Atlantia (film)

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***Atlantia*** is a 2021 American computer-animated fantasy adventure film produced by VRVA Features. The first film by the studio (as well as the only one released under the VRVA Motion Pictures label), it was directed and co-produced by Peter Ramsey from a screenplay by Jayson Goldner and John Lee Hageman, who also conceived the story with Sydney Faubert, Andrew Johnson, and Irene Trousdale. The film stars the voices of Tom Holland and Chris Pine, Benedict Cumberbatch, Sharon Horgan, Elizabeth Maxwell, Ella Purnell, and Elijah Wood.

Initially slated for a worldwide theatrical release by Lionsgate Films, *Atlantia* was digitally released via Netflix on September 24, 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The film received mixed reviews from critics; though its animation and voice acting earned praise, its plot and pacing were considered weak.

## Premise

> Atlantia, a peaceful underwater kingdom home to merpeople and other majestic creatures, is thrown into jeopardy by a large-scale disaster. The chaos winds up trapping young merman Orion (Tom Holland) in an exotic new world beneath the ocean floor, he reluctantly teams up with a rouge siren (Chris Pine) on a journey to find a way back home. However, the two soon uncover a shocking revelation that shines a new light on their strange surroundings and how much the environment really hides.
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> — VRVA Motion Pictures
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## Voice cast

* Tom Holland as Orion, a merman who gets trapped in a strange world beneath the surface of Atlantia.
* Chris Pine as Wade, a nomadic and reclusive siren.
* Ella Purnell as Eirene
* Sharon Horgan as Queen Talulah, the benevolent and determined ruler of Atlantia.
* Elizabeth Maxwell as Sereia, a mermaid who is Queen Talulah's personal assistant.
* Benedict Cumberbatch as Hawkins, the chief of a small tribe of sirens in Elsewhere.
* Elijah Wood as Adrian, a mysterious assassin with ties to Hawkins.

## Production

### Development

The origins of *Atlantia* date back to an unpublished children's book by Robert Woolverton known as *The Underwater Kingdom*. Following Woolverton's death in 1993, rights to the project were sold by his estate to the Prism Book Group, which was later absorbed into Speed Comics in 2001, and then Triplos Media in 2014 after their acquisition of Speed Entertainment.

On October 6, 2017, the film was formally announced at New York Comic Con as part of VRVA Motion Pictures' inaugural slate, under the title *Secrets of the Sea*. Further information was revealed at CinemaCon in Las Vegas in April 2018.

### Casting

Alongside the initial announcement, it was confirmed that Tom Holland and Ella Purnell would be providing two of the film's three leading voices. Other members – including Sharon Horgan, Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Maxwell, and Elijah Wood – were announced in May 2018. On July 21, Chris Pine was added to the cast.

### Animation and design

The film's animation is handled by both Reel FX Creative Studios and Mikros Image, the latter studio of which divided work between their facilities in Paris and Montreal. Portions of production were also done remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The kingdom of Atlantia is heavily influenced by the fictional island of Atlantis and other elements of Greek culture, mainly in its architecture and fashion. In creating the look and tone of the film, several crew members traveled to Athens, Santorini, Mykonos, and the Meteora rock formation in Kalabaka to draw inspiration.

### Music

Hans Zimmer and independent music producer Sanjay Vijayaverl jointly composed *Atlantia'*s score. Canadian singer and songwriter Alessia Cara contributed an original song for the film, "Heartbeat", which was released on August 26, 2021.

## Release

Netflix released *Atlantia* in most countries on September 24, 2021. VRVA Features originally slated the film for a May 15, 2020 theatrical release by Lionsgate Films. Its date was then pushed back to December 11, 2020, and again to June 4, 2021, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On April 16, 2021, Netflix purchased *Atlantia*'s worldwide distribution rights from Lionsgate.

### Marketing

A teaser trailer premiered during the 94th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 26, 2020.

## References

1. ↑ "VRVA Motion Pictures Announces First Three Projects From Directors Peter Ramsey, Henry Selick, and Alfonso Zimmerman". (Press release). October 6, 2017.
2. ↑ Galuppo, Robert (October 6, 2017). "VRVA Motion Pictures Dates 'Secrets of the Sea' For 2020. *Variety*. Retrieved October 9, 2017.
3. ↑ VRVA Motion Pictures. (November 26, 2020). "Atlantia - Official Teaser Trailer". *YouTube*. Retrieved November 30, 2020.