHRINKS, concentrating further
 illuminating an ORNATE SYMBOL on the floor, at the center of
 their circle. The symbol rises out of the ground revealing a
 large gem at the head of a pillar.
 
 TOOTH
 Ah, guys, you know what this means?
 
 The moons light suddenly refracts through the gem casting
 light all over the chamber.
 
 NORTH
 (AWED)
 He's choosing a new Guardian.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 What?! Why?
 
 NORTH
 Must be big deal! Manny thinks we
 need help!
 
 BUNNYMUND
 (ANNOYED)
 Since when do we need help?!
 
 TOOTH
 I wonder who it's gonna be?
 
 A Dreamsand Four-Leaf clover forms above Sandy's head.
 
 TOOTH (CONT'D)
 Maybe the Leprechaun?
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Please not the groundhog, please
 not the groundhog.
 
 Then A BRIGHT FLASH, a rush of WIND - and a FIGURE resolves
 over the central pillar: slight, hooded, bearing a familiar
 hooked STAFF.
 
 NORTH
 Jack Frost.
 
 The Mini-Teeth all sigh and swoon as the Guardians stand
 there, stunned.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Ah, I take it back! The
 Groundhog's fine!
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 14.
 
 
 TOOTH
 (caught admiring Jack)
 Well, ah, as long he helps to
 ah...to protect the children,
 right?
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Jack Frost!? He doesn't care about
 children! All he does is freeze
 water pipes and mess with my egg
 hunts. Right? He's an
 irresponsible, selfish...
 
 NORTH
 Guardian.
 
 This stops Bunnymund in his tracks.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Jack Frost is many things, but he
 is not a Guardian.
 
 As we turn toward the face of the hooded figure.
 
 DISSOLVE TO:
 
 
 SEQ. 600 - SNOWBALL FIGHT
 
 
 EXT. ST. PETERSBURG - NIGHT
 
 A hooded figure with a familiar looking staff rests atop a
 Post Office box on the opposite end of the street. The man
 touches the staff to the ground, sending a streak of frost
 across the street.
 
 A RUSSIAN BOY approaches a water fountain, turns the handle
 and moves in for a sip. But as he does, the water freezes
 magically, and the boy's tongue is stuck to the frozen water.
 His friends can't help but laugh.
 
 RUSSIAN BOY
 (tongue stuck to frozen
 ICE)
 Aahhhhh...!
 
 A mail man walks across the street and a PATCH OF ICE
 magically appears under his feet. He scrambles, and BOOM! -
 lands on his butt. Just behind the man, we see the TRAIL OF
 FROST climb up the side of a building. We stay on the frost
 as it moves up along a rain pipe, and through the windows we
 see...
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 15.
 
 
 A boy try to feed his gold fish, but a layer of ice suddenly
 forms along the water surface and prevents the fish from
 reaching its food. We move along the side of the building...
 
 A writer in his study sits next to stacks of papers. The
 window suddenly swings open and a gust of wind sends the
 pages flying out the window. We move along the building,
 across clothes lines and power lines as they freeze.
 
 We continue to move up, and finally discover the culprit.
 Jack Frost makes his way atop a cathedral spire and takes in
 the view; the full moon bathes the city in moonlight.
 
 JACK
 (AMUSED)
 Ah, now that, that was fun.
 (BEAT)
 Hey wind...
 
 Jack chuckles as he calls the wind. The trees begin to sway
 and leaves fly into the air. Jack grabs hold of the spire,
 smiling as the wind blows past.
 
 JACK
 Take me home!
 
 Jack lets go and the wind carries him into the air and
 through the clouds. Night turns to day as Jack flies from
 one horizon to the other.
 
 JACK
 Woooooohoooooooooo!
 
 
 EXT. BURGESS - DAY
 
 Jack falls through the clouds, smiling, toward the town of
 Burgess.
 
 JACK
 SNOOOOOWWWW DAAAAYYYYYY!!!
 
 Jack continues on down and zooms through the streets.
 Pedestrians clench their jackets and reach for their hats as
 gusts of wind, snow, and streaks of frost are left in Jack's
 wake.
 
 
 EXT. FROZEN POND
 
 Jack flies in, and with the wind behind him skates across an
 all too familiar pond. As the wind zips across the pond it
 knocks a BOOK out of the hands of a little boy walking alone,
 this is JAMIE.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 16.
 
 
 JAMIE
 Whoa, whoa.
 
 Jamie goes to pick up the book and we get a glimpse of the
 cover - "THEY'RE OUT THERE! - MYSTERIES, MYTHICAL CREATURES
 AND THE UNEXPLAINED PHENOMENA." Jack flies into frame and
 lands beside Jamie.
 
 JACK
 Huh, that looks interesting. Good
 book?
 
 Suddenly twins CLAUDE and CALEB, come barreling past them,
 rough-housing and laughing as they slam each other into
 drifts (all the boys are 8).
 
 CLAUDE AND CALEB
 Alright! Yeah! Waahoo! Snooow
 daaaay!!!
 
 Jack calls after the boys...
 
 JACK
 You're welcome!
 
 JAMIE
 (goes running after them)
 Hey guys, wait up! Are you guys
 coming to the egg hunt Sunday?
 
 CALEB
 Yeah, free candy!
 
 CLAUDE
 I hope we can find the eggs with
 all this snow!
 
 Caleb stuffs a handful of snow down his brother's Jacket
 
 
 EXT. JAMIE'S BACKYARD - DAY
 
 The kids arrive at the fence of Jamie's house. Jamie opens
 up a secret plank, and heads into his yard. Claude and Caleb
 are still messing with each other. Meanwhile, Jack walks
 unseen along the top of the fence.
 
 CALEB
 (WALLA)
 Stop!
 
 CLAUDE
 (WALLA)
 No, you stop!
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 17.
 
 
 JAMIE
 Whoa, it says here that they found
 Big Foot hair samples and DNA, in
 Michigan. That's like, super
 close!
 
 CLAUDE
 Here we go again.
 
 Jamie arrives at his front gate, sled in hand while SOPHIE
 (Jamie's 2-year-old sister in fairy wings) sits down on their
 Greyhound as it lies in the yard.
 
 JAMIE
 You saw the video too Claude, he's
 out there!
 
 CALEB
 That's what you said about aliens.
 
 CLAUDE
 And the Easter Bunny.
 
 JAMIE
 (grabs his sled)
 Wow, the Easter Bunny is real!
 
 JACK
 Oh he's real alright. Real
 annoying, real grumpy, and really
 full of himself.
 
 Jack hops off the fence and walks amongst the kids, peering
 over their shoulders as they play in the yard.
 
 CLAUDE
 (LAUGHING)
 Come on, you guys believe anything.
 
 SOPHIE
 (GIGGLES)
 EASTER BUNNY! HOP-HOP-HOP!
 (FALLS OVER)
 Ow!
 
 Sophie begins to cry.
 
 JAMIE
 Mom! Sophie fell again!
 
 JAMIE'S MOM comes outside. Caleb, alongside his brother,
 stands at the front gate and calls out to Jamie.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 18.
 
 
 JAMIE'S MOM
 You okay, Soph?
 
 CLAUDE
 Are we sledding or what?
 
 JAMIE'S MOM
 Jamie, hat? We don't want Jack
 Frost nipping at your nose.
 
 Jamie's mom plunks the hat on his head, tweaks his nose.
 
 JAMIE
 Who's Jack Frost?
 
 JAMIE'S MOM
 No one, honey. It's just an
 expression.
 
 JACK
 (smile drops - offended)
 Hey.
 
 Jack jumps down from the fence as the boys head off.
 
 JACK
 (MIFFED)
 Who's Jack Frost?
 
 Jack reaches down and grabs a hand full of snow from off the
 ground. With his palm open, Jack uses his magic to form the
 perfect snowball.
 
 He then puckers his lips, and blows onto it with his icy
 breath. The snowball turns a light shade of blue. There's
 something going on here.
 
 
 EXT. SNOWY HILL
 
 WHOOSH! - the snowball goes flying through the air and -
 BOOF! - the snowball hits Jamie smack in the back of the
 head. Jamie looks up, peeved, and turns.
 
 Then we watch as his face changes...a mischievous sparkle
 comes into his eyes. A big smile. Make no mistake,
 something magical has just happened.
 
 JAMIE
 (LAUGHING)
 Okay, who threw that?
 
 Jack flies in and lands amongst the group of kids.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 19.
 
 
 JACK
 Well, wasn't bigfoot kiddo.
 
 Jamie scans the horizon for the culprit. His eyes land on a
 couple kids making snow barricades.
 
 MONTY (oddball with big glasses) with his back turned
 suddenly gets a snowball to the back of the head, knocking
 him face first into the ground.
 
 MONTY
 Ow!
 
 PIPPA (brainy, pigtails, pink hat) steps forward and - BOOF!
 A magical snowball from Jack hits her, knocking her back.
 Pippa's face changes - a mischievous sparkle.
 
 PIPPA
 Jamie Bennett! No fair!
 
 JAMIE
 (LAUGHS)
 You struck first!
 
 CLAUDE
 Oh!
 
 Suddenly we see Caleb struck in the side of the head with one
 of Jack's snowballs; Claude can't help but laugh.
 
 JACK
 Free for all!
 
 And just like that we find ourselves in a take-no-prisoners
 snowball fight, the kids pummeling each other mercilessly.
 
 JACK
 Alright, who needs ammo?
 
 Jack supplies the kids with more snowballs. The kids are
 loving this.
 
 JACK
 (WALLA)
 Look at that.
 
 The mayhem continues as Jamie, using his sled as a shield, is
 knocked backward into a snowman, crushing it underneath him.
 A snowball flies overhead and hits CUPCAKE, a tough third
 grader as wide as she is tall, in the back of the head.
 
 Dread sets in amongst the other kids, Cupcake squints -
 gunslinger eyes.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 20.
 
 
 CUPCAKE
 Grrrrrrrrrrrr...
 
 PIPPA
 Crud, I hit Cupcake.
 
 MONTY
 She hit Cupcake.
 
 CLAUDE
 You hit Cupcake?
 
 Jamie is flat on his back, terrified. He looks up to see
 Cupcake standing over him. Then, BOOF! Jack hits Cupcake
 with a magical snowball. The kids gasp in horror.
 
 CLAUDE
 Oh!
 
 CALEB
 Did you throw that?
 
 MONTY
 No.
 
 PIPPA
 Wasn't me.
 
 A moment, and then Cupcake starts laughing as Jack's magic
 takes hold.
 
 Cupcake chases the kids down the hill, holding the head of
 her snowman in her hands. Jack, all the while, runs along
 side taking pleasure in the excitement.
 
 JAMIE
 (WALLA)
 Hey, come on. Stop!
 
 CLAUDE
 (WALLA)
 You can't catch me.
 
 JACK
 Ooh, little slippery!
 
 Jack jumps ahead, blasting a sheet of ice behind him. The
 kids fall to the ground, except for Jamie, who lands on his
 sled, and slides head first down the sheet of ice into town.
 
 JAMIE
 Whooaaooah!!!
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 21.
 
 
 KIDS
 (WALLA)
 Whoaaa. Jamie, watch out! Stop!
 
 JAMIE
 (WALLA)
 Aha, whoa!
 
 KIDS
 (WALLA)
 Jamie! Turn, turn! That's the
 street! What are you doing? Stop!
 There's traffic!
 
 Jamie suddenly shoots out between the trees and careens past
 a set of parked cars.
 
 Jack's path of ice covers the street. As Jamie turns, his
 speed only escalates, sending him directly into traffic.
 Jamie barely misses a moving truck, spinning it out of
 control, sending furniture out the back, and causing a four
 car pile up.
 
 JAMIE
 Whoa!
 
 JACK
 Whoa, don't worry kid, I gotcha.
 
 Jamie looks back, then quickly ahead as terror comes into his
 eyes. Jack can't help but smile.
 
 JACK
 Hold on. It's gonna be alright.
 
 JAMIE
 Ahhhh. No, no, no, no...
 
 JACK
 Keep up with me kid! Take a left.
 
 Jamie rockets through a pedestrian intersection, narrowly
 missing those in the crosswalk.
 
 DOG WALKER (O.S.)
 Hey, slow down!
 
 JAMIE
 Whoa, no, no, no, no...
 
 Jack flies over to the far side of the street, sending the
 streak of ice and Jamie up onto the sidewalk.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 22.
 
 
 JACK
 Yeah!
 
 PEDESTRIAN #1 (O.S.)
 Is that Jamie Bennett?
 
 JAMIE
 Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa...
 
 PEDESTRIAN #2 (O.S.)
 Hey! Watch it!
 
 JACK
 There you go!
 
 JAMIE
 No! No!
 
 PEDESTRIAN #3 (O.S.)
 Look at that dude!
 
 Jamie flies off the sidewalk and back into the middle of the
 street, almost knocking over a postman. As Jack flies by
 Jamie's side he sees the look of excitement come into Jamie's
 face. Jack smiles, knowing he's responsible.
 
 Jack sees an oncoming snowplow and quickly jumps ahead,
 carried by the wind, to divert the ice trail.
 
 JACK
 Whoa.
 
 Jamie's sled suddenly turns, narrowly missing the oncoming
 truck and barrels toward Jack's newly formed ice ramp...
 
 JAMIE
 AAAAHHHHHHHH!
 
 Jamie closes his eyes as the ramp launches Jamie over the
 street, high into the air, and toward the statue of Thaddeus
 Burgess, colonial settler - 1680. Jamie's friends stand in
 awe, mouths wide open, as he sails through the air.
 
 Jamie opens his eyes and the look of fear suddenly turns to
 joy. Jack looks on smiling.
 
 Jamie lands safely in a large mound of snow. Jack jumps onto
 the Statue of Thaddeus Burgess.
 
 PIPPA (O.S.)
 Oh my gosh!
 
 JACK
 Yeah!
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 23.
 
 
 Jamie's friends all come running to Jamie's aide, scared.
 But Jamie gets up.
 
 KIDS
 (WALLA)
 Wow, that looks serious! Jamie!
 Jamie, are you alright? Is he
 okay?
 
 JAMIE
 Whoaaa! Did you guys see that? It
 was amazing! I slid - I did a jump
 and I slid under a car­-ERF!!
 
 A sofa from the moving van suddenly knocks Jamie down...
 
 JACK
 Whoops.
 
 KIDS
 (CRINGING)
 Ooooh!
 
 There's a moment of silence as the kids wait to see if Jamie
 is okay. Then, Jamie rises up from behind the sofa grinning,
 a new gap in his smile. He holds up a tooth.
 
 JAMIE
 Cool! A Tooth!
 
 KIDS
 (WALLA)
 Dude, that means cash! Tooth Fairy
 cash! I love the Tooth Fairy!
 
 JACK
 (his fun cut short)
 Oh, no...
 
 KIDS
 (WALLA)
 That's totally awesome. You lucky
 bug! Lucky!
 
 JACK
 No!
 
 JAMIE
 I gotta put this under my pillow!
 
 KIDS
 (WALLA)
 I wish I lost my tooth.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 24.
 
 
 JACK
 Ah, wait a minute! Come on, hold
 on, hold on! What about all that
 fun we just had? That wasn't the
 Tooth Fairy, that was me!
 
 KIDS
 (WALLA)
 I lost two teeth in one day once -
 remember that?! What are you gonna
 spend your money on? What are you
 gonna buy? How much do you think
 she's going to leave?
 
 As Jack looks down from the statue his frustration grows.
 Storm clouds overhead rumble and darken. Flurries of snow
 begin to intensify.
 
 KIDS
 (WALLA)
 Let's go...I'm cooold! My ears are
 freezing. I can't feel my toes.
 Ah, it's hot cocoa time.
 
 Jack jumps down from the statue, trying to engage the kids.
 But it's too late, the kids take off. Jack blocks Jamie's
 way as the boy comes running at him.
 
 JACK
 What's a guy gotta do to get a
 little attention around here!
 
 WHOOOSH! Jamie runs through Jack, as if he where a ghost.
 Jack is left momentarily shaken, then...
 
 CUPCAKE
 (walla; mocking her
 FRIENDS)
 "Oh, I'm cold, I'm cold, I'm co-
 old."
 
 KIDS (O.S.)
 (WALLA)
 Somebody take a picture. Hey,
 stop! That was really awesome.
 
 They're gone. Jack is alone again. His temper subsides.
 
 He whips up a little wind and disappears.
 
 CUT TO:
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 25.
 
 
 SEQ. 700 - NIGHT FALLS IN TOWN
 
 INT. JAMIE'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
 
 Jamie plays with a TOY ROBOT as DRAWINGS AND CHARTS of
 mystery creatures hang on the wall behind him: UFO's, aliens,
 Bigfoot, you name it. There's even a drawing of Jamie flying
 in midair on his sled.
 
 JAMIE (O.S.)
 ...I did this jump and it was
 amazing and I slide under a car and
 it was awesome! Then I was flying
 down this hill and I was like
 whoosh, whoosh, whoosh through all
 these cars, and then the sled hit
 this, this thing, and I was like
 way up in the air.
 
 He mimes flying in the air with his robot, then CRASHING to
 the bed as Sophie and their dog sit listening--
 
 JAMIE
 -- and then BAM! The sofa hit me,
 and, and see?
 (opens mouth, tries to say
 `my tooth came out!)
 Ah hoo hay ow!
 
 We reveal JAMIE'S MOM in the room. Sophie LAUGHS and tries
 to stick a finger in the gap in his gums.
 
 JAMIE'S MOM
 Alright you, tooth under your
 pillow?
 
 Jamie sets the TOY ROBOT on his nightstand, then grabs a
 stuffed rabbit next to his pillow to reveal a CAMERA AND
 FLASHLIGHT.
 
 JAMIE
 Yeah. I'm ready.
 
 JAMIE'S MOM
 Now don't stay up trying to see
 her, Jamie, or she won't come.
 
 JAMIE
 But I can do it this time! You
 wanna help me, Soph? We can hide
 and see the Tooth Fairy!
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 26.
 
 
 SOPHIE
 (CRAZED)
 Hide, hide, hide, hide!
 
 Jamie's Mom picks Sophie up off the bed and lifts her over
 her shoulder. Their dog gets up and begins licking Jamie's
 face.
 
 JAMIE'S MOM
 Uh uh, straight to bed now, mister.
 
 JAMIE
 Mom...
 
 ...We see Jack Frost, outside, hanging upsidedown watching
 them through the window. A pang. The glass frosts over.
 
 
 EXT. ROOF OF JAMIE'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
 
 Jack flips onto the roof, a little pensive. He makes his way
 toward the roof's peak and looks up at the MOON, in full
 view. It lights up the night sky.
 
 JACK
 If there's something I'm doing
 wrong, can you, can you just tell
 me what it is?
 (NO RESPONSE)
 Because I've tried everything, and
 no one ever sees me.
 (NO RESPONSE)
 You put me here, the least you can
 do is tell me, tell me why.
 
 A beat. The Moon shines silently down. Jack turns away in
 frustration.
 
 Jack leaps off the roof, onto a telephone pole, and begins
 walking across some telephone wires. A stream of Dreamsand
 suddenly zips by behind him, then another, which swoops
 around in front of him. Jack turns and looks up, a smile now
 on his lips.
 
 JACK
 Right on time, Sandman.
 
 The Dreamsand descends from the sky, and drifts into windows
 around the town. Jack runs along the telephone wire until he
 can reach out and intercept one of the passing streams. An
 adjacent stream takes the shape of a dolphin which turns
 toward Jack, before continuing on its way to a waiting child.
 
 Then, we follow one of the streams into a window...
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 27.
 
 
 INT. CUPCAKE'S BEDROOM - BURGESS - CONTINUOUS
 
 Dreamsand floats into a window, where CUPCAKE is in bed,
 hugging a stuffed unicorn in her sleep. The Dreamsand swirls
 over her head, and morphs into a little girl riding a
 unicorn. The girl smiles at the lovely dream as it flies
 around the room.
 
 Then the room darkens as a wispy, shadowy figure with a
 familiar laugh crawls out from under the bed, and rises up.
 It's Pitch. He notices Cupcake's dream.
 
 PITCH
 Ohhhh, I thought I heard the
 clippity-clop of a unicorn. What
 an adorable dream!
 
 His face softens, seemingly moved...
 
 PITCH
 (leans down to Cupcake)
 And look. At. Her. Precious
 child. So sweet, so full of hope
 and wonder. Why, there's only one
 thing missing...a touch of fear.
 
 Pitch reaches into Cupcake's dream, and touches a bony finger
 to the unicorn. It turns ashen and black, and disintegrates.
 Cupcake flinches in her sleep. Pitch snickers, delighted.
 
 PITCH
 Hahaha! That never gets old!
 
