The 20th Century Limited

Theatrical release poster

***The 20th Century Limited*** is a 2029 American animated Christmas musical adventure film co-written, co-produced, and directed by Dante Stockton. It is the [TBA] installment in *The Adventures of Team DantyDant* and the sequel to [TBA] (202X). The film is based loosely on the 1985 children's book, *The Polar Express*, by Chris Van Allsburg, its 2004 film adaptation by Robert Zemeckis, and the 2024 animated film, *The Empire State Express*, by Jonah Campbell. The film stars eight characters; three from Nintendo's *Mario* video game franchise, one from Disney's *The Lion King* (1994), one from the *Ice Age* film franchise, two from the animated television series, *Family Guy*, and one from *My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic*, along with characters from *Sanjay and Craig* in supporting roles. Set on Christmas Eve in 2029, it tells the story about a group of six friends who are trying to escape from two evil mermaids and see a historical passenger train bound for the North Pole and are invited aboard by its conductor. The gang joins several other friends as they embark on a journey to visit Santa Claus preparing for Christmas. The film's ensemble voice cast includes TBA1, TBA2, Matthew Broderick, Denis Leary, Seth Green, Mila Kunis, TBA7, and TBA8 reprising their respective roles of Mario, Luigi, Simba, Diego, Chris, Meg, Rosalina, and Twilight Sparkle from previous films. The returning cast is joined by TBA9, Bruce Campbell, TBA11, and Patrick Breen who voice the new characters introduced in this film. The film also marks Alan Rickman's last acting role before his death, and the film was thus dedicated to his memory.

## Synopsis

Wondering if Santa Claus is real, Mario and Luigi embark on a huge, amazing, magical, fun-filled, extraordinary adventure to the North Pole on the New York Central's *20th Century Limited* during the night of Christmas Eve, long after the town has gone to sleep. Bringing their four devoted friends along, the journey involves many fun activities that the gang does together to make the best of it, which includes skiing, roasting marshmallows over campfires, drinking hot chocolate, storytelling, and lots more. However, this adventure isn't all fun and games. The gang also has a mission to complete, which is escaping from the two evil mermaids, Rosalina and Twilight Sparkle, who are both trying to get Mario and Luigi, and then later on the whole gang, for unknown reasons! Nobody knows what in the world this evil duo is trying to do to the gang, but whatever it is, it must be really bad! The gang must do everything they can to keep themselves happy and occupied on their trip to the North Pole all while avoiding the evil duo of mermaids whose sole purpose is to get the gang. What will the six brave adventurers and two evil mermaids do? Watch the movie to find out!

## Characters (in progress)

### Starring roles

* Mario
* Luigi
* Simba
* Diego
* Chris Griffin
* Meg Griffin
* Rosalina
* Twilight Sparkle

### Featuring

* Leo Gallagher
* Sanjay Patel
* Craig Slithers
* The Conductor
* Dwayne LaFontant
* Shaw Buchanan
* Santa Claus
* Yoshi
* Geppetto
* Widow Tweed
* Should there be a Rescue Pack replacement?
* Should there be a Click replacement?

### Appearing roles

* Elf John
* Elf Janet
* Elf Blake
* Ms. Stallard
* Ms. Forri
* Mufasa
* Sarabi
* (Character) replacing Alex
* (Character) replacing Marty
* (Character) replacing Leo
* (Character) replacing June
* (Character) replacing Quincy
* (Character) replacing Annie
* (Character) replacing Fred Jones
* (Character) replacing Daphne Blake
* (Character) replacing Velma Dinkley
* (Character) replacing Shaggy Rogers
* (Character) replacing Scooby-Doo
* (Character) replacing Bob The Builder
* (Character) replacing Scoop
* (Character) replacing Muck
* (Character) replacing Dizzy
* (Character) replacing Roley
* (Character) replacing Lofty
* (Character) replacing Miss Frizzle
* (Character) replacing Arnold Perlstein
* (Character) replacing Ralphie Tennelli
* (Character) replacing Wanda Li
* (Character) replacing Dorothy-Ann Hudson
* (Character) replacing Carlos Ramón
* (Character) replacing Phoebe Terese
* (Character) replacing Tim Wright
* (Character) replacing Keesha Franklin
* Should there be a Dallas replacement?
* Should there be a Gwen replacement?

