Imagimals

***Imagimals*** is a 2016 American 3D computer-animated fantasy comedy film produced by Universal Animation Studios and Gingo Animation for Universal Pictures. The 20th animated feature in the Universal Animated Features canon, it was directed by Geo G. and Charles Zembillas from a screenplay by Darren Lemke and a story by Geo, and stars the voices of Patton Oswalt, John Goodman, Jesse Eisenberg, Amy Poehler, Wayne Knight, Laurence Fishburne, Allison Janney, and Elizabeth Banks. It follows a group of imaginary creatures known as "imagimals" who try to keep their world safe from the attack of demons.

*Imagimals* premiered at the Venice Film Festival on August 21, 2016, and was released in the United States on September 9, 2016. It received generally positive reviews from critics, with many praising its animation, script, voice cast, characters, and humor, while others cited its weakness of plot. The film grossed over $1 billion worldwide, becoming the second Universal Animation Studios film to cross $1 billion after 2015's *Paradoria*. A sequel is scheduled to be released on January 24, 2020.

Prack and Busho were released as figurines in the *Imagimals* toy box pack for *Universal Studios Legendary Heroes* on October 15, 2018, and both figures were released separately on January 8, 2019.

## Plot

In Pliocene like environment populated by imagimals of imaginary animals, baby imagimal name Prack born to family of Sally and Frank. As he grows up, food and water become increasingly scarce in his home village. While his friends set out to find some food, Prack accidentally steps on ferocious imagimal tail, and is carried away by monster to more heavenly realm call Southland.

In Southland, Prack meet green spotted imagimal Busho leader of Southland imagimals who tries to live peaceful, uninterrupted state, his adoptive son Moot, and Moot hefty assistant Sard. Prack decides to accept his new place in Southland, because it rich atmosphere and vast food and water supply make him feel more welcome than he ever could back in his poverty stricken old home. After Moot shows Prack the nature of realm, Busho warns others that Southland is soon to be invaded by army of brown led by 1 of his former follow, Cazarlos prepare to defend Southland against impending invasion.

Prack villagers worry about him, many of who are convinced he was eat by monster. Frank and Sally encounter someone who help them find their son eagle like creature name Great Voko, who reveals himself to have witnessed Prack capture and takes Prack friends and family along to get him back.

After Prack, Busho, and Moot are eat and spat out by large, fat imagimal, they are chase down by pack of brown demons and escape successfully due to demons clumsiness. Lokami, bird like imagimal, arrives, share story of Cazarlos past, in which Busho banished him to cave he currently lives in for rampaging through Southland after fail to impress other creatures who mock him. Next day, turmoil ensues when discover that waterhole has unexpectedly dried up. As it turn out Prack and group, some of henchmen have dam up waterfall. Carlos and demons start wreaking havoc across Southland in chaos, group rescue Moot from 1 of demons and flees to Bishops wood built home, which is unfortunately set on fire by army. After chaos, Busho places blame on Prack for their troubles and banishes him from tribe. Lonely Prack wanders into wilderness and reconciles with his villagers, before they journey back to Southland which is now overrun by demons and conduct team to rid area of army.

Brown demons are held off by villagers and Southland, while Carlos beat Busho in final confrontation. This provokes Sard into throw Cazarlos off cliff, leaving him to be eat by 1 of large imagimals. Prack and others rush over to Busho and assume he is dying, but soon slow recovers. Others help Prack and Busho remove boulder, restoring water rest of brown demons flee. Prack villagers claim their new home in Southland, as they peacefully engage in different activities there.