 Pitch swirls the Dreamsand around and it all turns into black
 corrupted Nightmare sand.
 
 PITCH
 Feel your fear. Come on. Come on,
 that's right.
 
 The black sand morphs into a horrific, shadowy bucking horse -
 a NIGHTMARE.
 
 PITCH
 Yesss. What a pretty little
 Nightmare.
 
 Gleefully, he grabs the Nightmare's mane --
 
 PITCH
 Now, I want you to go tell the
 others the wait is over.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 28.
 
 
 -- and sends it out the window, where it joins a posse of
 other Nightmares coursing through the streets. They take off
 and fly into the night sky.
 
 
 EXT. BURGESS - NIGHT
 
 Pitch steps out into the street from an adjacent alley,
 avoiding the rays of moonlight. He looks up to the sky and
 stares at the MOON.
 
 PITCH
 Don't look at me like that, old
 friend. You must have known this
 day would come. My Nightmares are
 finally ready. Are your Guardians?
 
 
 EXT. BURGESS - NIGHT
 
 Jack walks along a telephone wire as the Dreamsand disappears
 from the sky. Suddenly a shadowy figure and an unfamiliar
 noise zips by behind him.
 
 JACK
 Whoa!
 
 In the background, residents get ready for the night.
 
 RESIDENTS (O.S.)
 (WALLA)
 Did you leave the windows open
 again? The garage door is wide
 open.
 
 Jack leaps over a house to an adjacent tree to investigate
 and again, something zooms behind him. Jack jumps down from
 the tree and onto a truck in a nearby alley.
 
 
 EXT. STREETS OF BURGESS - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
 
 Suddenly: WHOOSH! The SHADOW flashes by, knocking over a
 trash can.
 
 Jack jumps down from the truck and backs up out of the
 alleyway into a clearing...
 
 BUNNYMUND (O.S.)
 Hello, mate.
 
 Jack turns around, ready to strike. He squints, as into the
 light steps...
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 29.
 
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Been a long time. Blizzard of 68, I
 believe? Easter Sunday, wasn't it?
 
 Jack is completely bewildered --
 
 JACK
 Bunny? You're not still mad about
 that...are yah?
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Yes.
 
 Bunny whips out his boomerang and casually looks at it as he
 holds it in his hands.
 
 BUNNYMUND (CONT'D)
 But this is about something else.
 (BEAT)
 Fellas...
 
 Before Jack realizes what's happening a HUGE HAND reaches
 into frame and lifts him off his feet.
 
 JACK
 Hey!
 
 YETI
 Durbha wahla.
 
 Jack has been snatched up by two huge YETIS.
 
 JACK
 Put me down! What the...
 
 Jack is shoved head first into a sack. A yeti whips out a
 snow globe, and smashes it on the ground.
 
 YETI
 Durtal bardla burdlew.
 
 A MAGIC PORTAL opens in front of them. The yetis make way
 for Bunny to leap in, but he demurs --
 
 YETI
 Dwbard urghwetee.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Me?
 (LAUGHS)
 Not on your nelly. See you back at
 the pole.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 30.
 
 
 He STAMPS HIS FOOT twice on the ground which SWIRLS OPEN -- a
 RABBIT HOLE magically appears. Bunny leaps into it and
 disappears along with the rabbit hole. In its place, from
 out of the ground grows a small green plant.
 
 YETIS
 Bwardla arghl.
 
 The yetis throw Jack through the magic portal.
 
 JACK
 Ahhhhhhhhh!
 
 The yetis then charge in after and disappear into the portal.
 
 CUT TO:
 
 
 SEQ. 900 - JACK MEETS GUARDIANS
 
 
 INT. NORTH'S LIBRARY - DAY
 
 TOOTH (O.S.)
 (to a fairy)
 Tangiers! Incivie du haut, 421 rue
 de Barat! Allez!
 
 The sack flies out of the portal and lands on the floor. In
 the darkness, Jack hears --
 
 NORTH (O.S.)
 He's here.
 
 Jack struggles out of the sack to see two elves staring at
 him.
 
 TOOTH
 (to another fairy)
 Walla Walla, Washington. We've got
 a trampoline mishap at 1340 Ginger
 Lane.
 
 NORTH
 Quiet.
 
 He then looks up to see North and Sandman looking down at
 him. The Tooth Fairy is surrounded by a dozen hovering tiny
 fairies who come and go as she blurts out orders.
 
 T0OTH (CONT'D)
 Canine, lateral and central
 incisor. Ouch!
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 31.
 
 
 North clears his throat. They all turn to a bewildered Jack.
 
 NORTH
 Hey, there he is! Jack Frost!
 
 As North holds out his arms to welcome Jack, a Dreamsand
 snowflake appears above Sandy's head.
 
 JACK
 Wow, you gotta be kidding me.
 
 Two Yetis suddenly grab Jack by the shoulders and lift him up
 onto his feet.
 
 JACK
 Hey, hey. Whoa, put me down.
 
 NORTH
 I hope the yetis treated you well?
 
 JACK
 Oh, yeah. I love being shoved in a
 sack and tossed through a magic
 portal.
 
 NORTH
 Oh, good! That was my idea! You
 know Bunny, obviously.
 
 JACK
 Obviously.
 
 Bunny stands off to the side, grumbling with his arms
 crossed. Jack suddenly notices the MINI TOOTH FAIRIES
 hovering near him, staring and twittering.
 
 NORTH
 And the Tooth Fairy?
 
 Before Jack can answer, she's gliding toward him.
 
 TOOTH
 Hello, Jack. I've heard a lot
 about you. And your teeth.
 
 JACK
 My, my what?
 
 TOOTH
 (moves in way too close)
 Open up! Are they really as white
 as they say? Yes!
 (GASP)
 (MORE)
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 32.
 TOOTH (CONT'D)
 Oh, they really do sparkle like
 freshly fallen snow.
 
 Several swooning Mini Teeth flutter around a confused Jack,
 batting their lashes and screaming like crazed Beatles fans.
 Tooth collects herself, and...
 
 TOOTH
 Girls, pull yourselves together...
 Let's not disgrace the uniform.
 
 NORTH
 And Sandman.
 (sees Sandy is snoozing)
 Sandy! Sandy! Wake up!
 
 Sandy bolts up awake and steps up to Jack, smiling.
 
 JACK
 Hey! Ho! Anyone wanna tell me why
 I'm here?
 
 The WISP OF DREAMSAND above Sandy's head morphs into a
 BARRAGE OF IMAGES.
 
 JACK
 That's not really helping. But
 thanks, little man.
 (TO OTHERS)
 I musta done something really bad
 to get you four together.
 
 Jack walks away from the group, frosting an elf with a tray
 of cookies as it marches past, then turns around.
 
 JACK
 Am I on the naughty list?
 
 NORTH
 (CHUCKLES)
 On naughty list? You hold record!
 But no matter. We overlook. Now
 we are wiping clean the slate.
 
 JACK
 How come?
 
 BUNNYMUND
 (more to North)
 Ah, good question.
 
 NORTH
 How come? I tell you how come!
 Because now...you are Guardian!
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 33.
 
 
 Off Jack's confusion, yetis light CEREMONIAL TORCHES with a
 WHOOSH. Elves leap from columns, unfurling homemade,
 celebratory BANNERS as they descend. Jack brushes off a few
 baby teeth who try to present him with a necklace made of
 paper snowflakes.
 
 JACK
 What are you doing! Get, get that
 offa me!
 
 Jack's voice is drowned out by the sounds of horns and drums.
 
 NORTH
 This is the best part!
 
 AN ELF MARCHING BAND strikes up, marching into the room. Two
 yetis move Jack on to a designated spot on the floor.
 
 Jack looks down to find an elf pointing at his bare feet.
 The elf then directs his attention to two approaching elves,
 carrying a pair of ceremonial boots. Jack's confusion
 escalates.
 
 JACK
 Huh?
 
 A Yeti hands North an old large book. North blows off the
 dust, opens it, and begins clearing his throat. Jack
 clenches his jaw as he scans the room: The Mini Teeth
 continue to fawn, Sandy's smiling, Bunny's apathetic, and
 North looks on with pride.
 
 Jack suddenly SLAMS his staff down, sending a blast of FROST
 and WIND across the room. The torches go out and everything
 stops.
 
 JACK
 What makes you think I want to be a
 Guardian?
 
 North bursts out in laughter holding the book in his hands
 then stops and looks to Jack, stone faced.
 
 NORTH
 Of course you do!
 (to the elves)
 Music!
 
 The elves blare the trumpets again. Celebration!
 
 JACK
 No music!
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 34.
 
 
 The music peters out again. An elf throws his trumpet to the
 ground and storms off. North, displeased, glowers.
 
 JACK
 Look, this is all very flattering,
 but ah...you don't want me. You're
 all hard work and deadlines, and
 I'm snowballs and fun times. I'm
 not a Guardian.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Yeah, that's exactly what I said!
 
 TOOTH
 Jack...I don't think you understand
 what it is we do.
 
 Tooth swoops in and turns Jack's attention to the massive
 globe behind him.
 
 TOOTH
 Each of those lights is a child.
 
 Jack looks up at the Globe, taking in the enormity of this.
 North suddenly moves to Jack's side.
 
 NORTH
 A child who believes. And good or
 bad, naughty or nice, we protect
 them.
 (BEAT)
 Tooth...fingers out of mouth.
 
 We cut back to discover that Tooth is examining Jack's teeth.
 
 TOOTH
 (REMOVES FINGERS)
 Oh, sorry. They're beautiful.
 
 Jack moves away from the Globe and back toward the center of
 the room.
 
 NORTH
 Okay, no more wishy-washy! Pitch
 is out there doing who knows what!
 
 JACK
 (SCOFFS)
 You mean the Boogeyman?
 
 NORTH
 Yes! When Pitch threatens us, he
 threatens them as well.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 35.
 
 
 North points to the lights on the globe.
 
 JACK
 All the more reason to pick someone
 more qualified!
 
 NORTH
 Pick? You think we pick? No, you
 were chosen like we were all
 chosen. By Man in Moon.
 
 Jack turns and looks to the group.
 
 JACK
 (stares, dumbstruck)
 What?
 
 TOOTH
 Last night, Jack. He chose you.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Maybe.
 
 JACK
 The Man in the Moon, he talks to
 you?
 
 Jack looks up to the skylight, taking in the awesome sight of
 the moon as it shines down on Earth.
 
 NORTH
 You see, you can not say no. It is
 destiny.
 
 Jack is still confused by the news. What does it mean?
 
 JACK
 But why, why wouldn't he tell me
 that himself?
 (EXASPERATED EXHALE)
 After 300 years this is his answer?
 To spend eternity like you guys
 cooped up in some, some hideout
 thinking of, of new ways to bribe
 kids? No no, that's not for me.
 No offense.
 
 Jack turns to leave, the Guardians are stunned.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 How is that not offensive?
 
 Except for Bunny, who is relieved by this turn and looks to
 the others.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 36.
 
 
 BUNNYMUND
 You know what I think? I think we
 just dodged a bullet. I mean,
 what's this clown know about
 bringing joy to children anyway?
 
 Jack turns back. A little pissed.
 
 JACK
 Uhh, you ever hear of a snow day?
 I know it's no hard-boiled egg, but
 kids like what I do.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 But none of 'em believe in you.
 (leans in to him)
 Do they? You see, you're
 invisible, mate. It's like you
 don't even exist.
 
 TOOTH
 Bunny! Enough!
 
 Silence. Jack tries not to look stung by this.
 
 JACK
 No, the kangaroo's right.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 (GLARES)
 The, the what -- what'd you call
 me? I am not a kangaroo, mate.
 
 JACK
 Oh. And this whole time I thought
 you were. If you're not a
 kangaroo, what are you?
 
 BUNNYMUND
 I'm a bunny. The Easter Bunny.
 People believe in me.
 
 Sandy nudges North, who acknowledges the tension in the air.
 
 NORTH
 (TO JACK)
 Jack. Walk with me.
 
 CUT TO:
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 37.
 
 
 SEQ. 1000 - NORTH'S WORKSHOP
 
 INT. TOY FACTORY - NORTH POLE - DAY
 
 Jack and North ride an elevator, bearing the resemblance of a
 Christmas ornament, down to the factory floor.
 
 JACK
 It's nothing personal, North. What
 you all do, it's just, it's not my
 thing.
 
 NORTH
 Man in Moon says it is your thing.
 We will see!
 
 North storms through factory floor, Jack trying to keep up.
 An amazing place.
 
 JACK
 Slow down, wouldja? I've been
 trying to bust in here for years, I
 want a good look.
 
 NORTH
 (peeved - still rushing)
 What do you mean, "bust in?"
 
 JACK
 Oh, don't worry, I never got past
 the yetis.
 
 Jack looks over his shoulder; an angry yeti pounds his fist
 into his palm.
 
 YETI
 Rwwarrrrrr.
 
 JACK
 Oh, hey Phil.
 
 NORTH
 Keep up, Jack! Keep up!
 
 North charges ahead.
 
 North's factory is bustling with activity: Yeti's are
 building toys, moving packages, while Elves are test piloting
 the various flying toys.
 
 As Jack walks behind North, surveying the factory, a duck toy
 suddenly flies over Jack's head. Jack ducks just in time and
 continues after North.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 38.
 
 
 JACK
 Whoa!
 (BEAT)
 I always thought the elves made the
 toys.
 
 NORTH
 (WHISPERS)
 We just let them believe that.
 
 Jack looks over to see a group of elves eating Christmas
 ornaments and another electrocuting himself with Christmas
 lights. North smiles and calls to them.
 
 NORTH
 Very nice! Keep up good work!
 
 North continues through the factory floor. He passes a yeti
 putting the finishing touches on a blue toy robot.
 
 NORTH
 (TO YETI)
 I don't like it. Paint it red.
 
 The yeti reacts in dismay as we reveal hundreds of finished
 blue robots.
 
 NORTH
 Step it up, everybody.
 
 As North and Jack move to the opposite end of the chamber, we
 finally glimpse the orchestrated chaos of the entire
 workshop, in all it's magic and splendor.
 
 
 INT. NORTH'S OFFICE - A MOMENT LATER
 
 Jack follows North into his office. There are shelves filled
 with toys. Sketches and prototypes everywhere.
 
 North dusts his hands and turns to Jack. His sleeves are
 rolled. Jack notices that on one of North's forearms is
 tattooed the word NAUGHTY, and on the other, NICE. North
 grabs a plate from a nearby elf.
 
 NORTH
 Fruit cake?
 
 JACK
 Ah, no, thanks.
 
 North hurls it - crash! A pause as North looks at Jack.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 39.
 
 
 NORTH
 Now we get down to tacks of brass!
 
 JACK
 (TO HIMSELF)
 Tacks of brass?
 
 As North cracks his knuckles, Jack stands silent. The wind
 suddenly slams North's office door behind them. Jack looks
 to the door, it locks itself, and he turns back. North moves
 in close to Jack, backing him up against the door.
 
 NORTH
 Who are you, Jack Frost? What is
 your center?
 
 North pokes Jack in the chest.
 
 JACK
 My center?
 
 NORTH
 If Man in Moon chose you to be a
 Guardian, you must have something
 very special inside.
 
 North stands up straight and begins to stroke his beard as he
 gives Jack a curious look.
 
 NORTH
 Hmmmm?
 
 North is standing in front of a shelf of Russian nesting
 dolls. One is carved to look like North himself.
 
 NORTH (CONT'D)
 Here. This is how you see me, no?
 Very big, intimidating. But if you
 get to know me a little--
 (hands the doll to Jack)
 Well, go on.
 
 Jack gives North a curious look, then sets down his staff.
 He twists the doll in half, and inside is another carved
 North doll, this one is a more typical Santa Claus - red
 cheeked and cheery.
 
 JACK
 You are downright jolly.
 
 NORTH
 Ah, but not just jolly...
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 40.
 
 
 The dolls get progressively smaller as he twists them open,
 all versions of North, but all slightly different.
 
 NORTH (CONT'D)
 I am also mysterious.
 (twist - smaller doll)
 And fearless.
 (twist - smaller doll)
 And caring. And at my center...
 
 Twist. As North approaches, Jack looks down and drops the
 final Russian doll into the palm of North's hand. It's the
 size of a jelly bean.
 
 JACK
 There's a tiny wooden baby?
 
 NORTH
 Look closer. What do you see?
 
 Jack holds it up to examine it.
 
 JACK
 You have big eyes?
 
 NORTH
 Yes! Big eyes. Very big. Because
 they are full! Of wonder! That is
 my center. It is what I was born
 with. Eyes that have always seen
 the wonder in everything!
 
 North raises his hands, and the toys on the shelves suddenly
 spring to life. Jack-in-the-boxes pop, toy trains speed
 around the room, soldiers march about, toy planes fly
 overhead. An elf gets carried aloft by a balloon.
 
 A flying toy plane glides by and we follow it as it makes its
 way around the room. A Christmas tree is ablaze with bright
 lights. Two double doors suddenly open as the flying car
 enters the factory floor.
 
 NORTH
 Eyes that see lights in the trees,
 and magic in the air!
 
 As it crosses the frame, dozens of other toys are now flying
 around the massive chamber. It's a truly magical moment.
 North now stands outside his office, with Jack at his side.
 
 NORTH
 This wonder is what I put into the
 world, and what I protect in
 children.
 (MORE)
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 41.
 NORTH (CONT'D)
 It is what makes me a Guardian. It
 is my center. What is yours?
 
 JACK
 (BEAT)
 I don't know.
 
 Jack looks down into his open palm, the wooden baby stares
 back at him. North closes Jack's hand. They exchange a look.
 
 Then, something suddenly jets past a window outside. Almost
 simultaneously, Bunny and Sandman come running down the
 hallway toward North and Jack.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 We have a problem, mate! Trouble
 at the Tooth Palace.
 
 CUT TO:
 
 
 SEQ. 1204 - SLEIGH LAUNCH
 
 
 INT. LAUNCHING SHED - A MOMENT LATER
 
 North shoves open a set of double doors, followed closely by
 Bunny, Sandy, and Jack. Several Yeti's rush by as they
 prepare the hangar for launch.
 
 NORTH (O.S.)
 (TO YETIS)
 Boys, ship shape. As soon as
 impossible.
 
 JACK
 North, North! I told you, I'm not
 going with you guys! There is no
 way I'm climbing into some rickety
 old...
 
 Suddenly: the SOUND of POUNDING HOOVES. BEASTLY SNORTING.
 
 SANTA'S INCREDIBLE SLEIGH comes into view. It's a huge,
 shiny, tricked out, jaw-dropping hot-rod of a sled.
 
 JACK
 ...sleigh.
 
 Jack is understandably gob-smacked, so much so that he almost
 gets knocked over by one of the reindeer.
 
 JACK
 Whoa!
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 42.
 
 
 NORTH
 (TO REINDEER)
 Hey! Moi deti, moi deti. Quiet,
 quiet.
 
 The sleigh comes to a standstill as the Guardians prepare to
 climb inside. Several Yetis are still running around making
 last minute preparations.
 
 JACK
 Okay, one ride, but that's it.
 
 Jack jumps aboard. North smiles knowingly, and climbs
 inside. Sandy hops up into the back seat.
 
 NORTH
 Everyone loves the sleigh.
 
 North grabs the reigns, wrapping them around his arms. He
 turns to see Bunnymund standing there, frozen and unnerved.
 
 NORTH (CONT'D)
 Bunny, what are you waiting for?
 
 BUNNYMUND
 I think my tunnels might be faster,
 mate. And um, and safer.
 
 NORTH
 Ah, get in.
 (hoists Bunnymund up)
 Buckle up!
 
 Bunny desperately looks around his seat.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Whoa, whoa, whoa, where are the
 bloody seatbelts?!
 
 NORTH
 (LAUGHS)
 That was just expression!
 
 North turns to one of the Yetis .
 
 NORTH
 Are we ready?
 
 The Yeti throws his hands up in a fit shaking his head no.
 
 NORTH
 Good! Let's go! Clear!
 (cracks the reigns)
 Hyah!
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 43.
 
 
 The sleigh is off. Elves and yetis scatter out of its path.
 Sandy, Bunny, and Jack fly back into their seats. Bunny
 clutches the edge of his, terrified. Jack can't help but
 laugh.
 
 NORTH
 Out of the way!
 
 The sleigh heads down a luge-like track. North and Jack are
 enjoying the ride.
 
 NORTH
 Hyah!
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Ohhhhhh no!
 
 North cracks the reigns, the sleigh plummets, an almost
 vertical drop. Sandy grins calmly. Jack loves this.
 Bunnymund - not so much.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 (WALLA)
 Slow down, slow down!
 
 North pulls a lever, kicking the sleigh into overdrive. He
 looks back as the sleigh enters a corkscrew.
 
