Sprout (2021 film)

***Sprout*** is a 2021 American musical comedy film, the first Sprout theatrical release. The film is directed by Thor Freudenthal, written by Madeline Fretz, Jackie Filgo, Jeff Filgo, Jeff Judah, and Gabe Sachs, and stars Adam Deibert, Margaret Fretz, and Ellen Pompeo.

## Synopsis

After desperately wanting her childhood back, Madeline "Maddie" Fretz, the world's biggest Sprout fan, also wants it to revive Sprout, so she, her mom, the *Yo Gabba Gabba!* character Muno, and Nina from *The Good Night Show* set off on a cross-country road trip to reunite the Sprout gang. Chica the Chicken now works at a tribute channel in Reno, Nevada called Sproot, Banjo the Dog now runs a toilet plumbing business, Miles now runs a daycare center for babies, and Bean is now a high school gym teacher in Paris, France.

## Cast

* Adam Deibert as the voice of Muno, a red cyclops and a huge Sprout fan.
	+ David Crespin and Joshua Bally as Muno (costume only)
* Margaret Fretz as herself, Maddie's mother
* Madeline "Maddie" Fretz as herself
* Ellen Pompeo as Alaina, a CDE executive
* Josh Hutcherson as first assistant director
* Andrew Beecham as himself, Sprout's senior vice president of programming
* Sandy Wax as herself, president of Sprout
* Vinny Steves as himself
* James Marsden as Star's earth and space teacher
* Seth Rogen as CDE executive
* Sean Penn as Fun with Kakapo narrator
* The Weeknd as himself
* Ariana Grande as herself
* Keke Palmer as herself
* Tyler Perry as himself
* Kevin Yamada as himself and Ricky Rabbit
	+ Peter Linz as Ricky Rabbit (some scenes)
* Kelly Vrooman as herself and Patty Pig
	+ Haley Jenkins as Patty Pig (some scenes)
* Sean Roach as himself
* Dennisha Pratt as herself
* Liz Filios as herself
* Carly Ciarrocchi as herself
* Forrest Harding as Chica, the co-host of *The Sunny Side Up Show*
* Francesco Tena as Chica (some scenes)
* Brendan Gawel as Curtis E. Owl
* Michele Lepe as Nina, the host of *The Good Night Show*
* Stacia Marie Newcomb as Star, the co-host of *The Good Night Show*
* Milton Barnes as Miles, the host of *The Let's Go Show*
* Ali J. Eisner as Banjo, the co-host of *The Let's Go Show*
* Catherine Missal as Bean, the host of *The Super Sproutlet Show*
* Julianne Buescher as Coo, the host of *Musical Mornings with Coo*
* Chris Palmieri as Snug, the co-host of *Sprout House*
* Donnell Smith as TJ, a character from *Sprout House*
* Tara Strong as Tyler Xing, a non-existent 5-year-old girl
* Aline Ramirez Barta as "Life's a Happy Song" dancer

Additional characters appear, albeit unvoiced.

## Songs

1. "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard" - plays during the opening credits
2. "Life's a Happy Song" - performed by Maddie, Margaret, and Muno
3. "Pictures in My Head" - performed by Nina, Star, Miles, Banjo, the Sprout House Band, and Chica
4. "Cars" - plays when Nina, Maddie, Margaret, and Muno head off to reunite the Sprout gang
5. "Back in Black" - plays during the time saving montage
6. "Bad to the Bone" - plays when Chica picks up Boon
7. "We Built This City" - plays during the cleaning montage
8. "The Goodnight Song" - performed by Nina
9. "Me Party" - performed by Margaret and Bean
10. "Man or Sprout Character" - performed by Muno and Maddie
11. "Smells Like Teen Spirit" - performed by Star, Banjo, Coo, and Chica
12. "Every Breath You Take" - performed by Nina and Star
13. "What Makes You Beautiful" - performed by Miles and Banjo
14. "Shake It Off" - performed by Chica and friends
15. "Forget You" - performed by Patty, Ricky, and Curtis
16. "Faith" - plays when Bean (*The Super Sproutlet Show*) dances with Meeka and M'Goats
17. "Rainbow Connection" - performed by Nina, Bean, and the cast
18. "Life's a Happy Song" (finale version) - performed by the cast

## Trivia

* This movie seems to ignore the fact that Sprout lost the rights to most of its shows.
* This is the first movie based on a TV channel.
* This film marks the first appearances of most Sprout characters since the 2010s.
* The film reunites The Weeknd (Abel Makonnen Tesfaye) and Ariana Grande, who sang the song "Save Your Tears" together.
* The film noticeably has a similar plot to 2011's *The Muppets*.
* Elmo from *Sesame Street*, which aired on Sprout from 2005 to 2015, makes a cameo as one of the celebrities being asked to host the Sprout telethon. Ryan Dillon plays Elmo here.
* Snug can be seen playing with toy versions of the Floogals
* This film is the fourth live-action/animated hybrid film of the 2020s, following *Tom & Jerry* and *Space Jam: A New Legacy*, both of which are owned by Warner Animation Group, and Disney's *Chip n' Dale Rescue Rangers.*
* This is Barney the Dinosaur's first film appearance since 1998's *Barney's Great Adventure.*
* This is Thomas the Tank Engine's first film appearance since 2000's *Thomas and the Magic Railroad.*
* Several *Sesame Street* characters appear in this film, the first one they've been in since 1999's *The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland* (not counting Oscar the Grouch's cameo in *Night at the Museum*).
* Some of the Sprout merchandise seen in the "We Built This City" montage includes the Sprout Channel Cubby, both Let's Grow DVDs and NCircle's Goodnight Stories, Sprout character puzzles, a Sprout notebook and crayons, a Sprout coloring and activity book, and Sprout character plates.
* Several people who worked on this film also worked on the *Diary of a Wimpy Kid* films.
* In the Dominion Energy Center, there are a lot of references to Sprout shows from over the years, including *Sesame Street*, *Barney & Friends*, *Thomas & Friends*, *Franny's Feet*, *The Berenstain Bears*, *Noodle and Doodle*, *Justin Time*, *Super WHY!*, *Pajanimals*, *Caillou*, *Angelina Ballerina*, *Make Way for Noddy*, and *Jay Jay the Jet Plane*.
* It is revealed in this movie that Star prevented Tyler Xing's birth and conception by stopping her parents from meeting.
* Before the Telethon, briefly, the outside the soda shop shows the merchandising of *Despicable Me 3*.
* *Trolls* is seen as a poster in Richmond.