Daniel Tiger 3: Daniel and The Polar Express

Daniel Tiger 3: Daniel and The Polar Express is a 2024 American Cel Animated/Computer Animated/Live Action-Musical-Fantasy Adventure film based on the PBS Kids TV Series Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, and the 2004 Warner Brothers film The Polar Express, itself an adaption of the 1985 children’s book of the same name by Chris Van Allsbrug. It is the 3rd film in the Daniel Tiger Film Franchise, after Margaret Goes Missing, and Daniel and the Nutcracker, and the 2nd Holiday themed film after Daniel and The Nutcracker. It is also the second adaption of The Polar Express. The film follows Daniel Tiger and Ian Titus as they sleep in Daniel’s room on the night of Christmas Eve, and 5 minutes before midnight (Like the original movie) a magical train pulls up in front of the Tiger Family house. Tom Hanks Reprises his role as the conductor, the hobo, and Santa Claus, And Robert Zemeckis came back to direct the film. The film was released on November 10th, 2024 by Paramount Pictures to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the original movie. The film received generally positive reviews calling it “While not as charming as the first 2 films, or the original film, it will still please many railfanners, kids, and even adults alike.” The film grossed $3.2 Billion worldwide making it the 3rd highest grossing film ever behind only the first and second films. A 4th film titled Thomas and the Neighborhood of Make-Believe was released in 2026 and is a Direct Sequel to this movie, but it is not a Direct Sequel to Thomas and the Magic Railroad, although it is similar.

## Plot:

On Christmas Eve, a few hours after the events of the 2nd film, Daniel Tiger and his friend Ian are in bed sleeping when Daniel wakes up to see that his neighbor (The Audience) is here and introduces him/her. He tells him/her that it’s Christmas Eve and he is waiting for Santa. (Even though he and his whole family believes in him) Ian then wakes up to a whistle in the distance (To which Daniel nor the Audience can’t hear) since he has good hearing. Then the whistle of The Polar Express blows loud and wakes up Margaret who starts panicking which prompts Ian to calm her down. They put on robes and walk out to see The Polar Express outside the house. After the conductor tells them that the train is heading to The North Pole, Daniel is excited, however Ian denies it saying that they should stay in bed and not see Santa, because then the Magic would not exist. Daniel doesn’t care and decides to get on. Just as the train leaves Ian has second thoughts and asks his neighbor (Audience) if he should go. He decides to go and jumps on. (Just like in the Original Movie) Daniel then realizes him and quotes “Oh looks like you finally decided to get on,” and Ian just smiles. Soon the train then stops at the treehouse where Katerina Kittycat and O The Owl live. O gets on, but Katerina is reluctant and shakes her head. Then the train starts off and Daniel and Ian wave to her and then she has second thoughts and runs toward the train, but faceplants into the huge snow pile. Daniel runs to the steps to look to see if she was still coming. Miss Elaina comes running up too. But she slips and her foot gets caught in the emergency brakes, making the train screech to a halt. The Conductor is mad at Miss Elaina about this, but Ian tells The Conductor that She was just trying to stop the train so Katerina could get on. Just then Katerina gets in the same car everyone else was in. (Unlike the original film which Billy gets in the observation car.) Soon The Conductor serves hot chocolate to everyone. Then Katerina Realizes she does not have a ticket and The Conductor takes her to the back. Worried that Katerina will be thrown off, Daniel and Ian race to the end of the train but don’t see her or the conductor. They then see them at the top and struggle to get to them in time. Soon a hobo appears and offers to take them to the front. They soon make it to the front to see Katerina Driving the train. Then there are caribou on the track and they need to stop the train. Daniel and Katerina argue about which one was the brake, and Daniel pulls the right one and stops the train just in time. The Conductor is more mad at Daniel for stopping the train again, but Katerina tells him that there were caribou. They Blow the whistle loudest of all and the caribou get off the tracks. Smokey and Steamer get finished with the light, and take over the locomotive. Katerina, Daniel, Ian, and The Conductor go to the front of the locomotive to watch for anything on the tracks. Then they come to a 179-degree angle and hit a frozen lake with the train out of control. Smokey uses his hair pin to fix the brakes and they come to a halt. Then they escape the frozen lake moments before the ice breaks. Soon they reach the north pole, where The Conductor announces that 3 people would get the first gift of Christmas from Santa himself . Daniel, Ian, and Katerina are amazed. Then Katerina realizes she forgot her things in the observation car and Ian and Daniel go with her to get it, but Daniel accidently uncouples it with his foot and the car rolls back onto a railway turntable. (Just like the original movie.) After the kids make their way through an elf commander office, and get dumped into a pile of presents in Santa’s sack. When they get to the lift-off sight they are escorted out by Santa’s elves, however Santa forgives them and the 3 recive the first gift of Christmas. They each want a bell. Soon Santa gives them each a bell and takes off. The kids get back on the train where Daniel, Ian, and Katerina show them their bells. Everyone is happy for the 3. When they get home, they go to bed dreaming about how fun it was. The next day, Daniel says good morning to his neighbor (The Audience) asking him/her how fun it was. The camera pans out away from the house, and eventually the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, where the song “It’s such a good feeling,” plays. Everyone waves goodbye to the audience and a curtain closes and Daniel sings the last verse of the song and quotes, “Because it’s you I like.”

