Barnyard (2021 film)

***Barnyard*** is a 2021 3D adventure-comedy film directed and produced by Chris Columbus. A remake of the 2006 computer-animated film of the same name, it is produced by Steve Oedekerk and David Hoberman and written by Oedekerk based on a screenplay by Oedekerk and Phil Lord & Christopher Miller. The film stars Billy Ray Cyrus, Julia Roberts, Kerri Medders, and Jackson Brundage, and reprises the voices of Kevin James, Courteney Cox, Sam Elliott, Danny Glover, Wanda Sykes, Andie MacDowell, and David Koechner.

*Barnyard* tells the story of Otis, a carefree cow who learns the value of responsibility when he becomes the leader of his farm home's community after his adoptive father's death from a coyote attack. Development on a reboot to the film began in 2018, with Chris Columbus set to produce and direct. Steve Oedekerk returned to produce, while also writing the screenplay and story. Principal photography commenced in Sydney, New South Wales in Australia. The animation for the animals, as well as the visual effects, were done by Moving Picture Company. Additional visual effects were done by Animal Logic in Australia. John Debney returned to compose the score.

*Barnyard* premiered in Los Angeles on August 12, 2021 and was theatrically released on August 20, 2021 by Paramount Pictures in 3D, RealD 3D, IMAX 3D, Dolby Cinema and 4DX formats. It received mixed-to-positive reviews, with critics praising the visuals, cinematography, animation, performances, screenplay, musical score by John Debney and voice cast, though drew criticism toward the plot, story line and Kevin James' voice performance. Many critics deemed it an improvement over its predecessor. Despite the reception, it was a box office failure, grossing $158 million against its budget of $130 million (not including marketing costs), with an estimated loss of $200-240 million for Paramount.

## Plot

Otis is a carefree cow who lives on a farm where the animals are anthropomorphic when humans are away. Instead of following rules and accepting responsibility, Otis prefers to goof off with his friends Pip the mouse, Pig the pig, Peck the rooster, and Freddy the ferret, to the disapproval of his adoptive father Ben, the farm’s leader. One day, Otis convinces Ben to cover his night watch so he can attend a massive party in the barn and impress Daisy, a pregnant cow who recently arrived at the farm. Before Otis leaves, Ben tells him he saw the stars dance the night he found him as a calf. As the animals party, a pack of coyotes led by Dag attempt to raid the chicken coop. Ben fends them off alone, but is badly injured and dies.

The farm elects a mournful and reluctant Otis as the new leader. A natural party animal, Otis struggles with his newfound duties, which unexpectedly includes salvaging an incident in which the farmer witnesses the animals partying and Miles, a mule and Ben’s old friend, knocks him unconscious. Leaving Peck and Freddy to watch over the chicken coop, Otis joins the Jersey Cows, a trio of troublemaking cows, in getting revenge against a cow tipping bully. After narrowly avoiding the police, Otis returns for his night watch and shares a tender moment with Daisy, who says her mate and former herd were wiped out by a storm.

Otis soon encounters Dag, who notices Otis’ weakness as a leader and taunts him over Ben’s death. Dag arranges a deal to periodically steal animals from the farm or else his pack will slaughter them all if Otis attempts to get in their way. Ashamed, Otis decides to abandon the farm, but relents after learning that Dag’s pack has taken several hens during the day behind his back. Encouraged by Miles, Otis sets out to confront Dag alone at his junkyard den. Dag’s pack overpowers Otis but his friends arrive to fight alongside him. The hens are rescued and the coyote pack is driven off, with Otis warning Dag to never threaten the farm again. The animals hurry back to the farm where Daisy gives birth to a calf named in Ben’s memory. Otis vows to protect the farm as his father did, before watching the stars dance.

## Cast

* Billy Ray Cyrus as Farmer Buyer, the owner of the farm that Otis and his friends live on.
* Julia Roberts as Noreen "Nora" Beady, the farmer's neighbor, Nathan's wife and the aunt of Snotty Boy, who correctly suspects that the animals are anthropomorphic.
* Kerri Menders as Maddy, Etta's daughter who looks up to Otis.
* Jackson Brundage as Eugene “Snotty Boy” Goldner, the Beadys' nephew who is cruel to animals.
* James Marsden as Nathaniel Randall "Nathan" Beady III, the farmer's neighbor, Nora's husband and the reluctant uncle of Snotty Boy.
* Jill Talley as Serena Goldner, Snotty Boy's mother.
* Ryan Reynolds as Frederick O'Hanlon, a local police officer.

### Voice cast

* Kevin James as Otis, a Holstein cow and the leader of the farm.
* Courteney Cox as Daisy, a kind-hearted widowed cow and Otis' love interest.
* Sam Elliott as Ben, a stern and uptight cow and Otis' adoptive father.
* Danny Glover as Miles, an elderly mule and Ben's best friend.
* Wanda Sykes as Bessy, a sassy cow and Daisy's friend.
* Andie MacDowell as Etta, one of the farm's hens and Maddy's mother.
* David Koechner as Dag, the sadistic leader of a coyote pack seeking to hunt and eat the farm's animals, namely the hens.
* Jeffrey Garcia as Pip, a wisecracking mouse who is one of Otis' friends.
* Tino Insana as Pig, a pig who is one of Otis' friends.
* Dom Irrera as Duke, the farm's sheepdog.
* Cam Clarke as Freddy, a panicky and neurotic ferret who is one of Otis' friends.
* Rob Paulsen as Peck, a rooster who is one of Otis' friends.
	+ Paulsen also voices a gopher and one of the pizza twins.
* S. Scott Bullock as Eddy, a member of the Jersey Cows.
* John DiMaggio as Bud, a member of the Jersey Cows.
* Maurice LaMarche as Igg, a member of the Jersey Cows.
* Earthquake as Root, a handsome rooster.

## Production

Principal photography commenced in 2019 in Sydney in New South Wales, Australia with additional filming in Victoria and Melbourne. The animation was produced overseas in London, England at Moving Picture Company (MPC), who also provided the visual effects for the film. Animal Logic produced its animation in Sydney, Australia, with additional work completed in Vancouver, British Columbia and in Los Angeles, California.

## Music

***Barnyard (Music from the Motion Picture)*** is the licensed soundtrack album for the film. John Debney returned to compose the score.