## Voice Cast

* Patton Oswalt as Prack, adventurous green imaginal.
	+ EG Daily as Young Prack
* John Goodman as Busho, wise cracking, green spotted imagimal with huge red nose who is leader of Southland.
* Jesse Eisenberg as Moot, small, blue imagimal from Southland who is Busho adoptive son.
* Amy Poehler as Crushie, happy go lucky pink female imagimal who is good friend of Prack.
* Wayne Knight as Sard, hefty brown imaginal who is Busho assistant.
* Laurence Fishburne as Cazarlos, scarred imagimal and form member of Southland imagimals.
* Maya Rudolph as Sally, Prack Mother.
* Dan Fogler as Frank, Prack Father.
* Rob Corddry as Stevie, tiny 1 eyed slender imagimal.
* Allison Janney as Lokami, bird like imagimal who guides Prack.
* Elizabeth Banks as Peggy, seductive imagimal who Sard has major crush on her.
* Geo G as Great Voko, eagle like creature who helps Prack friends and family to look for him.
* Yuri Lowenthal and Bryce Papenbrook as Nimo And Jimo, teen twin imagimals who annoy Busho.
* Jamie Marchi as Maddo, green imagimal.
* Chris Parnell as Benny, slug like imagimal.
* Greg Cipes as Pete, 1 of Prack friends.
* Mark Hamill as Gerald, caterpillar like imagimal.
* John Dimaggio as Wrestling Nate, cricket like muscle imagimal.
* Fred Tatasciore as Chunny.
* Maurice Lamarche as Pucky.
* Roger Craig Smith as Talapus.
* Tara Strong as Maddie.
* Stephen Stanton as Ernest.
* Michael Wildshill as Sleep Imagimal.
* Darren Lemke as Scream Imagimal.
* Billy West as Wammy, mouse like imagimal.
* Ashley Johnson as Baby Imagimal.
* Brent Spiner as Buzby, bug like imagimal.
* Frank Welker as Creature vocal effects.

### Additional Voices

* Carlos Alazraqui
* Holly J Barrett
* Bob Bergen
* Dave Boat
* David Cowgill
* Eddie Deezen
* Debi Derryberry
* Terri Douglas
* Eddie Frierson
* Keith Ferguson
* Jackie Gonneau
* John Cygan
* Gary Hall
* Jess Harnell
* Bridget Hoffman
* William Jennings
* Tom Kenny
* Phil Lamarr
* Audel Laroque
* Mona Marshall
* Scott Menville
* Samuel Mokugusn
* Laraine Newman
* Paul Pape
* Jill Talley
* James Arnold Taylor
* Kari Wahlgren
* Debra Wilson
* Matthew Wood
* Lynnanne Zager
* Charles Zembillas
* Diamond White

### Concept

Geo had always wanted to do animated film about creatures. Imagimals as concept dates back when Geo sketched creatures during period in which he tried to break into film. Personal issues percolated story as they weighed on him in life. Original, Imagimals was pitch animated series for Fox, which rejected it for being too childish and silly. In 2007, Universal Feature Animation was pitched to develop movie call Wild Creatures, set in planet of creatures.

### Development

In 2013, Universal Animation Studios announced that Geo was directing original animated film title Imagimals, with Michael Wildshill producing while Darren Lemke is writing screenplay. Geo then call film came from story pitch by Lemke that has not to do with humans, only fantasy creatures. During development of film, Geo, Wildshill, and Lemke sought broader inspirations from animated short Evolution. In 2015, it was revealed that American Exitus art Charles Zembillas, who previously design early concept art for Gingo Interactive games including Chrysocolla series, had been add as co director of film.

### Cast

In 2014, Deadline reported that Patton Oswalt as Prack in film. Oswalt at 1 declined to star, feel it was too similar to his role as Remy in Pixar film Ratatouille, but eventually convinced him to sign through 30 minutes of visual pitch. In 2014, Hollywood Report announced that John Goodman had been cast as film deuteragonist Busho. In 2014, Wrap report that Jesse Eisenberg was cast as tritagonist Moot in film. It was also announced that actress Amy Poehler was cast as Crushie, with Maya Rudolph and Dan Fogler voice Prack parents Sally and Frank, while Wayne Knight, Laurence Fishburne, with Rob Corddry and Allison Janney were cast.

### Music

*Main article: Imagimals Soundtrack*
In 2015, it had been confirmed that John Debney would be composing score for film.

## Release

Imagimals was originally scheduled to be release on July 8, 2016, but was later push back 2 months later to September 9, 2016, with Secret Life Of Pets taking it place. Film premiere at Venice Film Festival on August 21, 2016, and was screen at Vidcon. Release of film in UK was post to November 18, 2016, 2 day ahead of it original November 16, 2016. It was also release in IMAX theaters in EMEA region.

### Marketing

1 trailer was release online at Universal Animation Studios Youtube page on December 10, 2015, and was show on films such as Luna And Zak Official theatrical trailer for film was release online at Universal Animation Studios Youtube page on March 2, 2016 and was show on films such as Zootopia, Jungle Book, Ratchet And Clank, Angry Birds Movie, and Alice Through Look Glass. Jazwares made press release on July 19, 2015 that they were going to sign contract with Universal to produce toys and action figures to promo Imagimals. Mobile game title Imagimals Blast was release on August 31, 2016 for IOS and Android. It is free to play match 3 puzzle video game featured with characters of film. Universal partnered with Mcdonald to release 6 Happy Meal toy versions of film characters upon it release. AMC Theaters also partnered with Universal to play movie in Mandarin at 7 theatres and in Spanish at 14 locations in US and UK mean there will be mix of sub and dub formats of Imagimals. Tie in comic title Imagimals Where Creatures Were Born was release on August 14, 2016, collect 2 prelude issues. Merchandise was also produced for film, including General Mills, Funko, as well as Universal parent company NBCUniversal Comcast.