## Plot (in progress)

### Opening Narration

"On Christmas Eve, many years ago, me and my brother, Luigi, both slept quietly in our bed. We did not rustle the sheets. We both breathed slowly and silently. We were listening for a sound we were afraid we'd never hear: the ringing bells of Santa's sleigh."

### Storyline (in progress)

Mario, Luigi, and Yoshi all joyfully ring the bell, but Geppetto and Tweed don't hear it because they don't believe in Santa Claus. Mario reflects on his and Luigi's friends at school and even Yoshi eventually growing deaf to the bell over the years as their belief in Santa Claus faded. However, despite the fact Mario and Luigi are now adults, the bell still rings for them, as it does "for all who truly believe".

### Closing Narration

"At one time, most of our friends could hear the bell. But as years passed, it became silent for all of them. Even Yoshi found, one Christmas, that he could no longer hear its beautiful sound. Though me and Luigi have both grown old, the bell still rings for us. As it does for all who truly believe."

## Voice Cast (in progress)

1. (Actor) as Mario
2. (Actor) as Luigi
3. Matthew Broderick as Simba
4. Denis Leary as Diego
5. Seth Green as Chris Griffin
6. Mila Kunis as Meg Griffin
7. (Actress) as Rosalina
8. (Actress) as Twilight Sparkle
9. (Actor) as Leo Gallagher
10. Bruce Campbell as Sanjay Patel
11. (Actor) as Craig Slithers
12. Patrick Breen as the Conductor
13. Thomas Haden Church as Dwayne LaFontant
14. Gary Sinise as Shaw Buchanan
15. Alan Rickman as Santa Claus
16. (Actor) as Elf John
17. (Actress) as Elf Janet
18. (Actor) as Elf Blake
19. (Actress) as Ms. Stallard
20. (Actress) as Ms. Forri
21. Leonardo DiCaprio as Mufasa
22. (Actress) as Sarabi
23. (Actor) as [Alex's replacement]
24. (Actor) as [Marty's replacement]
25. (Actor/Actress) as [Leo's possible replacement]
26. (Actor/Actress) as [June's possible replacement]
27. (Actor/Actress) as [Quincy's possible replacement]
28. (Actor/Actress) as [Annie's possible replacement]
29. (Actor/Actress) as [Fred Jones's possible replacement]
30. (Actor/Actress) as [Daphne Blake's possible replacement]
31. (Actor/Actress) as [Velma Dinkley's possible replacement]
32. (Actor/Actress) as [Shaggy Rogers's possible replacement]
33. (Actor/Actress) as [Scooby-Doo's possible replacement]
34. (Actor/Actress) as [Bob the Builder's possible replacement]
35. (Actor/Actress) as [Scoop's possible replacement]
36. (Actor/Actress) as [Muck's possible replacement]
37. (Actor/Actress) as [Dizzy's possible replacement]
38. (Actor/Actress) as [Roley's possible replacement]
39. (Actor/Actress) as [Lofty's possible replacement]
40. (Actor/Actress) as [Miss Frizzle's possible replacement]
41. (Actor/Actress) as [Arnold Perlstein's possible replacement]
42. (Actor/Actress) as [Ralphie Tennelli's possible replacement]
43. (Actor/Actress) as [Wanda Li's possible replacement]
44. (Actor/Actress) as [Dorothy-Ann Hudson's possible replacement]
45. (Actor/Actress) as [Carlos Ramón's possible replacement]
46. (Actor/Actress) as [Phoebe Terese's possible replacement]
47. (Actor/Actress) as [Tim Wright's possible replacement]
48. (Actor/Actress) as [Keesha Franklin's possible replacement]
49. (Actor/Actress) as [Dallas's possible replacement]
50. (Actor/Actress) as [Gwen's possible replacement]
51. (Actor/Actress) as [Rescue Pack's possible replacement]
52. (Actor/Actress) as [Click's possible replacement]
53. (Actor) as Yoshi
54. (Actor) as Geppetto
55. (Actress) as Widow Tweed
56. Jonah Campbell as the Narrator/Mario (adult voice)