 NORTH
 I hope you like the loopty loops!
 
 BUNNYMUND
 (NAUSEOUS)
 I hope you like carrots.
 
 NORTH
 Here we go!
 
 WIDE SHOT as the sleigh reaches the bottom of the ramp, and
 shoots upwards, launching them into bright blue sky.
 
 JACK
 WOOO-HOOOOOO!!!!!!
 
 
 EXT. SLEIGH - FLYING THROUGH THE SKY - CONTINUOUS
 
 North, reins in hand, leans into the wind as the reindeer
 climb higher.
 
 NORTH
 Klasno!
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 44.
 
 
 Jack, in his element, leaps up onto the rear of the sleigh to
 watch the North Pole fade into the distance.
 
 JACK
 (LAUGHS)
 Whoa!
 
 Bunnymund peaks off the side of the sleigh, then leans back,
 and holds on for dear life.
 
 JACK
 Hey, Bunny--
 
 Bunny turns to see Jack standing on the back edge of the
 sleigh.
 
 JACK
 Check out this view--
 EEEYAAAAGGHGHH!
 
 Jack is SWEPT OFF the sleigh and disappears! Bunny gasps in
 horror and looks over the side...only to see Jack lounging on
 the sleigh's skid.
 
 JACK
 Awww...you do care.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Ah, rack off you bloody show pony!
 
 Bunny glowers as Jack makes his way back into the sleigh.
 
 NORTH
 Hold on everyone, I know a
 shortcut.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Oh strewth, I knew we should have
 taken the tunnels.
 
 North holds a snow globe up to his face.
 
 NORTH
 I say, Tooth Palace.
 
 An image of the Tooth Palace appears inside the snowglobe.
 North throws the globe into the air and a giant vortex opens.
 
 NORTH
 Hyah!
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 45.
 
 
 EXT. SKY - SLEIGH JETTING THROUGH THE SKY
 
 A surreal light surrounds the sleigh as it hits HYPERDRIVE
 and gets sucked through the snow-globe portal with a WHOOSH.
 
 CUT TO:
 
 
 SEQ. 1300 - TOOTH PALACE DESTROYED
 
 EXT. SKY - NEAR TOOTH'S PALACE
 
 The sleigh suddenly comes out of HYPERDRIVE at the outskirts
 of the Tooth Palace. Streaks of black rapidly approaching.
 
 NORTH
 What!?
 
 Suddenly our heroes find themselves in the midst of mayhem,
 as hundreds of Nightmares and terrified Tooth Fairies jet
 past. It's like a meteor storm. North yanks the reins, and
 the sleigh veers sharply, dodging the oncoming Nightmares.
 
 NORTH
 What are they!?
 
 Sandy and Bunny duck the onslaught.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Whoa!
 
 Jack now sees that the Nightmares are actually GULPING DOWN
 the fleeing fairies and flying off with them. It's chaos.
 
 JACK
 They're taking the tooth fairies!
 
 Jack looks up to see a lone fairy with a Nightmare snapping
 at its heels. Jack leaps into the air and rescues it before
 the Nightmare can snatch it away.
 
 Jack lands back in the sleigh. He opens his hand to reveal
 Baby Tooth, who's shaking with fear.
 
 JACK
 Hey little Baby Tooth, you okay?
 
 As Baby Tooth nods, North steers the sleigh forward through
 the storm toward the entrance of Tooth's Palace.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 46.
 
 
 INT. TOOTH PALACE - A MOMENT LATER
 
 A vast chamber supported by pillars containing millions of
 tiny wooden deposit boxes from floor to ceiling. North spots
 a Nightmare up ahead and hands Jack the reigns.
 
 NORTH
 Here, take over!
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Huh?
 
 Jack, though surprised, quickly grabs the reigns and smiles
 as he snaps them.
 
 JACK
 Hyah!
 
 North readies his sword and SLICES the Nightmare in half --
 
 NORTH
 Yah!
 
 SEVERAL TOOTH BOXES spill out of the split Nightmare and rain
 down into the sleigh at the Guardians' feet. The Nightmare
 disintegrates into black sand.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 They're stealing the teeth!
 
 Sandy looks at his hands and sees the Nightmare sand take
 shape and drift away. He and Bunny exchange a look.
 
 The Guardians turn -- they're headed straight for a pillar.
 
 NORTH
 Jack, look out!
 
 Jack pulls the reins --
 
 JACK
 Aaaahhhh!
 
 -- the sleigh nearly misses the pillar and skids to a rough
 stop on a platform. They see Tooth up above.
 
 NORTH
 Tooth! Are you alright?
 
 Tooth is flying around, visibly frustrated. This is bad.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 47.
 
 
 TOOTH
 They, they took my fairies! And
 the teeth! All of them!
 Everything is gone! Everything.
 
 Only then does it hit her. Tooth's wings drop in defeat.
 She's completely lost amidst the devastation. The Guardians
 rush to comfort her. Jack stays behind as Baby Tooth pops
 out from the hood of his tunic and flies over toward Tooth.
 
 TOOTH
 Oh thank goodness! One of you is
 alright!
 
 PITCH (O.S.)
 I have to say, this is very, very
 exciting.
 
 Pitch's voice echoes across the open chamber. They look up to
 see Pitch, standing high above them with a satisfied smile.
 
 PITCH
 The Big Four, all in one place.
 I'm a little star-struck.
 (BEAT)
 Did you like my show on the globe,
 North? Got you all together,
 didn't I?
 
 Tooth darts after Pitch, but he escapes into the shadows.
 
 TOOTH
 Pitch, you have got thirty seconds
 to return my fairies!
 
 PITCH (O.S.)
 Or what?
 
 Tooth follows the sound of Pitch's voice and finds him near
 one of her tooth box columns.
 
 PITCH
 You'll stick a quarter under my
 pillow?
 
 NORTH
 Why are you doing this?
 
 PITCH
 Maybe I want what you have. To be
 believed in.
 
 Jack takes this in. Pitch moves along the walls and shadows
 of the chamber and emerges from behind a column.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 48.
 
 
 PITCH
 Maybe I'm tired of hiding under
 beds.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Maybe that's where you belong.
 
 PITCH
 Ah, go suck an egg, rabbit!
 
 Bunny looks down past the edge of the platform to find Pitch
 upside down, staring him in the face. Pitch disappears again.
 
 PITCH (O.S.)
 Hang on, is that...Jack Frost?
 (LAUGHS)
 Since when are you all so chummy?
 
 JACK
 We're not.
 
 PITCH
 Oh good.
 
 Jack turns and sees Pitch standing in the middle of a column.
 
 PITCH
 A neutral party. Then I'm going to
 ignore you. But, you must be used
 to that by now.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Pitch! You shadow sneaking rat-
 bag! Come here!
 
 Bunny goes after Pitch, but he disappears and reemerges on an
 opposite column. Tooth spots him, grabs one of Bunny's
 boomerangs and flies at Pitch in a rage...
 
 TOOTH
 Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
 
 Pitch looks at Tooth with a smile and before she can reach
 him, a huge Nightmare darts out of hiding and rears up at
 her. Tooth falls back. Baby Tooth hides in Jack's tunic.
 
 PITCH
 (SOOTHING)
 Whoa! Hey, easy, girl. Easy.
 
 Pitch draws a wisp of black sand from Onyx's mane, twirls it
 in his palm, and turns toward Sandy.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 49.
 
 
 PITCH
 Look familiar, Sandman? Took me a
 while to perfect this little trick.
 Turning dreams into Nightmares.
 
 Pitch notices the shocked Guardians.
 
 PITCH
 Don't be nervous, it only riles
 them up more. They smell fear you
 know.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 What fear? Of you!? No one's been
 afraid of you since the Dark Ages!
 
 Pitch's eyes flash with anger. But then he smiles.
 
 PITCH
 (NOSTALGIC)
 Oh, the Dark Ages.
 
 
 EXT. VILLAGE - NIGHT - FLASHBACK
 
 A parent and her two children, huddled around a campfire,
 scream as a shadow, resembling Pitch, washes over them. It
 makes its way up the side of a mountain to reveal Pitch,
 smiling as he stares up at the moon.
 
 PITCH (V.O.)
 (NOSTALGIC)
 Everyone frightened. Miserable.
 Such happy times for me. Oh, the
 power I wielded!
 
 
 EXT. VILLAGE - NIGHT - FLASHBACK - CONTINUOUS
 
 PITCH (V.O.)
 But then the Man in the Moon chose
 you to replace my fear with your
 wonder and light!
 
 North's sleigh flies in front of the moon. Tooth and her
 fairies flit by while SANDY's Dreamsand dances across the sky
 and Bunny leaps across rooftops.
 
 PITCH (V.O.)
 Lifting their hearts! And giving
 them hope!
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 50.
 
 
 Pitch, thinner and weaker than he is now, slips back into the
 shadows after children run through him while playing in the
 streets, laughing as they go.
 
 PITCH (V.O.)
 Meanwhile, everyone wrote me off as
 just a bad dream! "Oh, there's
 nothing to be afraid of! There's
 no such thing as the Boogeyman!"
 
 BACK TO THE TOOTH PALACE
 
 Pitch leans toward the Guardians, showing nothing but
 contempt.
 
 PITCH (CONT'D)
 Well that's all about to change.
 
 A SOUND behind Pitch: one of the COLUMNS of the Palace begins
 to crack and crumble, as if decaying. Tooth is stunned...
 
 PITCH
 Oh look, it's happening already.
 
 JACK
 What is?
 
 Tooth's eyes widen in shock.
 
 
 VIGNETTES OF CHILDREN AROUND THE WORLD
 
 PITCH (V.O.)
 Children are waking up and
 realizing the Tooth Fairy never
 came.
 
 Lifting pillows and finding their BABY TEETH still there.
 
 PITCH (V.O.)
 I mean such a little thing, but to
 a child...
 
 PULL OUT from the last VIGNETTE, all the way out of TOOTH'S
 WIDE-OPEN EYE, and BACK TO SCENE. Jack, mystified, moves
 closer to Tooth as the palace continues to crumble.
 
 JACK
 What's going on?
 
 TOOTH
 They, they don't believe in me
 anymore.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 51.
 
 
 PITCH
 Didn't they tell you, Jack? It's
 great being a Guardian -- but
 there's a catch. If enough kids
 stop believing, everything your
 friends protect - wonder, hopes and
 dreams - it all goes away. And
 little by little, so do they.
 
 Jack's realizes now the magnitude of Pitch's plan.
 
 PITCH
 No Christmas, or Easter, or little
 fairies that come in the night.
 There will be nothing. But fear
 and darkness and me! It's your
 turn not to be believed in!
 
 Bunny throws his boomerangs at Pitch, who quickly ducks out
 of the way as they fly around the chamber columns. Pitch
 then jumps onto the back of Onyx down into the depths of the
 Palace. The Guardians dive after him, followed by Jack.
 
 Bunny grabs a set of egg bombs and launches them at Pitch,
 exploding seconds before Pitch hits the ground.
 
 CUT TO:
 
 
 SEQ. 1325 - JACK'S DECISION
 
 
 INT. TOOTH PALACE - LAGOON - MOMENTS LATER
 
 The Guardians land --
 
 NORTH
 He's gone.
 
 
 LATER
 
 Tooth, deflated, sits on the ground with an empty tooth box
 in her hands. Baby Tooth, resting on a nearby broken tooth
 box, looks to Tooth with concern. Jack walks up and crouches
 down alongside Tooth.
 
 BUNNYMUND (O.S.)
 Okay, alright I admit it, you were
 right about Pitch.
 
 NORTH (O.S.)
 This is one time I wish I was
 wrong. But he will pay.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 52.
 
 
 JACK
 I'm sorry, about the fairies.
 
 TOOTH
 (not her bubbly self)
 You should've seen them. They put
 up such a fight.
 
 JACK
 Why would Pitch take the teeth?
 
 TOOTH
 It's not the teeth he wanted. It's
 the memories inside them.
 
 JACK
 (BEAT)
 What do you mean?
 
 Tooth leads Jack across the pond, the water freezing under
 his feet as he walks.
 
 TOOTH
 That's why we collect the teeth,
 Jack. They hold the most important
 memories of childhood.
 
 Tooth directs him to a MURAL, which illustrates this.
 
 TOOTH (CONT'D)
 My fairies and I watch over them
 and when someone needs to remember
 what's important, we help them.
 
 Jack takes a second to admire the immense beauty of the mural
 before him.
 
 TOOTH (CONT'D)
 We had everyone's here. Yours too.
 
 JACK
 My memories?
 
 TOOTH
 From when you were young. Before
 you became Jack Frost.
 
 JACK
 (BEAT)
 But, I wasn't anyone before I was
 Jack Frost.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 53.
 
 
 TOOTH
 Of course you were. We were all
 someone before we were chosen.
 
 JACK
 What?
 
 NORTH
 (CHUCKLES)
 You should've seen Bunny.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Hey, I told you never to mention
 that!
 
 Jack, confused, is trying to process all this.
 
 JACK
 That night at the pond...I just,
 why I assumed...Are you saying, are
 you saying I had a life before
 that? With a home? And a family?
 
 TOOTH
 You really don't remember?
 
 Jack's expression says it all. Finally the key to all his
 questions.
 
 JACK
 All these years, and the answers
 were right here. If I find my
 memories, then I'll know why I'm
 here.
 (TO TOOTH)
 You have to show me.
 
 Jack, using his control of the wind, lifts up off the ground
 and flies across the pond.
 
 TOOTH
 I...I can't, Jack. Pitch has them.
 
 Jack floats down onto a rock, overlooking the Guardians.
 
 JACK
 Then we have to get them back!
 
 Suddenly, a patch of Tooth's feathers fall out, and
 disappears. The Guardians eyes fill with worry.
 
 TOOTH
 Oh no!
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 54.
 
 
 Jack is stricken. He looks back -- the ancient MURAL begins
 TO DISINTEGRATE--
 
 TOOTH (CONT'D)
 The children. We're too late.
 
 NORTH
 No! No! No such thing as too
 late!
 (GETS IDEA)
 Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait,
 wait. Idea!! HAHH!!
 
 He's gleeful. The others look at each other as if he's nuts.
 
 NORTH (CONT'D)
 We will collect the teeth!
 
 TOOTH
 What?
 
 NORTH
 We get teeth! Children keep
 believing in you!
 
 TOOTH
 We're talking seven continents!
 Millions of kids!
 
 NORTH
 Give me break! You know how many
 toys I deliver in one night?
 
 BUNNYMUND
 And eggs I hide in one day?
 
 North turns to Jack.
 
 NORTH
 And Jack, if you help us, we will
 get you your memories.
 
 Jack looks to Tooth, who gives him a reassuring smile. Sandy
 gives to enthusiastic thumbs up while Bunny groans. Jack
 looks back to North with a smile.
 
 JACK
 I'm in.
 
 CUT TO:
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 55.
 
 
 SEQ. 1350 - TOOTH COLLECTION
 
 EXT. SHANGHAI ROOFTOPS - NIGHT
 
 We transition to the SHANGHAI SKYLINE as North BOOMS up out
 of a chimney, dashing along the rooftops.
 
 NORTH
 (LAUGHS)
 Quickly! Quickly!
 
 North BOOMS down another chimney as Bunnymund races into view
 a rooftop away.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Here we go, here we go...
 
 Jack zips into view, calling out to Bunny.
 
 JACK
 Hop to it rabbit, I'm five teeth
 ahead!
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Yeah right, look, I'd tell you to
 stay outta my way, but really
 what's the point -- because you
 won't be able to keep up anyway.
 
 
 JACK
 Is that a challenge, cottontail?
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Oh, you don't wanna race a rabbit,
 mate.
 
 As we pan across the rooftops, BOOM! North bursts up out of
 a nearby chimney.
 
 NORTH
 A race? Is it a race??
 
 North jumps into one chimney, then shoots out of another
 across the way.
 
 NORTH (CONT'D)
 This is going to be...
 
 North disappears down yet another chimney only to emerge with
 a bang out the top of another.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 56.
 
 
 NORTH (CONT'D)
 EPIC!!
 
 As North leaps out of frame, Tooth darts into view, in
 hummingbird overdrive, dazzled by the lights and traffic.
 Baby Tooth struggles to keep up.
 
 TOOTH
 Four bicuspids over there! An
 incisor two blocks east! Is that a
 molar? They're EVERYWHERE!
 
 Tooth, overwhelmed, jets off without paying attention and
 SUDDENLY --
 
 THOOMP -- she smacks into a TOOTHPASTE BILLBOARD.
 
 TOOTH
 Ow!
 
 Jack jumps up to the billboard to check on her.
 
 JACK
 Ah, you okay?
 
 TOOTH
 Fine...sorry, it's been a really
 long time since I've been out in
 the field.
 
 JACK
 How long is a long time?
 
 TOOTH
 Ah, four hundred forty years...give
 or take.
 
 Tooth jerks to attention: suddenly her VIEW ZOOMS IN thru a
 LITTLE GIRL'S BEDROOM WINDOW: a tiny GLOW under her pillow
 marks a freshly planted TOOTH.
 
 Tooth gasps and her eyes go wide -- she FLIES to the window,
 excited. Jack reacts, looks to Baby Tooth: it's gonna be a
 long night.
 
 JACK
 Hmm...
 
 
 INT. BOY'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
 
 Jack, cocksure, arrives outside an open window. His smile
 suddenly disappears when he sees a RABBIT HOLE open up in the
 bedroom floor and Bunny hops out.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 57.
 
 
 EXT. BOY'S BEDROOM - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
 
 Bunny, now holding the tooth in his paw, turns to Jack and
 laughs. Jack, not amused, zaps Bunny with burst of frost
 from his staff.
 
 BUNNYMUND (O.S.)
 Aaahhh!
 
 
 EXT. MIDDLE EAST - NIGHT
 
 The Guardians fly over a Middle Eastern city in North's
 sleigh as the full moon lights up the night sky.
 
 
 INT. KID'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
 
 North pulls TWO teeth, one with each hand: TWINS.
 
 NORTH
 TWINS
 (BEAT)
 Yipa!!
 
 
 INT. BOY'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
 
 Bunny pulls out his hand from under a pillow revealing
 SEVERAL TEETH.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Jackpot!
 
 Pull out wider to reveal HOCKEY TROPHIES, POSTERS and
 PARAPHERNALIA EVERYWHERE. Bunny grins.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Looks like you're a bit of a
 brumby, hey mate.
 
 
 INT. BOY'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
 
 North stands at the side of a boy's bed.
 
 NORTH
 (LAUGHS)
 Is piece of pie!
 
 He falls into a rabbit hole, finding himself face to face
 with Bunny. He growls. SANDMAN enters and takes the boy's
 tooth for himself.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 58.
 
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Ow!
 
 NORTH
 (LOUD WHISPER)
 That's my tooth! Sandy! Sandy!
 
 
 EXT. BEDROOM - NIGHT
 
 Jack parkours between two buildings and into a window.
 
 
 INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
 
 Jack flies in through the window when suddenly, a rabbit hole
 appears. As Jack disappears through the rabbit hole, Bunny
 appears through an adjacent hole laughing to himself.
 
 
 INT. BEDROOM NIGHT
 
 Tooth reaches under a pillow and pulls out a Tooth with a
 mouse attached to the other end. Baby Tooth tackles the
 mouse.
 
 TOOTH
 Whoa, whoa, whoa! Take it easy
 there, champ! He's one of us!
 Part of the European division.
 (to the mouse)
 Ca va?
 
 The mouse gestures back angrily.
 
 
 EXT. SKYLINE - NIGHT
 
 North and the Guardians, riding North's sleigh, exit a
 wormhole. North laughs as they fly over the city.
 
 
 INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT
 
 Bunny pulls a note from under a pillow instead of a tooth.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Huh?
 
 The note shows an arrow, pointing toward the window. He
 looks up to the window: North holds up a tooth as he grins,
 then leaps off the ledge laughing.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 59.
 
 
 EXT. ROOFTOP - NIGHT
 
 Bunny lands on a rooftop, holding a tooth in his paw, and
 proud of himself. Then, Bunny hears the sound of ice and
 FROST--
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Crikey!
 
 --and disappears from view. Bunny is now sliding down the
 side of a roof on a sheet of ice. Jack grabs the tooth from
 Bunny's paw as he slides past and holds it high in the air.
 
 JACK
 (LAUGHS)
 Yes!
 
 Jack holds up the tooth, but within moments a hand snatches
 it. Jack looks to see Sandy waving `bye-bye' as he flies off
 on his Dreamsand cloud.
 
 JACK
 No!
 
 
 EXT. ROOFTOP - NIGHT
 
 North dances across a rooftop and quickly drops into a
 chimney to enter a house -- we DROP FAST THROUGH THE ROOF AND
 CEILING...
 
