The Simpsons Movie

*Main article: The Simpsons Movie/Credits*
***The Simpsons Movie*** is a 2007 American animated comedy film based on the long-running animated sitcom *The Simpsons*. The film was directed by the show's supervising director David Silverman and stars the show's regular cast of Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, Harry Shearer, Tress MacNeille, Pamela Hayden, Karl Wiedergott, Marcia Wallace, Maggie Roswell, Russi Taylor, Joe Mantegna, and Albert Brooks. The film follows Homer Simpson, who irresponsibly pollutes the lake in Springfield, causing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to imprison the town under a giant glass dome. After he and his family escape, they ultimately abandon Homer for his selfishness and return to Springfield to prevent the town’s demolition by Russ Cargill, head of the EPA. Homer works to redeem his folly by returning to Springfield himself in an effort to save it.

Although previous attempts to create a *Simpsons* film had been made, they failed due to the lack of lengthy script. Eventually in 2001, producers James L. Brooks, Matt Groening, Al Jean, Mike Scully and Richard Sakai began development of the film and a writing team consisting of Brooks, Groening, Jean, Scully, Ian Maxtone-Graham, George Meyer, David Mirkin, Mike Reiss, Matt Selman, John Swartzwelder and Jon Vitti was assembled. They conceived numerous plot ideas, with Groening's being the one adapted. The script was rewritten over a hundred times, also continuing after work on the animation began in 2006. Consequently, hours of finished material was cut from the final release, including cameo roles from Erin Brockovich, Minnie Driver, Isla Fisher, and Edward Norton (as well as Kelsey Grammer, who would have reprised his role as Sideshow Bob). Tom Hanks and the members of Green Day voice their own animated counterparts in the final cut of the film, while Albert Brooks, a frequent guest performer on the series, provides the voice of its main antagonist, Russ Cargill.

Tie-in promotions were made with several companies to promote the film's release, including Burger King and 7-Eleven, the latter of which transformed selected stores into Kwik-E-Marts. The film premiered in Springfield, Vermont on July 21, 2007 and was released theatrically six days later by 20th Century Fox across the United States. *The Simpsons Movie* received positive reviews and grossed $536.4 million worldwide, became the eighth highest-grossing film of 2007, the second highest-grossing traditionally animated film (behind Walt Disney Animation Studios' *The Lion King*), and the highest-ever grossing film based on an animated television series. The film received praise for its humor, emotional weight, and callbacks to early seasons. The film was nominated for numerous awards, including a Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film at the 65th Golden Globe Awards.

## Contents

* 1Plot
* 2Cast
* 3Production
	+ 3.1Development
	+ 3.2Animation
	+ 3.3Casting
	+ 3.4Editing
	+ 3.5Music
* 4Themes
* 5Cultural references
* 6Release
	+ 6.1Theatrical
	+ 6.2Marketing
	+ 6.3Home media
* 7Reception
	+ 7.1Critical reception
	+ 7.2Box office
	+ 7.3Accolades
* 8Planned sequel
* 9References
* 10External links

## Plot[edit]

One summer on Lake Springfield, Green Day, after finishing a concert, try to engage the audience in a discussion about the environment, angering the audience into throwing garbage at them, causing the pollution in the lake to erode and sink the band's barge, drowning them. During their memorial at Reverend Lovejoy's church, Grampa Simpson has a spiritual experience and frantically prophesies that a disaster will befall Springfield, but only Marge takes it seriously. Concerned about the terrible state of the environment, Lisa and her new love interest, Colin, hold a seminar where they successfully convince Mayor Quimby to tell the town to clean up the lake. Meanwhile, after a series of dares, including one with Bart skateboarding across Springfield naked and getting in trouble with Chief Wiggum, Homer and Bart go to Krusty Burger, where Homer adopts a pig that Krusty the Clown was about to have killed. Marge, identifying the pig as a part of Grampa's prophecy, warns Homer to get rid of it, but Homer refuses. Homer's fawning over the pig makes Bart, now fed up with his father's carelessness, look to their neighbor, Ned Flanders, as a father figure.

Homer stores the pig's feces in an overflowing silo, disgusting Marge. Homer attempts to dispose of it safely at Marge's request, but his friend Lenny calls him to inform him about Lard Lad Donuts giving away all their donuts for free due to failing a health inspection. In a rush to get to the giveaway, Homer dumps the silo in the lake, critically polluting it. Moments later, a squirrel stumbles into it and becomes severely mutated. While bonding on a hike, Bart and Flanders notice the squirrel, which the EPA capture. Russ Cargill, head of the EPA, informs President Arnold Schwarzenegger on Springfield's pollution crisis and presents five solutions. Without reading them, the president randomly picks the third solution: imprisoning Springfield under a giant glass dome. When Homer's silo is discovered, the townspeople, including Grampa, the school staff, the Simpsons' friends and neighbors, except for the Flanders and Colin, form an angry mob, ransack their house and attempt to lynch them. The family escapes through a sinkhole that Homer hid using Maggie's sandbox, which destroys the house soon after. The family flees to Alaska using a truck that Lisa helps Homer win at a contest, where they try to restart their life.