### Home media

Imagimals was release on Digital HD on December 13, 2016 and on Blu ray, Blu ray 3D, 4K Ultra HD Blu ray, and DVD on January 10, 2017. Release also include short film title Busch Guide to Cool Things.

### Box office

Imagimals grossed $42.9 million in US and UK and $58.6 million in other countries for worldwide total of $1.08 billion, budget of $101 million. In 2016, film reach $500 million mark, becoming 1 original film by Gingo Animation to do so. In 2016 it became 2 animated Universal film of 2016 to gross over $800 million in ticket sales with 1 being Secret Life Of Pets, and it became 1 Universal release of 2016 to cross $900 million. In 2016, film cross $1 billion mark, becoming 4 film of 2016 to do so after Civil War, Zootopia, and Finding Dory, 7 animated film after Toy Story 3, Frozen, Paradoria, Minions, Zootopia, and Finding Dory, and 6 Universal film 3 Universal animated film.

#### North America

in US and UK, Imagimals was release alongside Sully and release track suggested film open to $60 million from 3,82 theaters in it open week. It play in 3,10 theaters, 35 IMAX theaters, and 25 premium large format screen. It earn $3.9 million from Thursday previews. Good word of mouth, it earn $24 million on it open day, break record for biggest open day for solely produced Gingo film at time. In it open week, it score better than expect $85 million, which was biggest Universal Gingo open break BJ And Wally. It also performed exceptionally well in IMAX, where film brought in $62 million from 36 screens, 2 best animated IMAX open behind only Toy Story 3 $84 million. In it 2 week, it fell gradually by 100% to $61 million, smallest 2 week drop for Gingo film and 1 of best hold for animated film. It continue to top box office for 3 week, earn $46 million, fall by 100% from it previous week while pass $200 million mark. This made it 2 biggest 3 week for film that did not open at over million, behind Avatar $68 million ahead of Zootopia $37 million. Film top box office once again in it 4 week respectively grossing $36 million from 100% decline and $39 million from small decline of 100%. It became 1 animated film to top box office for 3 week. Film was finally overtaken by newcomer Accountant in it 6 week, despite small decline of 100% from it previous week. It spent total of 14 consecutive week in top 10. It end it theatrical run on February 16, 2017, after play in theaters for total of 161 day. It became 2 highest grossing Gingo Animation film behind Cool Spot, 5 highest grossing film of 2016, and 11 highest grossing animated film of all time.

### Critical response

Imagimals received mostly mix reviews from critics. Review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes give film rating of 100%, based on 194 reviews, with rating average of 4.8 10. Site critical consensus read, Imagimals give away from Gingo most original effort for it formulaic story we already know, but voice is top notch, animation is fluent, and crisp slapstick funny comedy add to young viewers. On Metacritic, film has score of 100 out of 100, based on 39 critics, indicating mixed or average reviews. Audiences polled by Cinemascore gave film average grade of A+ on A+ to F scale.

### Sequel

In 2016, Universal announced Imagimals 2 slated for March 6, 2020, Oswalt, with Goodman, and Eisenberg reprising their roles. In 2017, release date was push back to May 29, 2020. Along with release date change, it was announced that Michael Wildshill will return to produce sequel, as well as Darren Lemke return to write script. Geo was original directing film, but step down as director in order to work more on Addie for Sony Pictures Animation. In 2017, release date was changed to February 21, 2020 and Jim Anderson was announced as new director. In 2018, film was take off from Universal Animation Studios film schedule, with Luna And Zak 2 taking it February 21, 2020 slot. In 2019, it was revealed that film will be release on Gingo streaming service Gringodirect on September 6, 2019 instead. Additional, it was also announced that most of cast from 1 film will reprise their roles in sequel, join by Andy Serkis, Bobby Cannavale, Keegan Michael Key, Jordan Peele, Dakota Fanning, with Noah Schnapp and Brooklynn Prince.

### Main

To see the main transcript of the film, click here.

### Trailers

To see the transcript for the trailers of the film, click here.