 
 INT. HOUSE UNDER ROOFTOP - CONTINUOUS
 
 ...to see BUNNY'S PAW as it LIGHTS THE FIREPLACE. Bunny
 grins demonically in the firelight.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Haha! Ho, ho, ho!
 
 
 EXT. PARIS - SKLYLINE - NIGHT
 
 A large burst of fire shoots out the top of a distant
 chimney.
 
 NORTH (O.S.)
 Ahh!
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 60.
 
 
 EXT. ROOFTOP - NIGHT
 
 Jack, North, Sandy, and Bunny stand proudly. Each one of
 them revealing their own bag filled with teeth to Tooth.
 Tooth is overwhelmed by their collective effort.
 
 TOOTH
 Wow! You guys collect teeth and
 leave gifts as fast as my fairies.
 
 Their eyes widen and Tooth is suddenly panic stricken.
 
 TOOTH (CONT'D)
 You guys have been leaving gifts,
 right?
 
 The rest of the group turns to each other, sinking their
 heads and biting their lips in embarrassment.
 
 
 EXT. LAUNDROMAT - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
 
 The Guardians stand in line, waiting their turn to put dollar
 bills into a coin dispenser.
 
 
 A SERIES OF CLOSE SHOTS, VERY FAST
 
 - Baby Tooth puts a COIN under a pillow.
 
 - Now Jack puts a coin under a pillow.
 
 - North's hand pulls a Tooth from under a pillow. He
 replaces it pair of CANDY CANES and a few COINS.
 
 - Bunny stomps his feet and falls through a rabbit hole to
 reveal a pair of Easter Eggs atop a child's bed.
 
 - Sandy walks through a doggy door with a coin in his hand.
 In shock, he sees North laughing while arranging Christmas
 decorations in the child's bedroom.
 
 
 INT. BOY'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
 
 A young boy, holding a stuffed animal and a sippy cup to his
 mouth, looks out his bedroom window. The Guardians, cast in
 moonlight, bound across the adjacent rooftops. The young
 boy, dumbfounded, drops his juice.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 61.
 
 
 EXT. SKYLINE - NIGHT
 
 The Guardians fly across the night sky only to disappear
 through a snowglobe portal. Nearby, a Nightmare observes as
 the sleigh vanishes. It leaps off the roof, through a drain,
 and down into the sewers.
 
 CUT TO:
 
 
 SEQ. 1650 - PITCH'S LAIR
 
 INT. PITCH'S LAIR - NIGHT
 
 The SPY NIGHTMARE flies down into a dark cavernous space.
 Large STEEL CAGES hang all around and trapped inside are the
 MINI TEETH.
 
 The Nightmare heads toward Pitch, standing at his own GLOBE,
 which is conspicuously covered in lights.
 
 PITCH
 The lights...why aren't they going
 out?
 
 The Nightmare approaches from behind and lets out a soft
 whiney; Pitch stiffens at the news.
 
 PITCH
 They're collecting the teeth?
 
 The MINI TEETH perk up at this, and start twittering
 excitedly, which echoes throughout the lair.
 
 PITCH
 Oh pipe down, or I'll stuff a
 pillow with you!
 
 The Mini Teeth begin to settle down. PITCH looks at the
 Nightmare, frustrated, and scowls. The Nightmare winces and
 disperses into tiny particles.
 
 A strand of NIGHTMARE SAND from the Nightmare twirls in the
 air, and Pitch twists it with his fingers, turning it into a
 crude image of the SANDMAN.
 
 PITCH
 Fine, have your last hurrah. For
 tomorrow, all you pathetic
 scrambling will be for nothing.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 62.
 
 
 And he crushes the image in his fist.
 
 CUT TO:
 
 
 SEQ. 1575 - IN JAMIE'S BEDROOM
 
 
 INT. JAMIE'S BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS
 
 A cool looking ROBOT TOY rests on Jamie's bedside table.
 Jamie is sound asleep in bed. A smile across his face
 reveals the recently formed gap between his teeth.
 
 TOOTH (O.S.)
 Left central incisor, knocked out
 in a freak sledding accident. I
 wonder how that could have
 happened, Jack?
 
 Jack laughs as he looks at JAMIE'S DRAWING of himself during
 the SNOWBALL FIGHT on the wall. He's midair, blasting his
 friends with snowballs. He smiles and then turns to Tooth.
 
 JACK
 (LAUGHS)
 Kids, huh?
 
 He watches as Tooth reaches under the pillow. She hovers
 over Jamie as he stirs in his sleep. A dreamy smile comes
 over her as she gazes down at the sleeping boy.
 
 TOOTH
 This was always the part I liked
 most - seeing the kids.
 (BEAT)
 Why did I ever stop doing this?
 
 A beat; Jack sees how much it means to her.
 
 JACK
 It's a little different up close,
 huh?
 
 Tooth gives him a look: he's right.
 
 TOOTH
 Thanks for being here, Jack. I
 wish I had known about your memory,
 I could've helped you.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 63.
 
 
 JACK
 Yeah, well, look let's just get you
 taken care of. Then it's Pitch's
 turn, huh?
 
 A sudden COMMOTION. They both turn to the window.
 
 NORTH
 Here you are!
 
 North, carrying a large sack over his shoulder, struggles to
 climb in through the small window. Sandman and Baby Tooth
 climb in after. Everybody whispers.
 
 TOOTH
 SSHHHHHHHH!!
 
 NORTH
 Oh, what gives slowpokes!?
 
 Jamie is still sound asleep.
 
 NORTH
 How you feeling, Toothy?
 
 TOOTH
 Believed in.
 
 NORTH
 (LAUGHS)
 Haha! That's what I want to hear.
 
 BUNNYMUND (O.S.)
 Oh I see how it is...
 
 Bunny comes in through a rabbit hole in the floorboards.
 
 BUNNYMUND (CONT'D)
 All working together to make sure
 the rabbit gets last place.
 
 North now holds his index fingers up to his lips.
 
 NORTH
 SSSHHHHHHHHH!!!
 
 JACK
 You think I need help to beat a
 bunny? Check it out, Peter
 Cottontail.
 
 Jack lifts up his sack of teeth.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 64.
 
 
 BUNNYMUND
 You call that a bag of choppers?
 (lifting larger sack)
 Now that's a bag of choppers.
 
 NORTH
 Gentlemen! Gentlemen! This is
 about Tooth. It's not a
 competition! But if it was --
 (reveals even larger sack)
 I win. YEEEEEHAAAHH!
 
 And he strikes a Russian dancing pose as...
 
 Suddenly a bright circle of light is cast on the Guardians.
 
 NORTH (CONT'D)
 Oh no...
 
 JAMIE (O.C.)
 (SURPRISED)
 Santa Claus?
 
 They all turn slowly to see Jamie sitting up in bed, holding
 a flashlight, wide awake and beaming in disbelief.
 
 JAMIE (CONT'D)
 The Easter Bunny?...Sandman...The
 Tooth Fairy! I knew you'd come!
 
 TOOTH
 Surprise!
 (GIGGLING)
 We came!
 
 JACK
 He can see us?
 
 Jamie looks around, amazed, he sees everyone but Jack.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Most of us.
 
 TOOTH
 Shhh! You guys, he's still awake.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Sandy! Knock him out!
 
 They all look to him, scandalized. Jamie looks concerned.
 
 JAMIE
 Huh?
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 65.
 
 
 BUNNYMUND
 With the Dreamsand, ya gumbies.
 
 But then Jamie's GREYHOUND rises up into frame, fully awake,
 its nostrils flaring at the scent he's picked up.
 
 JAMIE
 No, stop that's the Easter Bunny.
 What are you doing, Abbey? Down!
 
 The dog is nose to nose with Bunnymund.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Alright, nobody panic.
 
 JACK
 (ENJOYING THIS)
 But that's a um, that's a
 greyhound. Do you know what
 greyhounds do to rabbits?
 
 BUNNYMUND
 I think it's a pretty safe bet he's
 never met a rabbit like me -
 
 While Sandy forms a Dreamsand baseball, Jack rolls his eyes
 and notices an alarm clock on the bedside table.
 
 BUNNYMUND (CONT'D)
 Six foot one, nerves of steel,
 master of tai-chi and the ancient
 ART OF--
 
 Jack can't resist: he reaches over stealthily and SETS OFF
 THE ALARM CLOCK with his staff. RRRRRIIIIING!
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Crikey.
 
 Bunny is off like a shot, the greyhound right on his tail,
 running laps in the small room, the dog barking like crazy.
 
 JAMIE
 Stop! Sit!
 
 Sandy, amused, makes a Dreamsand baseball to stop the dog,
 but bobbles it as the dog brushes past.
 
 JAMIE
 Down girl, down!
 
 The others stand out of the way as Bunny and the dog run up
 the walls and over the bed.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 66.
 
 
 As Tooth tries to silence the alarm clock, Jack can barely
 contain his laughter. Sandy takes aim as Bunny and the dog
 run circles around him--
 
 NORTH
 Sandy, Sandy!
 
 The dog jumps past North, knocking him back.
 
 NORTH
 Ah!
 
 As Sandy winds up, the dog suddenly SMACKS right into him.
 The Dreamsand goes flying.
 
 TOOTH
 Hey, this is not proper Tooth Fairy
 behavior!
 
 North ducks out of the way as the Dreamsand sails toward him.
 The Dreamsand baseball smacks Tooth right in the face and
 explodes into golden dust. Tooth and her fairy fall to the
 ground as a golden tooth takes shape above their heads.
 
 Streams of Dreamsand make their way around the room.
 
 BUNNYMUND (O.C.)
 Ah, this thing's rabid! Get this
 dingo off me!
 
 Bunny gets a whiff of the golden sand. The image of a carrot
 quickly takes shape in front of his face.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Oh no.
 
 THUD! Bunny falls over asleep. THUD! So does the dog.
 North tries to scramble out of the way, but there's no escape
 in this tiny room.
 
 NORTH
 Candy canes...
 
 He teeters for a moment as Dreamsand candy canes appear
 before him, then falls like a giant Sequoia, landing - THUD! -
 on the end of Jamie's bed, which sends Jamie catapulting
 through the air.
 
 JAMIE
 Whoaaaaaaaaaa!
 
 Luckily he lands -- OOF! -- in Sandy's arms. He starts to
 wake up AGAIN, but Sandy is there with a fistful of sand --
 BOOF! -- and Jamie too is out cold.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 67.
 
 
 Jack and Sandy look down at the sleeping boy, relieved. Then
 they look around -- a heap of sleeping, snoring bodies.
 
 JACK
 Whoops...
 
 Bunny is snuggled up next to North. A carrot and candy
 canes, made of Dreamsand, hold hands as they dance above
 Bunny and North's head.
 
 Jack comes down off the dresser and turns to Sandy, who has
 put Jamie back in bed. Sandy lifts North's arm and lets go,
 it's completely limp and falls flat. Sandy smiles at Jack,
 who chuckles.
 
 JACK
 Oh, I really wish I had a camera
 right now.
 
 Sandy eyes suddenly widen. There's a Nightmare behind Jack.
 Jack turns to see A NIGHTMARE staring through the window.
 Without hesitation, Jack jumps out the window after it.
 
 JACK (O.S.)
 (SHOUTS)
 Sandy, c'mon! We can find Pitch.
 
 Sandy pauses for a moment, then follows Jack's lead.
 
 
 BACK IN JAMIE'S ROOM - INTERCUT
 
 The sleeping Guardians are where we left them. Jamie's
 bedroom door opens, and Sophie toddles in. She takes in the
 scene, amused. She toddles over to North, giggling.
 
 She pokes at his rotund belly. Then she notices something.
 She reaches into his pocket and pulls out a snow globe.
 
 SOPHIE
 Pretty!
 
 She looks over to see the Easter Bunny, sound asleep on the
 floor.
 
 SOPHIE
 Bunny! Hop! Hop! Hop!
 
 Suddenly the snow globe lights up. Sophie's eyes widen as
 she looks at the beautiful vista inside the globe. It's
 Bunny's warren.
 
 She takes the globe and toddles off for the door, when she
 trips - again - and the snow globe smashes on the floor.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 68.
 
 
 SOPHIE
 Ow!
 
 BOOMF!! A flash of LIGHT. She looks up to see a magical
 portal open in front of her. A GUST WIND comes blowing out
 of the portal. Sophie giggles, and toddles through the
 portal.
 
 North's bleary EYES pop open mid-snore.
 
 NORTH
 Whuh-huh...?
 
 CUT TO:
 
 
 SEQ. 1600 - SANDMAN ATTACKED
 
 
 EXT. BURGESS NEIGHBORHOOD - NIGHT
 
 TWO NIGHTMARES zigzag along the rooftops, searching for
 victims. Jack, loving the chase, is in hot pursuit with
 Sandy, who's riding along on a streak of Dreamsand--
 
 JACK
 Wahooo!
 (BEAT)
 Haha! Yes!
 
 One of the Nightmares splits off, angling for a BEDROOM
 WINDOW. Sandy calmly follows--
 
 The Nightmare flies right through the WINDOW and SANDY does
 the same -- the OTHER ONE angles up over the house's ROOF to
 evade Jack, who PARKOURS over the roof after it--
 
 JACK
 Waaahahoooo!
 
 Through the WINDOWS BELOW, FLASHES OF GOLDEN and SICKLY GREEN
 LIGHT race through the house as Sandy battles the Nightmare--
 
 The Nightmares and Jack ZOOM away from the house just as
 Sandy and the FIRST NIGHTMARE blast out of the window, Sandy
 wrestling it until -- POOF! It explodes into golden
 DREAMSAND which he quickly transforms into a Sting Ray for
 him to ride--
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 69.
 
 
 EXT. DOWNTOWN BURGESS - CONTINUOUS
 
 Jack flies through town on the heels of the Nightmare. It
 makes a sharp turn down an alleyway and Jack is quick to
 follow.
 
 The Nightmare then veers up the wall of the alley and onto a
 ROOFTOP. Jack whips a blast from his staff and HITS the
 Nightmare before it disappears from view.
 
 JACK
 (JAZZED)
 HAAAH! I got it!
 
 Jack jumps up onto the roof and prods the frozen Nightmare
 with his staff.
 
 JACK
 Sandy! Sandy, did you see that?!?
 Look at this thing!
 
 Jack can barely contain his excitement as he calls out to
 Sandy -- but suddenly Pitch lurches out from behind an air
 conditioning unit on the rooftop.
 
 PITCH
 Frost?
 
 Jack blasts a WAVE OF FROST across the rooftop, but Pitch
 easily dodges it, reappearing behind Jack on the adjoining
 rooftop.
 
 PITCH
 You know, for a "neutral party" you
 spend an awful lot of time with
 those weirdos.
 (BEAT)
 This isn't your fight, Jack.
 
 Jack's eyes narrow. He holds out his staff, ready to strike.
 
 JACK
 You made it my fight when you stole
 those teeth.
 
 Pitch regards him curiously.
 
 PITCH
 Teeth? Why do you care about the
 teeth?
 
 When he notices something and turns to find Sandy calmly
 standing on the rooftop next to him. Pitch quickly
 sidesteps, moving away from Sandy.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 70.
 
 
 PITCH
 (CHUCKLING)
 Now this is who I'm looking for--
 
 Before Pitch can finish a DREAMSAND STREAM whips around him,
 forcing him to duck and dodge Sandy's sudden attack.
 
 PITCH
 Whoa--??
 
 Pitch DISPERSES a stream of NIGHTMARE SAND, turning it into a
 gigantic sickle and swings it back at Sandy. Jack ducks,
 avoiding injury as Sandy's pushed back against a ledge.
 
 Sandy quickly grabs Pitch with another DREAMSAND STREAM and
 yanks him off his feet, slamming him repeatedly against the
 tops of the buildings until finally throwing him off the
 rooftop.
 
 Pitch bounces off the ground as he crashes into an EMPTY
 STREET. As Sandy dusts his hands and calmly steps off the
 rooftop to follow, Jack looks on, astonished.
 
 JACK
 Remind me not to get on your bad
 side.
 
 
 EXT. EMPTY STREET - CONTINUOUS
 
 Pitch shakes off the crash, trying to back up as Sandy
 touches down and moves toward him, Jack following. Pitch
 cowers on the ground in fear as they approach.
 
 PITCH
 (looks up, pleading)
 Okay, easy! You can't blame me for
 trying, Sandy. You don't know what
 it's like to be weak and hated. It
 was stupid of me to mess with your
 dreams. So I'll tell you what-
 
 Sandy continues forward, grim faced...but suddenly Pitch
 stops cowering and stands up. His tone changes.
 
 PITCH (CONT'D)
 You can have `em back!
 
 Before Jack and Sandy can react, a Nightmare shoots up
 through a storm drain as several other Nightmares gather in
 the alley behind him.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 71.
 
 
 Jack and Sandy look around as hundreds of Nightmares descend
 from the surrounding rooftops to encircle them. This doesn't
 look good. Jack, worried, looks to Sandy and mutters...
 
 JACK
 You take the ones on the left, I'll
 take the ones on the right?
 
 Meanwhile, Pitch rises up from off the ground as Onyx takes
 shape underneath him.
 
 Pitch grabs onto Onyx's mane as it snorts and snarls. He
 then leans forward.
 
 PITCH
 Boo!
 
 Pitch's army of Nightmares begin to charge. Then suddenly,
 the sound of BELLS and REINDEER echo in the distance--
 
 NORTH'S SLEIGH bursts through the clouds. Jack and Pitch
 look up into the sky as it circles overhead. The sleigh
 turns toward Pitch, only to fly a few feet over his head.
 Pitch turns as it passes over him, slightly confused.
 
 
 NORTH'S SLEIGH
 
 North's asleep at the wheel, along with Bunny and Tooth.
 Suddenly, the sleigh clips one of its skis as it flies over
 City Hall, jolting North to attention.
 
 NORTH
 Ah!
 
 Bunny awakes with a fright from a bad a dream.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Get outta my warren!
 (realizes he's awake now)
 Huh?
 
 
 EXT. EMPTY STREET - CONTINUOUS
 
 Still battling Nightmares, Sandy propels himself and Jack
 into the air with a stream of Dreamsand and launches Jack
 away from the Nightmares. Jack quickly orients himself and
 knocks an oncoming Nightmare with his staff.
 
 Tooth quickly jumps off the side of the sleigh toward Jack
 and Sandy.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 72.
 
 
 Jack, knocks away a few more Nightmares with his staff, and
 looks up. Tooth suddenly flies into view through the swarm
 of Nightmares, slicing them apart with her wings, causing
 them to EXPLODE into BLACK SAND.
 
 
 PITCH
 
 Pitch gives a signal and leaps into the air, leading another
 wave of Nightmares after the Guardians.
 
 
 SLEIGH
 
 Back in the sleigh, Bunny jumps out and lands on a nearby
 roof.
 
 Bunny quickly tosses his boomerang which disintegrates every
 Nightmare in its path. Bunny catches the returning
 boomerang, leaps off the roof, and grabs the skids of the
 sleigh as it passes by.
 
 
 THE SLEIGH
 
 North stands, drawing both his scimitars, and dices the
 oncoming Nightmares to bits as they attack.
 
 NORTH
 Ha. Ha. Ha. Come on!
 
 Jack heads back to the sleigh by dodging two Nightmares as
 they attack. As he continues his descent, Jack is suddenly
 blind sided by another Nightmare, which knocks the staff from
 his hands.
 
 For a moment, Jack is in a state of panic as he finds himself
 in free fall.
 
 JACK
 Aaaaaaaah!
 
 He finally manages to hook onto the staff, control his
 descent, and land on the sleigh as it flies past.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 (coolly, to Jack)
 You might want to duck.
 
 Jack DUCKS as a Nightmare rears up behind him, but one of
 Bunny's BOOMERANGS blasts through it and zips back to Bunny's
 waiting paw.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 73.
 
 
 SANDY
 
 Sandy high up in he clouds, does his best to contain the MASS
 OF NIGHTMARES that are swirling around him.
 
 
 PITCH
 
 Pitch rises from behind a group of Nightmares. He stretches
 his arms as an ARROW of NIGHTMARE SAND forms behind him.
 
 
 SLEIGH
 
 Jack and the Guardians watch as more Nightmares speed away to
 join their herd. Sandy looks overwhelmed by the onslaught.
 
 JACK
 We gotta help Sandy!
 
 NORTH
 Hyah!
 
 North cracks the reigns, turns the sleigh, and heads toward
 the swirling cloud of yellow and black sand.
 
 
 PITCH
 
 Pitch takes aim and releases the arrow. It flies through the
 air and into SANDY'S back, exploding on impact.
 
 
 SLEIGH
 
 The Guardians look on, horrified.
 
 JACK
 Noooo!
 
