Chace The Fox (1989)

Chace The Fox is a 1989 action-adventure comedy film that is based on the book Chace The Fox & The Gem (1909) by B&W Pictures, Chace The Fox (1972) by Chace!, and The Puppet (1912) by Zing Corporation. The movie is produced by Chace! Studios and Zing Pictures, and it is distributed by 20th Century Fox. The story revolves around Chace, an anthropomorphic fox who must harness his powers after discovering that he is destined to succeed his father. Additionally, Puppet, an anthropomorphic lizard in the form of a puppet, decides to leave his job upon finding out that his hometown, Zing Town, is under threat from an evil mastermind named Xerox. Xerox, an anthropomorphic white fox resembling a kitsune, is determined to conquer Zing Town.
The production of Chace The Fox commenced in 1982. Chace! and Zing were responsible for producing the film under a distributor. In 1983, MGM made an offer to distribute the film, however, in 1984, MGM withdrew their offer. Eventually, in 1986, three production companies, namely 20th Century Fox, Warner Bros. Pictures, and Paramount Pictures, stepped in and offered to distribute the film. In 1987, 20th Century Fox distributed the film in the United States, while Warner Bros. handled distribution in Canada, and Paramount took charge of distribution in the UK. Originally planned for a 1988 release, the film was postponed to 1989 as Chace! Studios had to rearrange its schedule to prioritize its arcade games. 
== Plot ==
=== Flashback of Xerox ===
=== Chace's Ritual ===
=== Xerox Takeover ===
=== Meeting Puppet ===
=== The Path of The Gem ===
=== First Battle ===
=== The Power ===
=== Final Battle ===
=== The True Succesor ===
== Cast ==
Chace Zing (the former owner of the company) as Chace the Fox, The Puppet, Thunderagers, The Meeks, and the Element Overpowered Team.
Voices for Sonic the Hedgehog characters are unknown.
== Production ==
=== Development & Writing ===
Production of the film "Chace The Fox" commenced under the helm of Chace! Zing Corp. in 1980. Originally proposed to ZiNG Pictures in 1969, the project was unfortunately scrapped due to financial constraints. Chace! Zing Corp. enlisted Don Bluth as the director and Gary Goldman as the screenwriter for the film.
=== Original production with MGM ===
Chace! Zing Corp. required additional studio assistance for the film production, leading to the involvement of MGM. However, MGM withdrew from the project weeks later, prompting Fox to step in as the replacement studio.
=== Drawing ===
The studio Chace! Zing Corp. began its writing process in a desolate wasteland with molten lava flowing beneath the surface. However, when the concept of introducing additional characters was brought up, the barren wasteland was transformed into a lush forest, complete with a towering volcano. The intention is for the scene with the lava to eventually transition the forest back into the abandoned idea that was previously mentioned, all due to Xerox's malevolent gem power.
=== Characters ===
Chace! decided to expand the storyline beyond just the character, Chace The Fox, by introducing Puppet the Lizard and Sonic the Hedgehog. However, Sonic ended up having a minor role in the film due to his previous appearances in minor episodes of Chace The Fox. The studio then began brainstorming ideas for the antagonist's character and appearance. Initially, the plan was for the antagonist to be a Mink who sought to steal the gem in order to gain power and replace Chace The Fox. However, this idea was discarded in favor of Xerox the Wolf, who aims to use the gem to dominate the world.
=== Final ===
The film underwent several title changes before settling on the final one, including options like Chace The Fox: The Movie, which were eventually shortened to simply Chace The Fox.
== Release ==
The theatrical release of the film took place on July 11, 1989, while its VHS release was aimed at promoting THX certification by Fox Video. Following the release of The Puppet Movie, THX certification was further promoted when Chace The Fox film was released as a Special Edition on DVD. In 2024, a reprint of Chace The Fox was released alongside its spin-offs (The Puppet Movie, The Meeks, Sonic the Hedgehog live action films) and the live action adaptation released in 2023.
== Reception ==
The film got a A+ by Cinemascore, and rating of 100%, the film won the Annie awards, and Oscar awards, later on The Puppet Movie won another of the awards.
== Legacy & Future ==
Following the success of Chace The Fox, Chace! decided to create a spin-off centered around the character Puppet. This spin-off was released in 1994. Additionally, a sequel to The Puppet Movie started development in 1995 and filming commenced in April 2024. Another spin-off called The Meeks was released in 2024. Thunderagers, who appeared to promote Chace The Fox and Weather forecasts, began production in November 2023 and is expected to be released in 2024. Two spin-off video games were also released: Sonic the Hedgehog in 1991 and Overpowered, which is anticipated to be released in either 2024 or 2025. Initially, there were plans for a Live Action film based on the 1989 Chace The Fox film to be released in 2005. However, it was ultimately canceled due to concerns that it would not meet expectations. In 2023, a live action version of Chace The Fox was released, featuring the same character design as the 2020 live action Sonic the Hedgehog film. Furthermore, a sequel for the 2023 live action adaptation of Chace The Fox began development in May 2024.
== Trivia ==
* This is the first film to:
** be released by Chace! Studios
** be distributed by 20th Century Fox
** be Traditionally Animated
** be hand-drawn
** have the 1989 Chace! Studios logo
** have the 1981 TCF logo
* This is the only Chace! film to:
** be Traditionally Animated and Anime
*** not counting OVAs.
** be Released in the 1980s.
** Have the long 1982 TCF fanfare.
== Gallery ==
Chace The Fox (1989)/Gallery
Category:1989
Category:Animated Films
Category:Traditionally Animated Films
Category:20th Century Fox
Category:July
Category:Chace The Fox/The Meeks Series
Category:Chace! Studios
Category:US
Category:UK
Category:Canada
Category:Action-Adventure Films
Category:Comedy