Within ninety three days, Springfield completely exhausts its daily supplies and the townspeople go crazy as they attempt to escape from the dome using brute force to destroy it, causing cracks to form. Cargill, not wanting news of what he has done to spread around the world, plots to destroy Springfield by tricking the president into choosing a solution that involves its demolition. The Simpsons see a television advertisement for a new Grand Canyon on the site of Springfield. Realizing that their hometown is in danger, the family decide to save it except for Homer, who objects to helping the people who had turned on them. The family soon abandons Homer for his selfishness, with Marge leaving behind a recorded video about it, causing him to run off in search of them. The family are captured by the EPA and placed back inside the dome. After an encounter with a mysterious Inuit shaman who saves him from a polar bear, Homer has an epiphany about saving the town in order to save himself.

Homer returns home and learns about his family's capture as a helicopter lowers a time bomb suspended by a rope through a hole at the top of the dome. Homer enters the dome and descends the rope, knocking the escaping townspeople and the bomb off, inadvertently shortening its countdown, much to the townspeople's anger. After reuniting and reconciling with Bart, they use a motorcycle to travel up the side of the dome and throw the bomb through the hole seconds before it detonates, shattering the dome and freeing the town. Homer and Bart land safely at Springfield Gorge where a shotgun-wielding Cargill confronts them and attempts to shoot them for foiling his plan. But before he can do so, Maggie knocks him out by dropping a large rock on his head. The townspeople praise and forgive Homer, who reconciles with Marge as Springfield begins restoration (in the exclusive "Slightly Alternate Ending", released on home media and Disney+, the pig and other Springfield animals are shown re-building a doghouse for Santa's Little Helper).

## Cast[edit]

Main article: List of The Simpsons characters

* Dan Castellaneta as Homer Simpson, Abe Simpson, Krusty the Clown, Groundskeeper Willie, Mayor Quimby, Sideshow Mel, Mr. Teeny, EPA Official, Itchy, Barney Gumble, Stage Manager, Blue Haired Lawyer, Multi-Eyed Squirrel, Hans Moleman, Panicky Man, Kissing Cop, Bear, Boy on Phone, NSA Worker, Officer, Rich Texan, Santa's Little Helper, and Squeaky-Voiced Teen
* Julie Kavner as Marge Simpson, Selma Bouvier, and Patty Bouvier
* Nancy Cartwright as Bart Simpson, Ralph Wiggum, Todd Flanders, Nelson Muntz, Maggie Simpson, TV Daughter, Woman on Phone, and Kearney Zzyzwicz
* Yeardley Smith as Lisa Simpson
* Hank Azaria as Moe Szyslak, Chief Wiggum, Cletus Spuckler, Professor Frink, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, Lou, Comic Book Guy, Captain McCallister, Bumblebee Man, Dr. Nick, Carl, Male EPA Worker, Dome Depot Announcer, Kissing Cop, Carnival Barker, Gas Station Clerk, Drederick Tatum, EPA Passenger, Robot, and Wiseguy
* Harry Shearer as Mr. Burns, Smithers, Ned Flanders, Reverend Lovejoy, Lenny, President Arnold Schwarzenegger, Seymour Skinner, Kent Brockman, Dr. Hibbert, Otto Mann, Scratchy, Skull, Toll Booth Operator, and Guard
* Pamela Hayden as Milhouse Van Houten, Rod Flanders, and Jimbo Jones
* Tress MacNeille as Medicine Woman, Agnes Skinner, Crazy Cat Lady, Colin, Cookie Kwan, Sweet Old Lady, Mrs. Muntz, Plopper, Female EPA Worker, Lindsey Neagle, GPS Voice, TV Son, Girl on Phone, and Dolph Starbeam
* Albert Brooks (as "A. Brooks") as Russ Cargill
* Karl Wiedergott as EPA Officer and Man
* Marcia Wallace as Edna Krabappel (scenes deleted)
* Russi Taylor as Martin Prince
* Maggie Roswell as Helen Lovejoy and Miss Hoover
* Phil Rosenthal as TV Dad
* Billie Joe Armstrong, Frank Edwin Wright III, and Michael Pritchard as Green Day (themselves)
* Joe Mantegna as Fat Tony
* Tom Hanks as himself