 Jack leaps ahead of the sleigh and flies toward Sandy.
 
 NORTH
 Jack!
 
 
 PITCH
 
 Sandy feels the shock and turns around. A patch of blackness
 starts slowly spreading across his body. Pitch laughs as he
 and Sandy lock eyes.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 74.
 
 
 PITCH
 Hahahahaha!...Don't fight the fear,
 little man.
 
 
 THE SLEIGH
 
 The Guardians continue to speed toward Sandy, but Nightmares
 begin colliding with the sleigh, slowing their progress.
 
 NORTH
 Hurry, hurry!
 
 
 PITCH
 
 Pitch relishes this moment of triumph.
 
 PITCH
 I'd say sweet dreams, but there
 aren't any left.
 
 Sandy, his eyes filled with terror, falls to his knees as the
 patch of blackness continues to spread.
 
 
 JACK
 
 Jack presses on, trying to reach Sandy as fast as he can.
 
 
 SANDY
 
 Sandy stands up, accepting his fate, and closes his eyes as
 he and his Dreamsand cloud are consumed by the writhing
 blackness of the Nightmare sand.
 
 
 THE SLEIGH
 
 NORTH
 Sandy...
 
 
 JACK
 
 Horrified, clenches his staff as he flies toward Pitch.
 
 JACK
 No...NOOOOOO!!!!
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 75.
 
 
 SANDY
 
 Sandy's gone. His beautiful Golden Dreamsand, now black,
 merges with the rest of Pitch's Nightmare sand.
 
 
 PITCH
 
 Is beyond delighted. His plan actually worked!
 
 Pitch then notices Jack flying towards him, glowing energy
 emanating from Jack's staff. Pitch raises his hands and
 sends a massive wave of Nightmares toward Jack.
 
 
 THE SLEIGH
 
 The Guardians are stunned.
 
 
 JACK
 
 Jack quickly realizes that's he's in over his head as the
 attacking Nightmares begin to overtake him. He's engulfed by
 Nightmares and there is nothing but silence.
 
 
 PITCH
 
 Pitch looks on with a smile until a bolt of lightning
 suddenly erupts from within the writhing black sand.
 
 
 JACK
 
 JACK
 Ahhhhhh!!!!!
 
 A gust of wind blows past Pitch, quickly followed by a
 massive wave of ice and frost that rockets back up the stream
 of Nightmare sand toward him, culminating in an explosion of
 ice and snow.
 
 PITCH
 AAAHH!!!!
 
 
 EXT. BURGESS - NIGHT
 
 Jack free falls back to Earth, unconscious.
 
 NORTH
 Jack!
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 76.
 
 
 Tooth quickly rescues him and sets him back down in the
 sleigh.
 
 TOOTH
 Jack, how did you do that?
 
 JACK
 (REGAINING CONSCIOUSNESS)
 I, I didn't know I could.
 
 
 EXT. BURGESS FOREST - NIGHT
 
 Pitch pulls himself laboriously from the mud and weeds
 amongst the trees where he's crash-landed, oddly, he seems
 delighted.
 
 He looks up to see a BRIGHT GLOW -- North's SNOWGLOBE PORTAL.
 The sleigh zooms into it and it WINKS OUT.
 
 Pitch shakes the FROST from his arms as scores of Nightmares
 swarm behind Pitch, regrouping after the blast. Pitch, at
 the center, seems as pleased as can be.
 
 PITCH
 Finally! Someone who knows how to
 have a little FUN!
 
 CUT TO:
 
 
 SEQ. 1700 - GUARDIANS REGROUP
 
 
 INT. NORTH POLE - GLOBE ROOM - DAY
 
 We're in the midst of a somber ceremony, marking the passing
 of Sandy. Burning candles line the perimeter of Sandy's
 stone emblem.
 
 Tooth sets down a candle and stands shoulder to shoulder with
 North and Bunny. The three hold hands in solace.
 
 The ringing of somber bells can be heard echoing throughout
 the chamber, as we reveal the elves and a yeti ringing the
 elf bells as part of a ceremonial dirge.
 
 
 INT. NORTH POLE - GLOBE ROOM - DAY - MOMENTS LATER
 
 Jack, facing a window, FROSTS OVER THE GLASS with his finger
 to form a symbol of Sandy. North slowly walks up behind him.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 77.
 
 
 NORTH
 Are you alright?
 
 Jack remains still, his eyes fixed on the image of Sandy.
 
 JACK
 I just, I wish I could've done
 something.
 
 NORTH
 Done something? Jack, you stood up
 to Pitch. You saved us.
 
 JACK
 But Sandy wo--
 
 NORTH
 (putting his hand on
 JACK'S SHOULDER)
 Would be proud of what you did.
 
 Jack pulls back his hoodie and stands up.
 
 NORTH (CONT'D)
 I don't know who you were in your
 past life, but in this life you are
 Guardian.
 
 JACK
 But how can I know who I am, until
 I find out who I was?
 
 NORTH
 You will. I feel it, in my belly.
 
 Jack and North approach the globe which is losing lights at
 an alarming rate.
 
 TOOTH
 Look how fast they're going out.
 
 JACK
 (GETTING IT)
 It's fear. He's tipped the
 balance.
 
 Jack drifts up closer the globe. He looks at the lights
 going out, then back to the Guardians. There's a nervous
 tension in the room.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 (twirling his boomerang)
 Hey, buck up ya sad-sacks. Come
 on! We can still turn this around!
 (MORE)
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 78.
 BUNNYMUND (CONT'D)
 Easter is tomorrow and I need your
 help. I say we pull out all the
 stops and we get those little
 lights flickering again!
 
 CUT TO:
 
 
 INT. NORTH POLE - FACTORY FLOOR - DAY
 
 A massive wooden door swings open; North leads Jack and the
 Guardians through the doorway, into an elevator, and through
 his factory.
 
 NORTH
 Bunny is right.
 (TO BUNNY)
 As much as it pains me to say old
 friend, this time Easter is more
 important than Christmas!
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Hey! Did everyone hear that?!
 
 NORTH
 We must hurry to the Warren.
 Everyone, to the sleigh!
 
 BUNNY
 Ohh no, mate. My warren my rules.
 Buckle up.
 
 Bunny directs the groups attention to the ground. He taps
 his foot and a rabbit hole opens up under their feet.
 
 NORTH
 Shostakovich!
 
 CUT TO:
 
 
 SEQ. 1775 - PREPARATION FOR EASTER
 
 
 INT. BUNNYMUND'S TUNNELS - DAY
 
 The Guardians plummet through Bunny's tunnels.
 
 
 INT. BUNNYMUND'S WARREN
 
 Jack, Bunny and Tooth arrive gracefully in the warren's
 antechamber, while North and the yetis comes to a crashing
 halt.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 79.
 
 
 NORTH
 (CHUCKLES)
 "Buckle up." Is very funny.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Welcome to the warren--
 
 Bunny stands before them when suddenly, he shifts his
 attention. He turns, his ears perk up and his nose sniffs
 the air.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Something's up.
 
 Something's amiss. A faint scream begins to echo from within
 the depths of one of Bunny's egg tunnels. Tiny eggs come
 scuttling out from the tunnel.
 
 Bunny grabs his boomerang, North draws his sword, and Jack
 readies his staff as the sounds of booming footsteps,
 screams, and the rustling of foliage grows louder.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Ahhhh!
 
 Bunny begins to charge toward the tunnel. At his side are
 the Guardians, yetis, and sentinel eggs all bellowing their
 loudest battle cries until...Sophie bursts out. All momentum
 comes to a halt.
 
 JACK
 Sophie?
 
 They immediately withdraw their weapons, mildly embarrassed.
 Sophie giggles and immediately runs after one of the elves.
 
 SOPHIE
 Elf, elf, elf!
 
 BUNNYMUND
 What is SHE doing HERE!!?
 
 North looks down at his coat pocket - ooops.
 
 NORTH
 (EMBARRASSED)
 Ah, snow globe.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Crikey! Somebody do something!
 
 JACK
 Don't look at me, I'm invisible,
 remember?
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 80.
 
 
 Sophie giggles as she drags the elf by the bell atop its
 uniform.
 
 TOOTH
 (CONFIDENT)
 Don't worry, Bunny. I bet she's a
 fairy fan.
 (flies up to Sophie)
 It's okay little one.
 
 SOPHIE
 (TO TOOTH)
 Pretty!
 
 TOOTH
 Awww! You know what, I got
 something for you. Here it is.
 (she pulls something out)
 Look at all the pretty teeth with
 little blood and gum on them.
 
 Sophie runs away screaming.
 
 JACK
 (LAUGHS)
 Blood and gums? When was the last
 time you guys actually hung out
 with kids?
 
 Meanwhile, Sophie is running around the warren, exploring and
 playing. Sophie pokes her head into a small tunnel.
 
 SOPHIE
 Peek-a-boo.
 
 NORTH
 We are very busy bringing joy to
 children! We don't have time...
 (EMBARRASSED)
 ...for children.
 
 Jack walks toward her, forming a SNOWFLAKE, which floats over
 toward Sophie. She tries to grab at it.
 
 JACK
 If one little kid can ruin Easter,
 then...we're in worse shape than I
 thought.
 
 Sophie follows the snowflake as Jack leads it over to Bunny.
 
 SOPHIE
 Weeee! Weee, weee, weee!
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 81.
 
 
 The snowflake lands on Bunny's nose and his concerns suddenly
 seem to slip away. Jack's magic is taking affect.
 
 
 INT. BUNNYMUND'S WARREN - DAY - MOMENTS LATER
 
 Close up on a flower, that opens to reveal an egg. The egg
 stands up wobbly on its spindly little legs. We pull out to
 reveal Sophie and Bunny's faces looking on, Sophie amazed,
 Bunny proud.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 You wanna paint some eggs? Yeah?
 
 SOPHIE
 Okay!
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Come on then!
 
 We pull out further to reveal a massive stone spire, covered
 in moss, as thousands of unpainted eggs stream down the side
 of it toward a green meadow. North and Jack stand in the
 midst of it all, slack-jawed, as the eggs rush towards them.
 
 NORTH
 Rimsky Korsakov! That's a lot of
 eggs.
 
 JACK
 Uh, how much time do we have?
 
 
 A GREEN MEADOW
 
 SOPHIE
 Weeeeee!
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Woooohoooo!
 
 Bunny hops into view, Sophie clinging to his back smiling,
 leading a huge mass of eggs down a wide PATH. As he passes,
 FLOWERS BLOOM on either side in his wake, BLASTING the
 passing eggs with color as they go.
 
 BUNNYMUND (V.O.)
 Alright troops, it's time to push
 back. That means eggs!
 Everywhere!
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 82.
 
 
 THE SORTING STONES
 
 North looks out over the eggs as they get sorted.
 
 NORTH
 (WALLA)
 Single file!
 
 Sophie, on her back, is carried by the eggs through the
 sorting stones. She giggles as North waves at her while she
 passes by.
 
 BUNNYMUND (V.O.)
 Heaps of you in every high-rise,
 farm house and trailer park!
 
 Baby Tooth flies across the screen, diverting our attention
 to a multicolored stream off in the distance.
 
 BUNNYMUND (V.O.)
 In tennis shoes and cereal bowls!
 
 Baby Tooth joins an elf, who stands alongside an egg at the
 edge of a cliff. The elf pushes the egg over the cliff, into
 the stream, and celebrates with a victory dance.
 
 BUNNYMUND (V.O.)
 Oh, there will be bathtubs filled
 with my beautiful googies!
 
 The elf turns just in time to see a stampede of colored eggs
 come barreling toward him. They knock him off the cliff as
 he and the eggs spill into the multi-colored stream below.
 
 
 A SPARKLING STREAM
 
 Colored eggs wade through the water, emerging with SECONDARY
 COLORS and intricate PATTERNS of all kinds.
 
 An unlucky egg veers off and gets stuck in a WHIRLPOOL. We
 see a hand fish it out to reveal North, who looks at the egg
 curiously. It's now got a SPIRAL PATTERN on it and its
 little LEGS kick madly.
 
 NORTH
 Okay, that's little strange.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Naw, mate --
 
 Bunny's surrounded by butterflies and cute little eggs.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 83.
 
 
 BUNNYMUND (CONT'D)
 That's adorable.
 
 As a technicolored elf climbs out of the stream, North sets
 the egg down and lets it rejoin the herd.
 
 
 A GREEN MEADOW
 
 As Sophie leads a parade of eggs, Bunny jumps to an adjacent
 rock and sits up to address the eggs as they walk in stride.
 Meanwhile, Jack rides atop a group of sentinel egg that are
 marching in the back ground.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 There will be springtime! On every
 continent! And I'm bringing hope
 with me!
 
 
 A GREEN MEADOW - CONTINUOUS
 
 CLOSE ON: a line of eggs running down curled vines as yetis
 sprinkle them with glitter. They continue on down various
 vine corkscrew-like shoots, decorating the eggs with stripes.
 
 A confused elf emerges from the vines, striped with paint and
 walks off.
 
 
 A GREEN MEADOW - CONTINUOUS
 
 The striped elf walks past a Yeti, painting a mound of eggs
 red. Bunny enters frame and hops across the screen.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Too Christmas-y, mate, paint `em
 blue.
 
 The Yeti throws its arms up in defeat and tosses the eggs.
 
 
 A GREEN MEADOW - MOMENTS LATER
 
 A beautifully painted egg hides in the grass.
 
 BUNNYMUND (O.S.)
 Oh, what's over there?
 
 Sophie appears, spots the egg, and delicately lifts it out of
 the grass. She holds it close to admire the intricate detail
 of its shell. Sophie brings the egg to Bunny for him to
 inspect.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 84.
 
 
 BUNNYMUND (CONT'D)
 That's a beauty!
 
 Bunny takes Sophie by the hand and leads her through a stone
 archway.
 
 BUNNYMUND (CONT'D)
 Now all we gotta do is get him and
 his little mates through the
 tunnels, to the top, and we'll have
 ourselves Easter.
 
 
 THE STREAMS OF COLORED EGGS
 
 Bunny looks out proudly at the eggs gathered in front of the
 TUNNELS in the distance.
 
 Jack approaches from behind and makes his way alongside
 Bunny, who holds Sophie in his arms. Its our first real
 vista of the whole warren. It's a spectacular sight.
 
 JACK
 Not bad.
 
 Sophie yawns and begins to fall asleep. Bunny turns to Jack
 with a smile.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Not bad yourself.
 
 JACK
 Look, I'm sorry about that whole,
 you know, the "kangaroo" thing.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 It's the accent, isn't it?
 
 North comes up from behind with Tooth at his side. They turn
 toward Bunny, marveling at the sight of Sophie, fast sleep.
 It's touching. Bunny's face softens, as if remembering a
 distant memory.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Ah, poor little ankle-biter. Look
 at her, all tuckered out.
 
 TOOTH
 I love her!
 
 They look up from the sleeping toddler toward Jack. He's
 taught them something today.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 85.
 
 
 TOOTH
 I think it's time to get her home.
 
 Bunny hands the sleeping Sophie over to Tooth.
 
 JACK
 How about I take her home?
 
 TOOTH
 Jack, no! Pitch is--
 
 JACK
 --no match for this.
 (twirls his staff)
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Which is why we need you here, with
 us.
 
 The Guardians look at Jack with concern.
 
 JACK
 Trust me, I'll be quick as a bunny.
 
 CUT TO:
 
 
 SEQ. 1804 - RETURNING SOPHIE
 
 
 INT. SOPHIE'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
 
 Jack tries to lay a sleeping Sophie down in her bed, but she
 won't let go of his neck. Finally, she releases her grasp
 only to roll over and fall out of bed. Baby Tooth gives Jack
 a scornful look.
 
 JAMIE'S MOM (O.S.)
 Sophie? Is that you?
 
 Jack and Baby Tooth's eyes widen. Sophie, asleep on the
 floor, is quickly covered with a blanket and given a squeaky
 stuffed animal.
 
 
 EXT. SOPHIE'S BEDROOM WINDOW - CONTINUOUS
 
 Jack closes the window and looks to Baby Tooth with a sign of
 relief.
 
 JACK
 We should get back.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 86.
 
 
 Baby Tooth nods, when...
 
 VOICE FROM A MEMORY (O.S.)
 (LAUGHING)
 Jack...
 
 Jack stops, confused. Where is that voice coming from? He
 looks out across the town, toward the woods, and the sound of
 the echoed voice.
 
 JACK
 That voice, I know that voice...
 
 Baby Tooth looks to him, worried.
 
 VOICE FROM A MEMORY (O.S.)
 Jack...
 
 With that, Jack leaps off the window ledge.
 
 
 EXT. BURGESS - A MOMENT LATER
 
 Jack, carried by the wind, flies across town toward the sound
 of the eerie voice. Baby Tooth follows, trying to keep up.
 
 Jack takes a moment to orient himself and lands, settling on
 a rotating vent; as the momentum slowly spins him around, the
 voice calls out to him again.
 
 VOICE FROM A MEMORY (O.S.)
 Jack...
 
 Jack turns, looks to the woods, and takes off.
 
 
 EXT. WOODS - BURGESS - A MOMENT LATER
 
 Jack and Baby Tooth land in the middle of a thickly wooded
 area. It's spooky. Jack scans the forest when again he
 hears...
 
 VOICE FROM A MEMORY (O.S.)
 Jack...
 
 Jack gives chase. He sprints through the thickets and enters
 a clearing only to find the decrepit remains of a rotting
 frame from a child's bed. Very creepy. What would that be
 doing in the woods, and how long has it been here?
 
 JACK
 Don't worry, there's still time.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 87.
 
 
 Baby Tooth desperately tries to get Jack's attention by
 tugging at his tunic, and tweeting desperately.
 
 Jack takes his staff, and breaks through the damaged frame,
 revealing a hole leading deep underground.
 
 VOICE FROM A MEMORY (O.S.)
 Jack...
 
 What to do? Jack jumps down the hole, reluctantly followed
 by Baby Tooth.
 
 CUT TO:
 
 
 SEQ. 2100 - PITCH TRICKS JACK
 
 
 INT. PITCH'S TUNNELS
 
 Jack continues along a long dark tunnel with Baby Tooth close
 behind. Eventually the labyrinth opens up to reveal a huge
 underground cavern. Baby Tooth continues to tug at Jack's
 tunic.
 
 JACK
 (waving Baby Tooth off)
 Baby Tooth, Baby...come on!
 (BEAT)
 I have to find out what that is.
 
 
 INT. PITCH'S INNER SANCTUM - CONTINUOUS
 
 Jack can't believe his eyes. Dozens of huge bird cages
 hanging from the ceiling, and in them are the mini tooth
 fairies. They see Jack, and immediately perk up, tweeting
 and flitting like crazy.
 
 Jack jumps up onto one of the cages, then quickly leaps and
 holds onto the side of another one.
 
 JACK
 (WHISPERS)
 Shhhh! keep it down.
 (leaps to another cage)
 I'm gonna get you out of here, just
 as soon as I --
 
 VOICE FROM A MEMORY
 Jack...
 
 Jack turns away from the fairies, distracted.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 88.
 
 
 VOICE FROM A MEMORY
 Jack...
 
 JACK
 (under his breath)
 As I can --
 
 Jack looks down and sees the tooth drawers from Tooth's
 Palace. Mounds of them heaped to the ceiling. And inside
 the drawers are the missing baby teeth. He drops down to a
 mound and begins rummaging through the drawers, looking at
 the names on the boxes.
 
 In an instant he forgets his duties, and the fairies, and the
 Guardians and everything except those teeth, and the chance
 to finally get his memory back.
 
 The cavern suddenly goes darker than it already was. Jack
 finally looks up, as a shadow of Pitch crawls up a nearby
 column.
 
 PITCH (O.S.)
 Looking for something?
 
 Jack swings around with his staff, shooting off a blast of
 ice, but Pitch isn't there. Jack takes off, following the
 sound of Pitch's cackle as it echoes throughout the chamber.
 
 Jack rounds a corner as he sees Pitch's shadow glide across
 the walls into a shadowed corridor.
 
 PITCH (O.S.)
 Don't be afraid, Jack. I'm not
 going to hurt you.
 
 Jack continues along a shadowed corridor.
 
 JACK
 Afraid?
 
 Jack sees Pitch on a bridge across the cavern and heads after
 him.
 
 JACK (CONT'D)
 I'm not afraid of you!
 
 PITCH
 Maybe not. But you are afraid of
 something.
 
 Jack steadily approaches, cautious and alert.
 
 JACK
 You think so, huh?
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 89.
 
 
 PITCH
 I know so. It's the one thing I
 always know.
 
 Pitch finally turns to face Jack.
 
 PITCH (CONT'D)
 People's greatest fears. Yours is
 that no one will ever believe in
 you.
 