## Technical Specifications

* Release Date: Friday, November 16, 2029
* Rating: G
* Protagonists: Mario, Luigi, Simba, Diego, Chris, and Meg
* Antagonists: Rosalina and Twilight Sparkle
* Duration: TBA
* Footage: Color
* Sound Mix: Dolby Atmos®
* Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1

## Gallery

### Concept art

A promotional image of the 8 main characters from the film. From left to right on the top, then right to left on the bottom: Mario, Luigi, Rosalina, Twilight Sparkle, Simba, Diego, Chris, and Meg
### Screenshots

Alan Rickman's dedication card at the end of the film
## Trivia (in progress)

### General

* Jonah Campbell provided narration for the film, whose voice (in the film) is supposed to be Mario as a grown-up.
* The train's passenger cars all have texts both above and below the windows imprinted on either sides; the upper texts for regular coach cars and the observation car (which all have trucks with 4 wheels) read "PULLMAN", whereas the upper nameplates for the RPO and dining cars (which all have trucks with 6 wheels) read "NEW YORK CENTRAL". The lower texts for all passenger cars are either numbers or terms named after various locations and/or objects, mostly beginning with the words "Cascade" and "Imperial". This is ironically true to the real *20th Century Limited*.
* Throughout the film, the train is shown to be pulling 8 passenger cars behind the locomotive; here's the order they appear in, from start to finish:
	1. Railway Post Office Car No. 5018
	2. Sleeping Car "Imperial Garden"
	3. Sleeping Car "Imperial Court"
	4. Dining Car No. 680
	5. Dining Car No. 681
	6. Sleeping Car "Cascade Spirit"
	7. Sleeping Car "Cascade Glory"
	8. Observation Car "Manhattan Island"
* The interiors of each passenger car feature three portraits displaying several different scenarios. Sleeping cars have two portraits displaying various locations, objects, sea creatures, or even well-known paintings by famous artists. The RPO, observation, and dining cars have only one portrait displaying these kinds of scenarios, with the other portrait displaying various fictional characters. The one portrait that all the passenger cars share is a painting of any one of the former Presidents of the United States.
	1. Railway Post Office Car No. 5018
		1. Alex and Gia (*Madagascar* film series)
		2. Thomas Jefferson
		3. TBA
	2. Sleeping Car "Imperial Garden"
		1. TBA
		2. Ronald Reagan
		3. TBA
	3. Sleeping Car "Imperial Court"
		1. TBA
		2. Ulysses S. Grant
		3. TBA
	4. Dining Car No. 680
		1. Danny and Sawyer (*Cats Don't Dance*)
		2. George Washington
		3. TBA
	5. Dining Car No. 681
		1. Cale Tucker and Akima Kunimoto (*Titan A.E.*)
		2. Abraham Lincoln
		3. TBA
	6. Sleeping Car "Cascade Spirit"
		1. TBA
		2. Martin Van Buren
		3. TBA
	7. Sleeping Car "Cascade Glory"
		1. TBA
		2. John F. Kennedy
		3. TBA
	8. Observation Car "Manhattan Island"
		1. Thomas O'Malley (*The AristoCats*) and Oliver (*Oliver & Company*)
		2. Theodore Roosevelt
		3. TBA
* At the very end of the closing credits, there's a dedication to Alan Rickman (1946-2016), the voice of Santa Claus in the film.

### References

* Many scenes throughout the film are inspired by certain scenes from a few of Jonah Campbell and Dante Stockton's favorite films. Primarily, the film itself and its storyline are both inspired by Robert Zemeckis's *The Polar Express* (2004).
* Rosalina saying, "First rule of Mermaid Club: you do not talk about Mermaid Club. Second rule of Mermaid Club: you do not talk about Mermaid Club," is a reference to *Fight Club* (1999), where the famous quote, "The first rule of Fight Club is, you do not talk about Fight Club. The second rule of Fight Club is, you do not talk about Fight Club," comes from.