The Ark and the Aardvark

***The Ark and the Aardvark*** (originally titled ***Noah's Ark***) is a 2024 American computer animated adventure comedy film directed by Anthony Stacchi and Rob Minkoff, co-directed by John Stevenson and written by Philip LaZebnik and Glen Dolman. The film tells the story of an aardvark who becomes the leader of a group of misfit animals in order to bring all the animals onto Noah's Ark. The film stars the voices of Miles Teller, Vince Vaughn, Awkwafina, Curtis Armstrong, Jenny Slate, Kenneth Branagh, Nick Kroll, Rob Riggle, Craig Robinson and Stephen Merchant.

## The Ark and the Aardvark

### Directed By

Anthony Stacchi
Rob Minkoff

### Screenplay By

Philip LaZebnik
Glen Dolman

### Story By

Richie Chavez
Chris Jenkins
Larry Leker
John Stevenson

### Produced By

John A. Davis
John H. Williams
Keith Kjarval
Kurt Rauer

### Starring

Miles Teller
Vince Vaughn
Awkwafina
Curtis Armstrong
Jenny Slate
Kenneth Branagh
Nick Kroll
Rob Riggle
Craig Robinson
Stephen Merchant

### Production companies

Unified Pictures
I Do Culture Corporation
Flying Tigers Entertaiment
WWF
One Cool Films
Reel FX Animation

## Premise

The story follows an outcast aardvark by the name of Gilbert, who becomes the reluctant leader of a ragtag group of misfit animals that need to be led to the mighty ark before the impending flood. Along their journey, they band together to conquer unforeseen obstacles, and ultimately, Gilbert discovers within himself the inner strength and ingenuity to prove that in a world of "twos", he was truly destined to be "the one".

## Cast

* Miles Teller as Gilbert, an aardvark
* Vince Vaughn as Tom, a sarcastic ostrich
* Awkwafina as Brain, an intelligent spider
* Jenny Slate as Mitzy, a clumsy ostrich
* Craig Robinson as Todd, a short-tempered elephant who is the captain of the ark
* Rob Riggle as Clyde, an arrogant frog
* Curtis Armstrong as Archibald, an paranoid honey badger
* Kenneth Branagh as Douglas, a evil hyena
* Stephen Merchant as Croc, an fat stupid crocodile
* Nick Kroll as Nigel, a psycho vulture
* David Krumholtz as Hobo, a homeless tarantula
* Paul Giamatti as Captain Nose, a nosey proboscis monkey
* John Stevenson as Sparky, a honey badger who accompanies Gilbert

## Production

### Development

It was announced that Unified Pictures would produce a $35 million budgeted computer animated film, *Noah's Ark,* which Philip LaZebnik would write the screenplay, with ElectroAge handling the animation. In March 2013, the studio hired *Kung Fu Panda*'s director John Stevenson to handle the creative work on the film with Cameron Hood as co-director. While later on August 20, 2014, it was reported that Stevenson had been hired as the director of the film, which had a script from LaZebnik and Glen Dolman. On October 3, 2016, Miles Teller was set to voice the lead character Gilbert in the film, now titled *The Ark and the Aardvark,* which Keith Kjarval and Kurt Rauer would produce the film for Unified.

In October 2016, the film's production started in Los Angeles. The film is financed by I Do Culture Corporation, which is funded by the Zhejiang-based diamond brand Hiersun (恒信).

In September 2022, it was announced that Flying Tigers Entertaiment had picked up The Ark and the Aardvark and Lionsgate acquired the distribution rights. Anthony Stacchi and Rob Minkoff were announced as the new directors of the film, having previously directed Disney's The Lion King (1994).

### Animation

The animation was originally gonna be handled at Stellar Creative Lab in Vancouver. In December 2022, it was revealed that Reel FX Animation was provided for the animation.

### Music

In March 2023, Heitor Pereira was signed to be the composer of the film.

### Release

#### Theatrical

*The Ark and the Aardvark* was theatrically released on August 13, 2024 by Lionsgate. Its original release was somewhere around in 2019 by WWF Films but nothing came for fruition, In June 2022, Lionsgate acquired the distribution rights from WWF Films. The film was accompanied by a 5-minute episode of *Peppa Pig* titled *Swimming Lesson*.