 Panic flashes in Jack's eyes. As he backs away, the chamber
 fills with shadows, and Jack is spun around. He's
 disoriented as he thuds into a wall, which flips to reveal
 that it's actually the ground.
 
 Pitch, unseen now, chuckles.
 
 Jack's unsure of where he is. He looks back to see the
 cavern entrance -- he's right back where he started.
 
 PITCH (O.S.)
 And worst of all, you're afraid
 you'll never know why. Why you?
 Why were you chosen...to be like
 this?
 
 Jack discovers that the entrance has been blocked with bricks
 as Pitch's shadow encroaches on him.
 
 PITCH
 Well fear not, for the answer to
 that...
 
 Pitch is now directly in front of Jack, holding out a tooth
 box.
 
 PITCH (CONT'D)
 Is right here.
 
 Jack's eyes widen at the sight - the face of a young boy
 etched into the box, and under it is the name "Jack Frost."
 
 PITCH
 Do you want them, Jack? Your
 memories?
 
 He holds them out to Jack. Jack stares, fighting the impulse
 to grab them. He closes his eyes, struggling to make a
 decision, but when he opens them again, Pitch has
 disappeared.
 
 Pitch's shadow moves across the pillars of the cavern.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 90.
 
 
 Jack heads down a corridor, cast shadows from the Mini Tooth
 cages everywhere.
 
 PITCH (O.S.)
 Everything you wanted to know...
 
 Pitch's face moves in and out of the shadows over the
 following.
 
 PITCH
 ...in this little box.
 
 Every time Jack turns, Pitch disappears. It's like Jack's
 trapped in a fun house.
 
 Multiple Pitch shadows have appeared on the wall around Jack.
 They're closing in on him.
 
 PITCH
 Why did you end up like this?
 Unseen. Unable to reach out to
 anyone.
 (BEAT)
 You want the answers so badly. You
 want to grab them, and fly off with
 them. But you're afraid of what
 the Guardians will think.
 
 Jack's breath quickens. He's been pushed into a corner.
 
 PITCH
 You're afraid of disappointing
 them.
 (SMILES)
 Well let me ease your mind about
 one thing. They'll never accept
 you. Not really.
 
 The shadows have overcome Jack.
 
 JACK
 (trying to scramble away)
 Stop it! Stop it!
 
 Almost reluctantly, the shadows back away and Pitch appears
 before Jack.
 
 PITCH
 After all, you're not one of them.
 
 Jack aims his staff at Pitch.
 
 JACK
 You don't know what I am!
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 91.
 
 
 PITCH
 Of course I do. You're Jack Frost.
 You make a mess wherever you go.
 Why, you're doing it right now.
 
 Pitch tosses the box to Jack, who instinctively catches it.
 Jack looks up. Terror comes into Jack's eyes, as he
 realizes...
 
 JACK
 What did you do?
 
 PITCH
 More to the point Jack, what did
 you do?
 
 Pitch begins to back away, becoming one with the darkness,
 laughing as he disappears. Jack charges towards him only to
 be swallowed whole by one of Pitch's black holes.
 
 CUT TO:
 
 
 SEQ. 2200 - GUARDIANS BREAK WITH JACK
 
 
 INT. EGG TUNNEL - DAY
 
 Jack flies out of Pitch's shadow, ready to strike. Suddenly,
 Jack realizes he's forgotten something.
 
 JACK
 Baby Tooth!
 
 He turns to re-enter the hole in the wall only to find
 himself face to face with one of Bunny's stone emblems.
 
 PITCH (O.S.)
 Happy Easter, Jack.
 
 Jack turns around. Suddenly, his eyes fill with dread as he
 realizes where he is. Thousands of broken egg shells lay
 strewn about, forming a path toward the light at the end of
 the tunnel.
 
 JACK
 No.
 
 
 EXT. PARK - ENGLAND - DAY
 
 Bunny peaks through the bushes to take in the scene - an
 Easter Egg hunt.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 92.
 
 
 BRITISH KIDS
 (WALLA)
 There are no eggs. There's none
 anywhere. I give up. Come on,
 let's go. I don't understand.
 
 Bunny checks the eggs in his basket, then looks back toward
 the kids.
 
 BRITISH GIRL
 Maybe he just hid them really well
 this year.
 
 Bunny, egg basket in hand, approaches a group of kids who
 seem to be wandering around searching halfheartedly,
 disappointed and listless.
 
 BUNNYMUND (O.S.)
 Kids! Oi!
 
 BRITISH BOY
 I checked everywhere! There's
 nothing!
 
 BUNNYMUND
 (steps towards them)
 Yes there is! There is! I mean
 these aren't my best lookin'
 googies, but they'll do in a pinch!
 
 He holds out a broken Easter egg. The kids just stare.
 
 BRITISH GIRL
 I can't believe it.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 I know.
 
 BRITISH GIRL
 There's no such thing as the Easter
 Bunny.
 
 The girl turns to leave.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 What?
 
 BRITISH KIDS (O.S.)
 (WALLA)
 Easter's over. Forget this.
 
 It's only then that we realize he's too late. The spark of
 childhood has already been extinguished in all of them.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 93.
 
 
 BUNNYMUND
 No! Wrong! Not, not true! I'm
 right in front of ya, mate!
 
 BRITISH KIDS
 (WALLA)
 There's no such thing. I know.
 
 The kids walk through Bunnymund as if he were a ghost. Bunny
 is stunned by this, and finally realizes...
 
 BRITISH KIDS (O.S.) (CONT'D)
 (WALLA)
 Now come on. I don't understand.
 Why wouldn't he come? Let's get
 out of here. Easter Bunny, where
 are you? This is the worst Easter
 ever.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 They don't see me.
 (BEAT)
 They don't see me.
 
 JACK's watching this all unfold and it's heartbreaking,
 because he knows it's his fault. Tooth flies to Bunny's
 side. Jack hears a rustle in the bushes behind him.
 
 NORTH (O.S.)
 Jack, where were you?
 
 Jack sees North, with his scimitars drawn and having just
 come from battle. He's exhausted, wild-eyed, distraught.
 
 NORTH (CONT'D)
 The Nightmares attacked the
 tunnels. They smashed every egg,
 crushed every basket. Nothing made
 it to the surface.
 
 TOOTH (O.S.)
 Jack!
 
 Tooth rejoins the group from off screen.
 
 TOOTH (CONT'D)
 (GASPS)
 Where did you get that?
 
 Jack looks down at the tooth box in his hand, then back to
 Tooth.
 
 JACK
 I was...it's...
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 94.
 
 
 TOOTH
 Where's Baby Tooth?
 (FEELING BETRAYED)
 Oh Jack, what have you done?
 
 NORTH
 That is why you weren't here?
 
 North steps forward to confront Jack.
 
 NORTH (CONT'D)
 You were with Pitch?
 
 JACK
 No, listen, listen...I'm sorry. I
 didn't mean for this to happen.
 
 BUNNYMUND (O.S.)
 (TO OTHERS)
 He has to go.
 
 Jack turns to see Bunny, disheartened.
 
 JACK
 (STUNNED BEAT)
 What?
 
 BUNNYMUND
 We should never have trusted you!
 (FORLORN)
 Easter is new beginnings, new life.
 Easter is about hope.
 (BEAT)
 And now it's gone.
 
 Bunny turns away and moves toward the park, looking at the
 sign that reads, `Easter Egg Hunt.'
 
 This is like a punch in Jack's gut. He looks back to Tooth
 and North, both of whom look away, too hurt by Jack. He
 looks at them with a pained expression. This is exactly what
 Pitch said would happen.
 
 Jack reaches into his pocket, pulls out the tiny Russian
 nesting doll that North had given him, drops the doll to the
 ground, and takes off.
 
 As Jack leaves, carried off by the wind, we see the tiny
 Russian nesting doll laying on the ground.
 
 CUT TO:
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 95.
 
 
 SEQ. 2600 - JAMIE STILL BELIEVES
 
 EXT. JAMIE'S HOUSE - DUSK
 
 Jamie, atop a ladder, strains for what looks like an Easter
 egg, hiding in the rain gutter. The ladder totters and Jamie
 loses his balance, beginning to fall.
 
 JAMIE
 Whoaaa, whoa, whoa...aaaah!
 
 Jamie grabs the gutter but it breaks loose, sending Jamie
 crashing down into a mound of snow.
 
 As Jamie gets up off the ground, he sees that the Easter egg
 was in fact a dirty old tennis ball. Jamie stands up,
 bewildered, and dusts himself off as his friends LAUGH. A
 few have empty EASTER BASKETS.
 
 JAMIE
 Let's check the park again.
 
 CALEB
 Really?
 
 CLAUDE
 (ANNOYED)
 For what, the Easter Bunny?
 
 JAMIE
 Guys, I told you - I saw him! He's
 way bigger than I thought, and he's
 got these cool boomerang-things-
 
 CALEB
 Grow up, Jamie.
 
 CLAUDE
 (SIGHS)
 Ah man, seriously.
 
 JAMIE
 What's happened to you guys?
 
 CALEB
 It was a dream. You should be
 happy you still get dreams like
 that and not...
 
 They begin to turn away from him.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 96.
 
 
 CUPCAKE
 (HAUNTED)
 Nightmares.
 
 Pippa's the lone straggler. She looks tired, depressed, and
 hands Jamie her basket as she leaves.
 
 PIPPA
 Forget it, Jamie. There's just no
 Easter this year.
 
 CALEB (O.S.)
 I can't believe this.
 
 JAMIE
 He really is real!
 
 Pippa walks away, trailing the others. Jamie doesn't know
 what to believe. He hangs his head and looks into the Easter
 basket, it's empty.
 
 JAMIE (CONT'D)
 I know he is.
 
 
 INT. NORTH POLE - GLOBE ROOM - DAY
 
 Yetis stare at the globe of belief, in shock as more and more
 lights begin to fad away. We push in toward Antarctica as we-
 
 DISSOLVE TO:
 
 
 SEQ. 2304 - JACK IN ANTARCTICA
 
 
 EXT. ICEBERG - ANTARCTIC CIRCLE - DAY
 
 Jack runs to the edge of a floating iceberg, ready to throw
 his tooth box into the ocean. He resists, looking down at
 the box as he clutches it in his hand. He's never been more
 alone in his life.
 
 PITCH (O.S.)
 I thought this might happen.
 
 Pitch is revealed, standing not far behind Jack.
 
 PITCH (CONT'D)
 They never really believed in you.
 I was just trying to show you that.
 But I understand.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 97.
 
 
 Jack whips around and shoots a burst of frost at Pitch, but
 it's quickly deflected by the Nightmare sand.
 
 JACK
 You don't understand anything!
 
 Jack continues to attack, lashing out with his staff. Pitch
 blocks the attacks of ice and frost -- his control over the
 Nightmare sand has gained considerable strength.
 
 PITCH
 (SHOUTING)
 No? I don't know what it's like to
 be cast out?
 
 Pitch strikes back, putting Jack on the defense. Jack jumps
 in the air. Their show of force escalates until they're
 shrouded in a blanket of snow, ice, and wind. As the wind
 and snow settle, Jack looks around stern and alert.
 
 PITCH (O.S.)(CONT'D)
 To not be believed in. To long for
 a family.
 
 Jack turns around to find Pitch. There's a look of
 compassion on Jack's face as he listens.
 
 PITCH (CONT'D)
 All those years in the shadows I
 thought, no one else knows what
 this feels like. But now I see I
 was wrong.
 
 They lock eyes. A moment of true connection between them.
 
 PITCH (CONT'D)
 We don't have to be alone, Jack.
 
 This isn't a trick Pitch is making a real offer here.
 
 PITCH (CONT'D)
 I believe in you. And I know
 children will too.
 
 JACK
 In me?
 
 PITCH
 Yes! Look at what we can do!
 
 Pitch gestures to a fantastical ice and nightmare "sculpture"
 that was created (off-screen) when Jack attacked him.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 98.
 
 
 PITCH (CONT'D)
 What goes together better than cold
 and dark?
 
 Jack looks at the fractured reflections of themselves cast in
 the icy sculpture.
 
 PITCH (CONT'D)
 We can make them believe. We'll
 give them a world where everything,
 everything is...
 
 Jack turns to face Pitch.
 
 JACK
 (DEADPANS)
 Pitch black...
 
 Pitch, realizing how this looks, clarifies...
 
 PITCH
 And Jack Frost too. They'll
 believe in both of us.
 
 Jack stares at him, considering the offer. Then finally...
 
 JACK
 No, they'll fear both of us. And
 that's not what I want.
 
 Jack turns and walks away.
 
 JACK (CONT'D)
 Now for the last time, leave me
 alone.
 
 Pitch looks confused and hurt. This is not the response he
 was expecting. Then...his eyes flame with anger. He made
 himself vulnerable, and Jack rejected him. No more
 negotiating now.
 
 PITCH
 Very well. You want to be left
 alone? Done. But first...
 
 Suddenly Jack hears a familiar twitter. Pitch reaches into
 his coat to pull out...
 
 JACK
 Baby Tooth!
 
 Jack charges forward. There's terror in Baby Tooth's eyes.
 She squeaks as Pitch clenches her tight with his fist.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 99.
 
 
 PITCH
 The staff, Jack.
 
 Jack settles and the winds and snow subsides.
 
 PITCH (CONT'D)
 You have a bad habit of
 interfering. Now hand it over.
 (BEAT)
 And I'll let her go.
 
 BABY TOOTH
 (twitters - Don't give it to him!)
 
 Baby Tooth struggles to get loose, but Pitch only tightens
 his grip. She can hardly breathe. Jack has no choice.
 Jack...hands over...the staff.
 
 Pitch twirls the staff.
 
 JACK
 (re: Baby Tooth)
 Alright, now let her go.
 
 PITCH
 No. You said you wanted to be
 alone.
 (BEAT)
 So be alone!
 
 Baby Tooth squirms until she's finally able to peck Pitch in
 the hand with her beak. Pitch shrieks and throws Baby Tooth
 in the air and down into the mouth of a crevasse.
 
 JACK
 No!
 
 Jack, enraged, can't believe what he's seeing. Pitch lifts
 the staff, and breaks it over his knee, cracking it in two.
 Light EXPLODES from the staff and terror comes into Jack's
 eyes, clutching his chest as if in pain.
 
 Suddenly, Pitch sends a burst of Nightmare sand, blasting
 Jack and slamming him into the iceberg wall behind him. As
 the ice cracks, Jack comes loose and falls forward into the
 chasm below.
 
 Pitch looks down into the ice fissure chuckling. He throws
 the broken shards of Jack's staff down into the crevasse and
 casually walks away, disappearing on the horizon.
 
 CUT TO:
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 100.
 
 
 SEQ. 2308 - JACK'S MEMORY
 
 EXT. ICE FISSURE - NIGHT
 
 It's cold and dark down here, and Jack is more alone than
 he's ever been. Battered from the fall, Jack slowly looks up
 and notices Baby Tooth, lying lifelessly on the ground.
 
 JACK
 Baby Tooth!
 
 He pulls himself to her and cradles her in his hands.
 
 JACK
 You alright?
 
 Baby Tooth nods, but she's hurt, and cold. Jack does his
 best to shield her from the cold.
 
 JACK
 Sorry, all I can do is keep you
 cold.
 
 Jack sits up and holds Baby Tooth in his hands.
 
 JACK
 Pitch was right - I make a mess of
 everything.
 
 Jack is devastated. Baby Tooth's never seen him like this;
 it's heart breaking...then she gets a thought. Her
 expression hardens with determination.
 
 She wriggles deep into his pocket.
 
 JACK
 Hey?
 
 Jack leans back and begins to close his eyes when he hears
 SOMETHING --
 
 VOICE FROM A MEMORY
 Jack... Jack...
 
 -- and then he FEELS something. Looks down: There's a SOFT,
 GOLDEN GLOW coming from his pocket.
 
 Jack jumps, taken aback. He reaches in and pulls out the
 TOOTH BOX -- it's pulsing with light.
 
 VOICE FROM A MEMORY
 Jack...
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 101.
 
 
 Baby Tooth gives him a reassuring look.
 
 Baby Tooth motions to the box, then looks back at Jack. Jack
 reaches to touch the box, but as he does its top magically
 UNFOLDS to reveal a handful of BABY TEETH - then the box and
 everything else glows BRIGHT WITH INTENSE LIGHT -
 
 The WALLS of the fissure seem to suddenly fall away. In
 brief FLASHES we see: The COLONIAL SETTLEMENT Jack visited.
 Children running playfully down a hill.
 
 JACK'S MOTHER
 Come on Jack, you can't have fun
 all the time.
 
 
 CHILDREN'S LAUGHING FACES as a familiar BOY hangs upside down
 from a tree limb.
 
 JACK'S SISTER
 Jack, get down from there!
 
 A HAPPY FAMILY at a roaring fire as the same boy jokes around
 with antlers on his head.
 
 COLONIAL BOY (O.S.)
 You're funny, Jack.
 
 Jack walks toward the woods with his sister. His mother,
 face unseen, calls out to him.
 
 JACK'S MOTHER
 Be careful.
 
 Jack shakes his head like he's heard it a million times but
 never pays it any mind.
 
 JACK
 (LAUGHING)
 We will.
 
 AND THEN--
 
 
 START JACK'S MEMORY
 
 We are on an eye, a familiar eye but this one is brown not
 blue. PULL BACK to reveal young JACK, brown hair, brown
 eyes. He is staring directly at the camera, a look of...what
 is it? It's hard to read but it's VERY intense. We keep
 pulling back to reveal him dressed as we first saw him in
 16th century clothes. Behind him, dark winter trees and snow
 come in to focus.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 102.
 
 
 EXT. FROZEN POND - BURGESS - DAY
 
 JACK
 (calm, serious)
 It's okay. It's okay. Don't look
 down, just look at me.
 
 Jack reaches slowly down and removes the second of two
 rudimentary ice-skates, leaving him BAREFOOT on the surface
 of a familiar FROZEN pond. And now we see what he sees, a
 girl of about FOUR (with an uncanny resemblance to Jamie's
 sister Sophie) stands in her skates, rooted to the spot. A
 spider's web of cracks emanates from where she stands.
 
 JACK'S SISTER
 Jack, I'm scared.
 
 CRACCKKK! The ice below her splinters more. She wobbles as
 it starts to separate.
 
 JACK
 I know, I know...but you're gonna
 be alright. You're not gonna fall
 in. We're gonna have a little fun
 instead.
 
 JACK'S SISTER
 No we're not!
 
 JACK
 Would I trick you?
 
 JACK'S SISTER
 (fighting back tears)
 Yes! You always play tricks!
 
 JACK
 (CHUCKLES)
 Well, alright. Well, not, not this
 time. I promise. I promise,
 you're gonna be...you're gonna be
 fine.
 
 Jack fixes her gaze...holds it...there's nothing but the two
 of them.
 
 JACK
 You have to believe in me.
 
 Jack's sister pauses a moment, then smiles through her fear.
 
 And just like that, Jack's demeanor changes. A light is
 switched on inside him and the last thing that could be
 happening is what is actually happening.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 103.
 
 
 JACK (CONT'D)
 (casual, playfully)
 You wanna play a game? We're going
 to play Hopscotch! Like we play
 every day!
 
 Jack's sister looks more reassured.
 
 JACK (CONT'D)
 It's as easy as...one...whoaaaa...
 
 And Jack shows his sister the first leap, but mugs for her,
 almost losing his balance then catching himself. She laughs.
 
 JACK (CONT'D)
 Two...
 (the next jump)
 Three!
 
 He turns toward her with his arms spread out.
 
 JACK
 Alright...
 
 He reaches down to pick up a familiar-looking stick lying on
 the ice. He extends it towards her --
 
 JACK (CONT'D)
 Now it's your turn.
 
 Jack's sister looks down. She is trying to gather her
 courage. Jack, never breaking his gaze with her,
 
 JACK (CONT'D)
 (SOFTLY)
 One...
 
 She hops, wobbling, but catching her balance.
 
 JACK
 That's it, that's it...two...
 
 She's almost there, Jack's staff just beyond her reach.
 
 JACK
 Three.
 
 She grabs hold of Jack's staff and in one massive effort he
 slings her with all his might to safety. But the movement
 propels him into the cracked ice. He looks up to see his
 sister safe - smiles - and then plunges into the dark cold
 water.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 104.
 
 
 JACK
 Whoa...
 
 JACK'S SISTER
 Jack!
 
 Jack falls back into the icy water. SPLASH!
 
 
 UNDERWATER
 
 We're looking up at the hole in the ice, descending into the
 dark icy depths...then THE FULL MOON appears from behind the
 clouds as Jack's hands claw through the water towards it, but
 it's helpless. The MOON glows bright...brighter...
 
