Avery (2002 film)

Avery is a 2002 anime mystery drama film directed by Hiroaki Gōda and written and co-produced by Garrett Fredrickson and David Kirschner. It was the first film to be produced by the former. It features the voices of Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Elisha Cuthbert, Kenneth Mars, Peter Gallagher, Juliette Lewis, Dorian Harewood, Alan Tudyk and Jonathan Freeman. The film's story follows a boy named Benjamin Newton, who moves with his father, Michael, to a town known as Sallow Heights. One day, he meets a girl named Avery Stephens, an enigmatic girl with an unclear past who intrigues him with her mysterious personality and aura. Strange things mysteriously begin to happen in Sallow Heights, with the conclusion being drawn to a conspiracy, so Benjamin and Avery partner to try and unravel the mystery before it gets out of hand.
The film was a co-production between Nightstorm Productions, David Kirschner Productions, Newmarket Capital Group and Anime International Company. It was initially planned for a small limited release by Newmarket Films, but after it's premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on May 21, 2002, the film caught the attention of Screen Gems Pictures, who acquired the film for a wider release. After it's Cannes premiere, Avery was released to theaters in Japan on August 24 and in the United States on September 6. It grossed $75.2 against a meager $8 million budget.
== Plot ==
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== Production ==
The concept for the film was initially developed by producer and co-writer David Kirschner, from an idea he had to "popped in his head" one day. During the mid 1990s, Kirschner reached out to Garrett Fredrickson, the director of Rise of the Mages and LA's Biggest Con, about working on a future project together. Whilst discussing projects over a lunch one day, he told Fredrickson about the idea he had, and he decided to help turn the concept into a feature film.
Kirschner and Fredrickson both collaborated on the initial script, whilst adjustments were made by them later on. Though Fredrickson wanted to direct the film, he was busy working on A Boy's Angel for United Artists at the time, so instead, he shopped the concept around to other anime production houses to see if they were interested. Ultimately, arrangements were made with Anime International Company to produce the film, with Hiroaki Goda hired to direct, and another financing deal was made with Newmarket Capital Group and Summit Entertainment, who both financed the film in exchange for the distribution rights.
== Release ==
Avery had it's world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on May 21, 2002. Initially, the film was planned for a limited theatrical release in the United States via the film's co-financer, Newmarket Films, but it's success during it's premiere at the festival caught the interest of Sony Pictures, who decided to pick the film up for wider distribution with Newmarket's approval.
The film later went into a general release in Japan on August 24, 2002, where it was distributed by Nippon Herald Films. Screen Gems Pictures released the film in the United States on September 6 of that year, where the film played in 1,846 theaters.
=== Home media releases ===
* 2003 Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment VHS/DVD
* 2005 Sony Pictures Home Entertainment UMD Video
* 2012 Image Entertainment Blu-ray/DVD (Under license from Sony Pictures; DVD reprint of 2003 DVD)
* 2019 Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Blu-ray
Category:2002 films
Category:2002 anime films
Category:Anime International Company films
Category:Anime International Company
Category:Nightstorm Productions
Category:Newmarket Films
Category:Newmarket Films films
Category:Screen Gems
Category:Screen Gems films
Category:Summit Entertainment
Category:Summit Entertainment films
Category:Nippon Herald Films
Category:Carl Andy timeline