## Cast:

Ian Titus, as himself

Keegan Hedley, as Daniel Tiger

Jenna Weir, as Katerina Kittycat

Tom Hanks, as The Conductor, Hobo, and Santa

Addison Holly, as Miss Elaina

Ted Dykstra, as Dad Tiger

Heather Bambrick, as Mom Tiger

Laaibah Alvi, as Jodi Platypus

Kira Gelineau, as Margaret Tiger

Jaxson Mercey, as Prince Wednesday

Benjamin Hum, as O The Owl.

## Production:

The film was announced by Fred Rogers Productions and Paramount Pictures on November 10th, 2023 (Exactly a year before the official release) after they bought the rights from Warner Bros and production began soon after. Pre-Production wrapped on June 4th, 2024 and Post-Production wrapped a month later on July 3rd. The Teaser Trailer was released a week later and became the most highly anticipated film of the year. It was also announced that Tom Hanks would reprise his role as The Conductor, The Hobo, and Santa. It was also announced that the Pere Marquette #1225 would be used again for recordings.

## Release:

The film was released on November 10th, 2024 to generally positive reviews, and a Box-Office Success, becoming the 3rd highest grossing film of all time, as well as the 3rd highest grossing animated film.

## TV Broadcast:

The film had a TV Premiere on December 23rd, 2025 on PBS Kids after a 4-hour-Marathon of back-to-back Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood episodes. Episodes were:

1. Daniel’s birthday/Daniel’s Picnic
2. Snowflake Day
3. A Snowy day/Tutu all the time
4. Safety Patrol/ Safety at the Beach
5. Daniel Uses His Words/All Aboard
6. Daniel Shares his Tiger-tastic Car/Katerina Shares her tutu
7. Neighbor Day
8. Mad at The Lemonade stand/Mad at The Beach

All 14 stories were added on the DVD Release as a special Bonus feature.

## Home Media:

The Movie was released on DVD, Blu-ray, and Digital on February 25th, 2025 with bonus features including a “Behind The Scenes look” at how the movie was made. 14 bonus episodes and a read aloud book on screen titled “The Helpers in your neighborhood.” (Narrated version by Jake Beale (Who had voiced Daniel from season 1-2) (In Which Ian Titus explained that it became a “key tool” on how to put the cartoon characters in the real world.) in July the same year, the film was re-released as a double feature to Thomas and the Magic Railroad.

## Sequel:

*Main Article: Thomas and the Neighborhood of Make-Believe*

A Sequel titled Thomas and the Neighborhood of Make-Believe was set to be the 4th and possibly the final film in the Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood Film Series, and was released on March 28, 2026. Ian Titus himself also stated that it would be a spin-off film to the 2000 film Thomas and the Magic Railroad. Ian also said it would have a lot of the same songs from the original film. Despite him saying this may be the final film in the series, he quoted “I love working on this series, and I love meeting new friends and kids. So maybe we’ll make more after this film. But we’ll just have to see how this next one goes.” He also stated that since he was turning 20 apon the film’s release, he would possibly be forced to retire from acting, though he didn’t want to.

## Reception:

The film received positive reviews and called it “another masterpiece.” Daniel Mendelsohn gave it a 5 out of 5 stars saying “A Charming, and Harmless film. nap while your little ones enjoy.” The film also has a 92% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.