 Jack's BODY begins to glow, bathed in MOONLIGHT. PUSH IN on
 his FACE, becoming brighter and brighter until his brown hair
 turns white and JACK'S BRIGHT BLUE EYES flash open --
 
 
 EXT. MOUNTAIN FISSURE - NIGHT
 
 The icy walls rush back in as we pull out from Jack, reeling
 from the memory. He sees Baby Tooth.
 
 JACK
 Did you -- did you see that?
 
 She shakes her head `no', tweets `of course not'!
 
 JACK
 It -- it was me! I had a family!
 I had a sister!
 
 His excitement suddenly turns to realization.
 
 JACK
 I saved her!
 
 He looks up at the opening above. The MOON peeks out from
 behind the clouds.
 
 JACK
 (whispers up to Manny)
 That's why you chose me.
 (TO HIMSELF)
 I'm, I'm a Guardian.
 
 The Moon seems to shine a little BRIGHTER. Baby Tooth tries
 to take flight but she sputters and lands back in the palm of
 Jack's hand.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 105.
 
 
 JACK
 We have to get out of here.
 
 Jack looks down at the two halves of his staff, and picks
 them up. He tries to fit them back together, but nothing
 happens. He tries again, this time using every ounce of
 strength left in him. Baby Tooth watches, her eyes widening
 as, a SPARK of blue light shoots off the staff.
 
 Jack continues to push, until a the icy blue light spreads
 and melds the two ends of the staff back together. Jack
 smiles.
 
 
 EXT. ICEBERG - DAY
 
 Suddenly Jack, with Baby Tooth tucked safely in his tunic,
 SHOOTS UP out of the fissure, high into the sky and through
 the clouds.
 
 JACK
 Come on Baby Tooth! I owe you one.
 
 CUT TO:
 
 
 SEQ. 2500 - THE LAST LIGHT
 
 
 INT. PITCH'S LAIR - NIGHT
 
 A SERIES OF QUICK CUTS: The Mini Teeth TWITTER as Jack jumps
 from CAGE to CAGE, opening them as he goes. Jack opens
 another cage and notices the fairies standing still.
 
 JACK
 Come on, let's go.
 
 Jack looks around and notices that all of the Minis are still
 in their cages.
 
 JACK (CONT'D)
 What's wrong?!
 
 The fairies are just standing around, listless.
 
 JACK (CONT'D)
 None of you can fly?
 
 Baby Tooth directs Jack's attention to the Globe at the base
 of Pitch's lair.
 
 JACK
 The lights...
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 106.
 
 
 INT. NORTH POLE - FACTORY FLOOR
 
 A Yeti very carefully sets the last of a group of newly
 painted red robot dolls on a shelf. He breathes a sigh of
 relief.
 
 Suddenly, the entire factory begins to shake, knocking the
 robot doll to the ground. He dives after it, juggles it in
 the air, and catches it just before it hits the ground.
 
 Suddenly, streaks of BLACK SAND whoosh up into and around the
 factory. The dark sand snakes its way up and around the
 globe, causing the Yetis and Elves to scatter and knocking
 TOYS to the floor.
 
 The Yetis and Elves look up in horror as the black sand, now
 covering the globe, gives rise to Pitch, who stands before
 them cackling.
 
 PITCH
 You're all free to go! We won't be
 needing any Christmas toys this
 year, thank you! Nor ever again!
 
 The yeti with the robot dolls sinks his head and sighs in
 defeat.
 
 
 INT. PITCH'S LAIR - NIGHT
 
 Jack lands on the ground, now standing before PITCH'S GLOBE --
 and it looks almost completely devoid of light.
 
 JACK
 They're all going out...
 
 
 INT. NORTH POLE - DAY
 
 Pitch is practically dancing across North's globe, he's so
 giddy, counting down as the last few lights go dark.
 
 PITCH
 Only six left! Six precious
 children who still believe in the
 Guardians with all their h--
 (a lights blinks out)
 Make that, five.
 (ANOTHER)
 Oo! Four!
 (MOUNTING)
 Three!
 (ECSTASY)
 TWO!
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 107.
 
 
 His eyes widen as he snaps his fingers with anticipation and
 glee. All of his hard work and planning - finally paying
 off!
 
 Pitch stares down at the one last light, waiting for it to go
 out. He snaps his fingers a few more times. Still nothing.
 His smile fades. His face goes cold as he realizes...
 
 PITCH
 (TO HIMSELF)
 One.
 
 
 INT. PITCH'S LAIR - NIGHT
 
 Jack jumps up onto the globe to closely inspect the last
 light. The light is brought into full view. Jack smiles.
 
 JACK
 Jamie!
 
 We're tight on the globe, where the LAST LIGHT flickers. We
 PUSH IN to the light and...
 
 
 EXT. BURGESS - NIGHT
 
 ...down onto the streets of Burgess. We race over the town
 until we land on Jamie's house, a single light shining from
 his bedroom window.
 
 DISSOLVE TO:
 
 
 SEQ. 2000 - JACK AND JAMIE
 
 
 INT. JAMIE'S ROOM - CONTINUOUS
 
 Jamie is sitting up in bed, talking to an old stuffed rabbit,
 and whispering.
 
 JAMIE
 Okay look, you and I are obviously
 at what they call a crossroads, so
 here's what's gonna happen -
 
 Jack appears outside Jamie's window and moves closer to get a
 better look.
 
 JAMIE (CONT'D)
 If it wasn't a dream and if you are
 real, then you have to prove it.
 Like right now.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 108.
 
 
 Jamie waits. He looks around expectantly. Jack looks on
 from outside the window, wondering if anything will happen.
 
 JAMIE
 (desperation creeping in)
 I've believed in you for a long
 time, okay? Like my whole life in
 fact. So you kinda owe me now.
 
 Jamie picks up his stuffed rabbit and holds it close.
 
 JAMIE (CONT'D)
 You don't have to do much, just a
 little sign so I know. Anything.
 (BEAT)
 Anything at all.
 
 He waits. It's excruciating.
 
 JAMIE
 (A WHISPER)
 I knew it.
 
 Jamie lets the stuffed animal fall to the floor. Jack comes
 into the room and watches as the light slowly fades from
 Jamie's eyes, disbelief setting in.
 
 Jack doesn't know what to do. He takes a moment to
 concentrate, then enters the room.
 
 Then, Jamie notices the window as the panes of glass freeze
 over. The image of an Easter egg suddenly appears...
 
 JAMIE
 (seeing the window)
 Huh?
 
 Jamie looks down at the stuffed rabbit on the floor. He can
 barely comprehend what he's seeing. Jamie looks back to the
 window as more of the window panes frost over. Jamie's eyes
 get huge with amazement.
 
 JAMIE
 He's real.
 
 Jack, excited, continues to exert himself trying to bring
 life to his drawing. And when he does, the frost rabbit
 comes leaping off of the window.
 
 JAMIE
 Whoa...
 
 The rabbit hops around Jamie's room, bursting like a snowball
 over Jamie's head, the snowflakes sprinkling down on him.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 109.
 
 
 JAMIE
 Whoa!
 
 Jack is as amazed as Jamie. But Jamie's amazement turns to
 confusion.
 
 JAMIE
 Snow?
 
 A snowflake lands on the tip of Jamie's nose. The snowflake
 glows a magic blue. And in that moment a light comes into
 Jamie's eyes - an idea starts to take hold.
 
 JAMIE
 (WHISPER)
 Jack Frost?
 
 JACK
 (a stunned beat)
 Did he just say--?
 
 Jamie stands up on his bed.
 
 JAMIE
 Jack Frost.
 
 JACK
 (DISBELIEF)
 He said it again. He said --
 (BEAT)
 You said...
 
 Jamie turns around and suddenly his eyes go wide...
 
 JAMIE
 Jack Frost.
 
 JACK
 That's right! But-but that's me!
 Jack Frost! That's my name! You
 said my name!
 
 Jamie's mouth drops open. Only then does Jack realize...
 
 JACK
 Wait, can you hear me?
 (JAMIE NODS)
 Can you... Can you see me?
 (JAMIE NODS)
 He sees me. He sees me!
 
 Jack leaps for joy, and the room suddenly explodes with snow.
 Jamie can't believe it.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 110.
 
 
 JAMIE
 You just made it snow.
 
 JACK
 I know!
 
 JAMIE
 In my room.
 
 JACK
 I know!
 
 JAMIE
 You're real?
 
 JACK
 Yeah! Who do you think brings you
 all the blizzards and snow days,
 and you remember when you went
 flying on that sled the other day?!
 
 JAMIE
 That was you?
 
 JACK
 That was me!
 
 JAMIE
 Cool!
 
 JACK
 Right?!
 
 JAMIE
 But what about the Easter Bunny and
 the Tooth Fairy I mean--
 
 JACK
 Real-real-real! Every one of us is
 real!
 
 JAMIE
 I knew it!
 
 Jamie's mom calls from down the hall...
 
 JAMIE'S MOM (O.S.)
 Jamie, who are you talking to?
 
 JAMIE
 Um...Jack Frost.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 111.
 
 
 JAMIE'S MOM (O.S.)
 (a little chuckle)
 ...okay.
 
 Suddenly, the sound of thunder and North's sleigh as Jack and
 Jamie look to the open window.
 
 SMASH CUT TO:
 
 
 SEQ. 2800 - JACK AND GUARDIANS REUNITE
 
 EXT. STREETS OF BURGESS - NIGHT
 
 NORTH (O.S.)
 Whoa, whoa, whoa...
 
 NORTH AND TOOTH arrive on the sleigh completely out of
 control, and crash land outside Jamie's house.
 
 The reindeer are separated from the sleigh and run into the
 woods. A disheveled Tooth and North emerge from the
 wreckage.
 
 NORTH
 Ah, moi deti! Come back!
 
 As North stands, his back suddenly gives out.
 
 TOOTH
 North! Are you okay?
 
 NORTH
 Is official. My powers are kaput.
 
 TOOTH
 Look!
 (GASP)
 Jack!
 
 Jack comes flying toward them.
 
 TOOTH
 (flies to him)
 Jack--!
 
 Tooth falters and falls to the ground.
 
 JACK
 You okay?
 
 They greet each other with a smile as North draws near.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 112.
 
 
 NORTH
 What are you doing here?
 
 JACK
 Same as you.
 
 Jack looks off to the side as Jamie appears from out of his
 backyard.
 
 NORTH
 The last light!
 
 JAMIE
 (to North and Tooth)
 Wow! It is you! I mean it is you!
 I knew it wasn't a dream.
 
 NORTH
 Jack! He sees you!
 
 Jack puts a protective hand on Jamie's shoulder. Jamie looks
 up at him and smiles. Jack and North exchange a look.
 
 JACK
 Wait, but, where's Bunny?
 
 NORTH
 Losing Easter took its toll on all
 of us. Bunny most of all.
 
 Jack's face goes pale. North lowers his head in sadness.
 Then a twitchy-nosed LITTLE BUNNY appears on the sleigh.
 
 JACK
 Oh...no...
 
 JAMIE
 (CHUCKLES)
 That's the Easter Bunny?
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Now somebody sees me! I mean,
 where were you about an hour ago,
 mate?
 
 JAMIE
 What happened to him? He used to be
 huge and cool! And now he's cute.
 
 Jamie gently tickles Bunny under his chin. Bunny begins
 involuntarily thumping his paw.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Oh, that's good.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 113.
 
 
 Bunny catches himself and pushes Jamie's hands away.
 
 BUNNYMUND (CONT'D)
 (TO JACK)
 Did you tell him to say that?
 (hops over to Jack)
 That's it! Let's go! Me and you!
 Come on!
 
 JAMIE
 No! Actually he told me you were
 real. Just when I started to think
 that maybe you weren't.
 
 Bunny stops. Did he just hear that right?
 
 BUNNYMUND
 He made you believe? In me?
 
 A moment of reconciliation between them, broken by the sounds
 of THUNDER. The Guardians look to the sky to see Pitch
 enveloped by dark clouds as he stares down at them from atop
 a writhing mass of Nightmare sand.
 
 JACK
 (to the others)
 Get Jamie out of here.
 
 NORTH
 Be careful, Jack!
 
 Jack leaps into the air, and goes flying directly at Pitch.
 Meanwhile, the Guardians take Jamie to find shelter.
 
 
 ON PITCH
 
 His eyes flash with anger at see Jack coming toward him.
 
 PITCH
 Jack Frost! Let's end this, shall
 we?
 
 Pitch sighs as he rolls his eyes and flies down to meet Jack
 head on.
 
 
 EXT. STREETS OF BURGESS - NIGHT
 
 Jack sends a blast of ice and frost at Pitch as he barrels
 toward him. Pitch easily absorbs the attack with his
 Nightmare sand.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 114.
 
 
 PITCH
 That little trick doesn't work on
 me anymore.
 
 Jack's plan backfires as Pitch charges ahead and unleashes a
 roaring fury of Nightmare sand that knocks Jack out of the
 sky.
 
 
 EXT. STREETS OF BURGESS - MOMENTS LATER
 
 Jamie and the Guardians do their best to avoid the patrolling
 Nightmares. North struggles to keep up.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Quick, this way this way!
 
 Bunny leads them down an alley, but it's no use.
 
 BUNNYMUND (CONT'D)
 Dead end. Other way other way!
 
 Jack suddenly falls from the sky, lands on a dumpster, and
 falls limp to the ground. THUD! The others turn their
 attention and wince.
 
 JAMIE
 Jack!
 
 They rush to Jack and help him to his feet.
 
 NORTH
 That was good try, Jack! A for
 effort!
 
 JACK
 (groaning in pain)
 He's stronger. I can't beat him.
 
 North and Tooth trade looks of concern. Then, a menacing
 chuckle. The Guardians keep a watchful eye as Nightmare
 shadow streaks across the alley.
 
 PITCH (V.O.)
 All this fuss over one little boy.
 And still he refuses to stop
 believing.
 
 A CRACK of Thunder reveals the shadow of an approaching
 Nightmare as the sounds of hooves clacking against the ground
 echoes from the opposite end of the alley.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 115.
 
 
 PITCH
 Very well. There are other ways to
 snuff out a light.
 
 Bulbs start bursting as the arm of a shadow moves across the
 remaining lights in the alley. Terror in Jamie's eyes. What
 does that mean?
 
 BUNNYMUND
 If you want him, you're gonna have
 to go through me!
 
 With a finger raised, the shadow arm glides along the floor,
 curling around the back of Bunny.
 
 PITCH
 (laughing, genuinely)
 Look how fluffy you are! Would you
 like a scratch behind the ears?
 
 Bunny jumps back into North's arms.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Don't you even think about it!
 
 Pitch comes into view, riding atop Onyx. A gleeful smile
 strewn across his face.
 
 PITCH
 I can't tell you how happy it makes
 me to see you all like this. You
 look awful.
 
 They are weak and defenseless. But still the Guardians
 gather around Jamie, to shield him from whatever may come.
 
 JAMIE
 Jack, I'm scared.
 
 There's a sudden moment of realization. Jack has heard these
 words before.
 
 JACK'S SISTER (V.O.)
 Jack, I'm scared.
 
 CUT TO:
 
 
 EXT. FROZEN POND - FLASHBACK - DAY
 
 We pan up from the ice to find his sister as he saw her in
 his memory. She is smiling.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 116.
 
 
 JACK (V.O.)
 I know, I know. But you're gonna
 be alright...
 
 CUT TO:
 
 
 EXT. STREETS OF BURGESS - NIGHT
 
 Jack, wide eyed.
 
 JACK
 We're gonnna have a little fun,
 instead.
 (BEAT)
 That's it. That's my center.
 
 Jamie gives Jack a questioning look. What does Jack have in
 mind? Pitch gets closer.
 
 PITCH
 So what do you think, Jamie? Do
 you believe in the Boogiema...
 
 BOOF! A snowball suddenly hits Pitch in the face. Two
 Nightmares look at each, unsure how to react. Jamie can't
 help but snicker and North lets out a chuckle.
 
 Jack looks around the alley. He spots a wooden crate, a
 trash can lid and a discarded wok amidst a pile of trash.
 
 JACK
 Now let's go get your friends.
 
 Pitch wipes the snow from his face and looks up to see a
 track of ice leading out of the alleyway. Jack, Jamie and
 the Guardians are gone.
 
 SMASH CUT TO:
 
 
 EXT. THE STREETS AND ROOFTOPS OF BURGESS - NIGHT
 
 An aerial view of Burgess. The streets are empty and the
 city is quiet. Suddenly a streak of blue begins to
 materialize, making its way through the tranquil suburb.
 
 A man walks his dog across an empty street when suddenly a
 cold wind blows behind him. Jack and Jamie come flying past,
 leaving a trail of ice in their wake. And on that ice - the
 Guardians careen along in make-shift sleds. They are scared
 and thrilled, but they're having fun.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 117.
 
 
 JACK
 Yeah! Come on!
 
 JAMIE
 Whoa! Cool!
 
 
 INT. CUPCAKE'S BEDROOM - NIGHT - MOMENTS LATER
 
 A terrified Cupcake lies in bed awake. The Guardians'
 reflections streak across the window when suddenly, BOOF! A
 snowball strikes the pane of glass.
 
 Cupcake pulls the covers down to find that it's suddenly
 SNOWING inside! As the snow circles around Cupcake's head,
 she sits up and smiles.
 
 
 EXT. PIPPA'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
 
 Pippa sits in bed amazed as it snows in her room. She hears
 a KNOCK at her window and moves toward it to find Jamie
 floating outside.
 
 She throws open her window and looks down to the ground to
 reveal that they are two stories up.
 
 PIPPA
 Jamie, how are you doing that?!
 
 JAMIE
 Jack Frost! Come on, we need your
 help!
 
 Jamie takes off flying down the street, and as a snowflake
 lands on her nose she suddenly sees him.
 
 PIPPA
 Hey is, is that?
 
 MONTY (O.S.)
 Jack Frost!
 
 Pippa looks up to see Monty across the street with his head
 out the window and snow coming down in his room, a gaping
 smile across his face.
 
 
 EXT. CLAUDE AND CALEB'S HOUSE - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
 
 Caleb and Claude sit up in bed in amazement, staring at the
 snowflakes as they stream down from the ceiling.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 118.
 
 
 CLAUDE
 Huh?!
 
 THUD! The twins look down to find neatly wrapped gifts at
 the feet of their beds as a jolly voice bellows in the
 distance.
 
 NORTH (O.S.)
 Merry Christmas!
 
 The twins open their window, amazed to see their heroes sled
 past.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Happy Easter!
 
 TOOTH
 Don't forget to floss!
 
 Caleb looks to his brother, dumbfounded. Suddenly Cupcake
 skids past, laughing and screaming on her own sled.
 
 CLAUDE
 Cupcake?
 
 And so it goes through the town.
 
 CLAUDE
 (WALLA)
 Yeah!
 
 PIPPA (O.S.)
 Jamie you were right!
 
 CALEB
 The Easter Bunny's real!
 
 PIPPA (O.S.)
 And the Tooth Fairy!
 
 CLAUDE
 And Santa!
 
 MONTY (O.S.)
 They're all real!
 
 CUT TO:
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 119.
 
 
 SEQ. 2900 - SHOWDOWN
 
 EXT. STREETS OF BURGESS - MOMENTS LATER
 
 Jack, the Guardians, and the children all come to gliding
 halt on their sleds. They look up to see Pitch standing atop
 a building with a confident smile, while the clouds stir
 behind him.
 
 Monty, late to the party, comes running joyously past Jamie
 and the Guardians who stand in silence as they stare up at
 the sky.
 
 MONTY
 Whoa, yeaaaaaaaah!!!
 (sees Pitch, makes U-Turn)
 Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!
 
 PITCH
 You think a few children can help
 you? Against this!
 
 The Nightmare sand storm descends from the sky. North draws
 his sword, but the weight of the blade pulls him down. He
 can barely stand. Jack moves to North's side as they look
 back to Jamie, noticing the concern on his face.
 
 JACK
 They're just bad dreams, Jamie.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 And we'll protect you, mate.
 
 PITCH
 Aww, you'll protect them.
 (SMILES)
 But who will protect you?
 
 Jamie takes a moment to reflect while his friends look up at
 the sky in fear. Jack looks down, surprised, to see that
 Jamie has taken a position in FRONT of him.
 
 JAMIE
 I will.
 
 Suddenly, Jamie's friends move to join him.
 
 CUPCAKE
 I will.
 
 CALEB AND CLAUDE
 I will.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 120.
 
 
 PIPPA
 And me.
 
 MONTY
 (RELUCTANT)
 I'll try.
 
 The Guardians, amazed, watch as the kids squeeze past them.
 
 PITCH
 Still think there's no such thing
 as the boogeyman?
 
 Pitch's wave of Nightmare sand snakes its way through town
 causing destruction wherever it goes and converges toward a
 single point as it heads straight toward the kids.
 
 JAMIE
 I do believe in you. I'm just not
 afraid of you.
 
 Jamie thrusts out his hand toward the Nightmare wave. His
 friends follow suite, just as the Nightmare sand smashes into
 them. As it makes contact, the black sand...bursts into
 streams of GOLDEN DREAMSAND.
 
 KIDS
 (WALLA)
 Whoa...whoaaaa!
 
 Everyone is amazed, hardly believing their eyes. Streams of
 Dreamsand swirl around the children. And then it's
 pandemonium. The Nightmares buck and jump as the sand makes
 its way past them.
 
 
 ON PITCH
 
 He watches, aghast, as his precious Nightmares transform back
 into golden Dreamsand and makes its way across town.
 
 
 EXT. STREETS OF BURGESS - NIGHT
 
 Tooth, amazed, watches as her wings suddenly flutter with a
 resurgence of strength and energy. She takes off and flies
 past the kids who cheer her on.
 
 CUPCAKE
 (WALLA)
 Yeah, Tooth Fairy! Whooaaa!
 
 North's eyes widen. He straightens his back and unsheathes
 his scimitars.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 121.
 
 
 MONTY
 (WALLA)
 Whoa, yeah!
 
 
 ON PITCH
 
 PITCH
 No! Get them!
 
 Pitch gives a signal and sends another wave of Nightmares
 toward the Guardians.
 
 PITCH (CONT'D)
 Do your jobs!
 
 
 ON BUNNY
 
 The petite rabbit looks at himself, waiting to be
 transformed.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Oh yeah, come on, come on!
 
 When suddenly he's pursued by a snarling Nightmare.
 
 BUNNYMUND (CONT'D)
 Oh, crikey!
 
 Bunny takes off running.
 
 
 ON NORTH
 
 North throws two snowglobes down to the ground, through which
 an army of yetis and elves emerge.
 
 CALEB AND CLAUDE
 No way!
 
 
 ON BUNNY
 
 Bunny tries to scurry under a parked car in order to evade
 the attacking Nightmare, but he is snatched by his tail
 before he can get away.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 I'm just a bunny!
 
 Suddenly, Bunny transforms back to his normal size and whips
 out his boomerangs while being held upside down.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 122.
 
 
 BUNNYMUND (CONT'D)
 G'day, mate!
 
 Bunny kicks the Nightmare, flips into the air, and throws his
 boomerangs which slice through two more Nightmares, turning
 them to dust.
 
 Bunny drums his feet on the ground and an army of sentinel
 eggs suddenly rise up out of the earth. Caleb finds himself
 riding on top of one as they join the yetis and elves in
 battle.
 
 CALEB
 (WALLA)
 Whoa!
 
 BUNNYMUND
 (WALLA)
 Come on! Wooooohoooo!
 
 Elves riding toy ducks and planes come flying in overhead
 like bombardiers, turning Nightmares into puffs of black sand
 as they fly through them.
 
 The kids look to see a Nightmare charging toward them, only
 to stop in it's tracks once the kids turn to face it.
 
 CUPCAKE
 Let's get `em!
 
 KIDS
 Aaaaaahhhhhh!
 
 The kids, accompanied by two elves in a bike and side car,
 charge an incoming Nightmare. The elf behind the wheel
 lunges toward it, biting at its haunches.
 
 CUPCAKE
 (WALLA)
 Come on guys, we can do it!
 
 The kids put their hands on the Nightmare, turning it to
 Dreamsand.
 
 CUT TO:
 
 
 EXT. BUILDING ROOFTOP - NIGHT
 
 Pitch looks down with a smile at the chaos in the streets
 below. Suddenly, a THUD! Pitch turns toward the noise to
 see Jack on the roof.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 123.
 
 
 Jack quickly sends a streak of frost toward Pitch's
 Nightmares, disabling a few of them.
 
 CUT TO:
 
 
 EXT. STREETS OF BURGESS - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
 
 The Guardians turn toward the explosions of ice and snow
 taking place atop the surrounding buildings.
 
 CUT TO:
 
 
 EXT. BUILDING ROOFTOP - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
 
 Pitch begins to charge and responds with an attack of his
 own. Jack jumps to an adjacent roof and lets out another
 blast of ice.
 
 CUT TO:
 
 
 EXT. STREETS OF BURGESS - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
 
 BUNNYMUND
 (TO NORTH)
 All yours, mate.
 
 Bunny taps his foot on the ground and creates a rabbit hole
 for North and himself to travel through.
 
 CUT TO:
 
 
 EXT. BUILDING ROOFTOP - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
 
 Jack runs into Pitch as he rounds the corner of a chimney.
 Pitch let's a Nightmare arrow fly, which is suddenly
 deflected by Tooth as she flies through the area and takes
 out a few Nightmares of her own.
 
 JACK
 Thanks, Tooth!
 
 Suddenly, Bunny comes flying out of a nearby chimney, drawing
 his boomerang as he lands.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 (THROWING BOOMERANG)
 Ho, ho, HO!
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 124.
 
 
 The Nightmares surrounding Pitch explode into dust as the
 boomerang tears through them.
 
 CUT TO:
 
 
 EXT. BUILDING ROOFTOP - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
 
 North shoots out of a bunny hole, his scimitars at the ready,
 only to have landed on a roof some distance from the
 Guardians.
 
 NORTH
 Hyah!
 (LOOKS AROUND)
 Wrong roof.
 
 CUT TO:
 
 
 EXT. BUILDING ROOFTOP - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
 
 Pitch tries to escape the attacking Guardians and slips into
 a nearby shadow, emerging through the side of the building.
 North jumps off the roof to greet him mid-air with his
 scmitars.
 
 CUT TO:
 
 
 EXT. STREETS OF BURGESS - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
 
 Pitch is knocked to the ground. As he gets to his feet he
 forms a scythe with his Nightmare sand and begins crossing
 swords with North.
 
 In an instant Pitch finds himself surrounded by the
 Guardians. Each of them take their turn to deal Pitch a few
 humiliating blows.
 
 
 EXT. STREETS OF BURGESS - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
 
 Jamie looks over Caleb's shoulder as a wisp of Dreamsand
 leaves his palms and rises into the air.
 
 CALEB
 Look at that!
 
 JAMIE
 (gets an idea)
 I got it.
 (off their confused looks)
 (MORE)
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 125.
 JAMIE (CONT'D)
 I know what we have to do! Guys,
 come on!
 
 Jamie leads his friends as they follow the streams of
 Dreamsand down the street toward the growing mass of golden
 sand.
 
 CUT TO:
 
 
 EXT. STREETS OF BURGESS - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
 
 The Guardians advance toward Pitch.
 
 JACK
 It's over Pitch! There's no place
 to hide.
 
 Pitch give them a wry smile and quickly descends into the
 shadows, casting multiple versions of himself along the alley
 walls.
 
 Suddenly, in their moment of distraction, Pitch rises up
 behind Jack, his Nightmare sand AXE in hand.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Jack, look out!
 
 The other Guardians look on in horror as--
 
 A golden whip wraps itself round Pitch's hands. We follow
 the whip to reveal Sandy, coalescing from the funnel cloud of
 Dreamsand. He gives Pitch a look, wags his finger, and then
 uppercuts him into the air.
 
 KIDS (O.S.)
 (WALLA)
 Whoa! The Sandman!
 
 Sandy looks off to the side to where Jamie and his friends
 have gathered. He forms a Dreamsand hat and tips the cap to
 Jamie. Jamie, gleeful, waves back to Sandy as his friends
 stand behind him in awe.
 
 KIDS
 (WALLA)
 Man, this is so cool! Yeah,
 alright! Wahoo! Wow!
 
 Sandy then looks to his whip and tugs on it, slamming Pitch
 into the ground and knocking him out. The Guardians cheer as
 they welcome Sandy's return.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 126.
 
 
 NORTH
 Welcome back, old friend!
 
 JACK
 (STUNNED)
 Sandy.
 
 TOOTH
 Oh, Sandy. You're alright!
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Sandy, come here!
 
 JACK
 Yeah!
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Mate, you are a sight for sore
 eyes!
 
 Sandy floats into the air, and shoots streams of Dreamsand in
 every direction.
 
 
 INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
 
 A wisp of Dreamsand floats into a child's bedroom and touches
 his forehead while he sleeps. Suddenly, a Dreamsand figure
 forms above the child's head, it's the Tooth Fairy.
 
 
 INT. PITCH'S LAIR - CONTINUOUS
 
 Lights begin to appear on the globe. Baby Tooth notices
 this, and perks up. Her wings start to flutter.
 
 Other fairies begin to fly. They shoot down to the tooth
 boxes and begin opening them. We see one of the faces on a
 box, and transition to the actual child who she goes from sad
 to happy as her fondest memories flood back. We zoom out of
 her face to see thousands of fluttering fairies and...
 
 CUT TO:
 
 
 EXT. STREETS OF BURGESS - NIGHT
 
 Sophie peers out of her bedroom window, watching as streams
 of Dreamsand dance along the Burgess skyline.
 
 SOPHIE
 Pretty!
 
 CUT TO:
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 127.
 
 
 EXT. STREETS OF BURGESS - NIGHT
 
 More and more windows begin to shine bright with gold as
 swirls of Dreamsand fill the night sky. We pull back to
 reveal the globe in North's sleigh, now decorated with spots
 of yellow light.
 
 CUT TO:
 
 
 EXT. STREETS OF BURGESS - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
 
 A Nightmare comes barreling towards Cupcake. It screeches to
 a halt, inches from the girl's face. She gently taps the
 creature on the nose and turns into a Dreamsand Unicorn.
 
 CUPCAKE
 Whoa...
 
 A gigantic Dreamsand dinosaur foot comes down revealing a
 Dreamsand brontosaurus. As Dreamsand creatures fill the
 streets, the Guardians and children rejoice.
 
 MONTY
 (WALLA)
 Yeah!
 
 Jamie stands in awe of a school of beautiful Dreamsand fish
 as they float by. Suddenly, he's hit in the head with a
 snowball. He turns to look and sees Jack, smiling. Jamie
 picks up a snowball and throws it at his friends. Almost
 instantaneously, a snowball fight ensures.
 
 CLAUDE
 (WALLA)
 Oh yeah? Bring it on!
 
 Sandy salutes Jack and North, who are standing off to the
 side while the snowball fight escalates.
 
 NORTH
 Your center?
 
 JACK
 It took awhile, but I figured it
 out.
 
 North tosses Jack a small item. Jack catches it and looks to
 his open palm, it's a Russian nesting doll in the image of
 Jack, similar to those found in North's workshop. Jack
 smiles and North gives him a wink in return.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 128.
 
 
 BOOF! North is suddenly hit by a snowball and turns. He
 sees Claude, Caleb, and an elf; they immediately point
 fingers at each other.
 
 CALEB AND CLAUDE
 Ooohhh.
 
 A beat, until North bursts out in laughter.
 
 NORTH
 (LAUGHING)
 You're all on naughty list.
 (TO BUNNY)
 Bunny, think fast!
 
 He throws a snowball, which hits Bunny smack in the face.
 
 Pitch groans in pain, and rises up to see the town crawling
 with Dreamsand creatures, snowballs flying and yetis playing.
 
 PITCH
 (TO HIMSELF)
 No.
 
 He whips around to see the kids - having the time of their
 lives - and no fear in their eyes. He rises up, his entire
 body shaking with rage, and screams at them.
 
 PITCH (CONT'D)
 You dare have fun in my presence!
 I am the Boogeyman! AND YOU WILL
 FEAR ME!
 
 He lunges at Jamie who come running toward him, Pitch's hands
 outstretched as if he's going to grab him by the throat. But
 Jamie runs right through him, laughing, joyous.
 
 PITCH (CONT'D)
 Noooo!
 
 Pitch gasps, realizing that he no longer has any power over
 the children. The devastation plays across his face.
 
 PITCH (CONT'D)
 (under his breathe)
 No.
 
 He sees the Guardians approach, standing side by side with
 one another. Pitch turns and flees into the forest.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 129.
 
 
 EXT. POND - NIGHT
 
 Pitch runs through the shadows in terror. He comes crashing
 through the trees of the forest, and out onto the ice of the
 pond. He looks over his shoulder to see if the Guardians are
 on his tail, when BOOM! He runs smack into North's chest.
 
 Pitch slips on the ice, and falls backwards. He looks up to
 see North smiling down at him.
 
 NORTH
 Leaving the party so soon?
 
 TOOTH
 You didn't even say goodbye.
 
 Tooth tosses something to Pitch which he catches. He looks
 down. It's a quarter.
 
 PITCH
 A quarter?
 
 BLAM. A fist punches him right in the jaw, and a single
 tooth goes skittering across the ice. Tooth shakes out her
 hand.
 
 TOOTH
 And that's for my fairies.
 
 PITCH
 (SCOWLS)
 You can't get rid of me! Not
 forever! There will always be
 fear!
 
 NORTH
 So what? As long as one child
 believes, we will be here to fight
 fear!
 
 PITCH
 Really? Then what are they doing
 here?
 
 Hundreds of Nightmares emerge from the woods, surrounding the
 pond. It's terrifying, but the Guardians seem unphased.
 
 NORTH
 They can't be my Nightmares, I'm
 not afraid.
 
 JACK
 Looks like it's your fear they
 smell.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 130.
 
 
 Suddenly, Pitch's eyes get huge with terror as the Nightmares
 move in on him. He begins to back away, but the Nightmares
 pick up speed as they charge toward him.
 
 PITCH
 Ahhh, no....AAAAAHHHHHH!!
 
 He tries to run, but it's impossible to get his footing on
 the ice. He falters, and is swept up in the stampede of
 Nightmares. The streaks of black whip and latch themselves
 onto Pitch as the black cloud carries him through the forest.
 
 PITCH (CONT'D)
 No, no, nooooooo!
 
 Pitch struggles to escape, but the mass of black sand pulls
 him deep into the forest, under the frame of the broken bed,
 and back down into the dark depths of the underground. He
 looks up at the moon as he disappears and the hole in the
 earth seals itself up.
 
 CUT TO:
 
 
 SEQ. 3200 - THE OATH
 
 
 EXT. POND - THE MOON
 
 Pale and faint in the day, but oddly close and welcoming. It
 can't be, but -- is that the barest hint of a FACE on the
 Moon? Jack smiles as he looks up at it. He hears Tooth's
 laugh and turns to find North, Tooth, Bunny and Sandy, their
 faces shining with pride.
 
 Tooth comes flying in to give Jack a hug. She lifts him off
 the ground as they embrace. They share a moment and she soon
 recoils with giddy embarrassment as Baby Tooth interjects.
 
 Jack acknowledges Baby Tooth and gently pats her on the side
 of her face as North steps forward.
 
 NORTH
 Are you ready now, Jack?
 (BEAT)
 To make it official.
 
 Jack looks over, a stern elf is hitting a horn against his
 palm. A Yeti hands North the book we saw when Jack and the
 Guardians first met. Sandy and Bunny share a boastful look.
 
 NORTH (CONT'D)
 Then is time you take Oath.
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 131.
 
 
 North opens the book, flips through several pages, and takes
 a moment before he speaks.
 
 NORTH (CONT'D)
 (TO JACK)
 "Will you, Jack Frost...vow to
 watch over the children of the
 world?
 
 Jamie and his friends along with a crowd of yetis, elves, and
 eggs all make their way across the pond to the rest of the
 group. As they approach we see settle on Jamie, who stands
 at the center of the group.
 
 NORTH (CONT'D)
 To guard them with your life -
 their hopes, their wishes, and
 their dreams? For they are all
 that we have, all that we are and
 all that we will ever be."
 
 Jack takes a second to look back at Jamie, then back to
 North.
 
 JACK
 I will.
 
 NORTH
 Then congratulations, Jack Frost -
 for you are now and forevermore...a
 Guardian.
 
 Jamie and the kids erupt in a CHEER, as do the Yetis and
 Eggs.
 
 KIDS
 (WALLA)
 Oh man! Woo! Yeah, Jack! Yeah,
 Jack! Yeah! Wooo!
 
 NORTH
 (WALLA)
 Yippa!
 
 BUNNYMUND
 (WALLA)
 Yeah! Wooo! Good job, mate. Good
 job!
 
 KIDS
 (WALLA)
 Alright! Yeah! Go, Jack!
 Alright! Woo. Alright!
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 132.
 
 
 NORTH
 Klasno!
 
 North picks up Jack, gives him a hug, and kisses him on both
 cheeks. Jack winces, then looks up to North with a smile.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 (WALLA)
 That's my boy! Woo!
 
 KIDS
 (WALLA)
 Alright Jack. Yeah! Awesome!
 
 Imitating North, an elf picks up the elf standing next to him
 and gives him a big kiss. After an awkward pause, the
 affectionate elf is punched in the face.
 
 Jack looks to see several fairies hovering nearby, forming
 the shape of a heart. One of the swooning fairies faints and
 falls to the ground.
 
 TOOTH
 Keep it together, girls.
 
 KIDS
 (WALLA)
 Jack! You did it Jack! Wooo!
 You're in the Guardians! Yeah,
 Jack! Yay! Yeah! You earned it!
 You're Jack Frost! Yay! Awesome,
 yay!
 
 CALEB
 (WALLA)
 You guys, look!
 
 MONTY
 (WALLA)
 That's Santa's sleigh.
 
 The group looks up to the sky as North's sleigh comes in for
 a landing. The tie-dyed elf rescues a lone egg from the skis
 of the sleigh as it glides across the icy pond.
 
 KIDS
 (WALLA)
 Wow, it's real. That is wicked!
 Whoa, that was awesome! Ohh...can
 you believe this? Whoa, did you
 guys see that? That's awesome!
 Wow! Whoa!
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 133.
 
 
 BUNNYMUND
 (to North, wryly)
 Everyone loves the sleigh.
 
 KIDS
 (WALLA)
 Wow! Look at that! So totally
 insane!
 
 North turns away from Bunny and puts his hand on Jack's
 shoulder.
 
 NORTH
 Time to go.
 
 As the kids look on in wonder, Sandy throws up his hands
 creating a shower of Dreamsand, which drifts down on the
 children.
 
 KIDS
 (WALLA)
 Whoa! It's beautiful. Wow, that
 was awesome!
 
 Meanwhile, Bunny hands an egg to Sophie who giggles and pats
 the brim of his nose.
 
 BUNNYMUND
 Happy Easter ya little anklebiter.
 I'm gonna miss yah.
 
 SOPHIE
 Bye, bye, bunny.
 
 Jamie realizes what's about to happen.
 
 JAMIE
 You're leaving? But, what if Pitch
 comes back?
 
 Jack looks back at Jamie, who seems wistful and worried.
 
 JAMIE (CONT'D)
 What if we stop believing again?
 If I can't see you --
 
 Jack kneels down to look Jamie in the eye.
 
 JACK
 Hey, hey, slow down, slow down.
 You telling me you stop believing
 in the moon when the sun comes up?
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 134.
 
 
 JAMIE
 (considers, then)
 No.
 
 JACK
 Okay, well do you stop believing in
 the sun when clouds block it out?
 
 JAMIE
 (SMILES)
 No.
 
 JACK
 We'll always be there, Jamie. And
 now...we'll always be here.
 (points to Jamie's heart)
 Which kind of makes you a Guardian
 too.
 
 Jamie smiles. Jack stands up and heads toward the sleigh.
 Jamie's friends stand off to the side rubbing their eyes as
 they become drowsy.
 
 KIDS
 (WALLA)
 I can't keep my eyes open. I think
 I gotta go home. Let's go home.
 What time is it? I'm sleepy.
 
 JAMIE
 Jack!
 
 Jamie runs over and wraps his arms around Jack. For a
 moment, Jack's astonished and then gives Jamie a warm
 embrace. Jack stands up and gets in the sleigh with the rest
 of the Guardians.
 
 NORTH
 Hyah!
 
 Jack and the Guardians look toward the kids as the sleigh
 takes off. Jamie RUNS behind the sleigh, following Jack. In
 spite of it all, he doesn't want to let go. The sleigh takes
 off into the sky. Jamie stops unable to follow.
 
 KIDS
 (WALLA)
 Woooo! Yeah! Yay!
 Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 135.
 
 
 IN SLEIGH
 
 JACK (V.O.)
 My name is Jack Frost. And I'm a
 Guardian. How do I know that?
 Because the moon told me so. And
 when the moon tells you something,
 believe it.
 
 Jack moves to the back of the sleigh as the Guardians pat him
 on the back. Jack smiles...and forms a snowflake in his
 hand. For Jamie, for all of us in the theatre. It glides
 off his fingertips and flies toward camera as we...
 
 FADE TO WHITE
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