Antz

***Antz*** is a 1998 American computer-animated adventure comedy film directed by Eric Darnell and Tim Johnson, and written by Paul Weitz, Chris Weitz and Todd Alcott.

## Storyline

### Plot

A rather neurotic ant tries to break from his totalitarian society while trying to win the affection of the princess he loves.

### Genres

* Animation
* Adventure
* Comedy
* Family

### Motion Picture Rating

* **Atp** (Argentina)
* **PG** (Australia)
* **KT/EA** (Belgium)
* **Livre** (Brazil)
* **PG** (Canada)
* **7** (Denmark)
* **K-8** (Finland)
* **Tous publics** (France)
* **6** (Germany)
* **L** (Iceland)
* **PG** (Ireland)
* **T** (Italy)
* **A** (Mexico)
* **AL** (Netherlands)
* **PG** (New Zealand)
* **7** (Norway)
* **M/6** (Portugal)
* **PG** (Singapore)
* **A** (South Africa)
* **All** (South Korea)
* **T** (Spain)
* **7** (Sweden)
* **7** (Switzerland)
* **PG** (UK)
* **PG** (USA)

## Images

Antz 1998 USA VHS cover.jpgUSA VHS cover (1998)Antz 1998 USA DVD cover.jpgUSA DVD cover (1998)UK VHS cover (1999)UK DVD cover (2001)USA DVD cover (2018)USA Blu-Ray coverUK DVD cover (2018)
## Cast and Crew

### Directors

* Eric Darnell
* Tim Johnson

### Writing Credits

* Todd Alcott (screenplay) and
* Chris Weitz (screenplay) and
* Paul Weitz (screenplay)

### Cast

* Woody Allen - Z (voice)
* Gene Hackman - Mandible (voice)
* Sharon Stone - Bala (voice)
* Sylvester Stallone - Weaver (voice)
* Jennifer Lopez - Aztec (voice)
* Christopher Walken - Cutter (voice)
* Danny Glover - Barbatus (voice)
* Anne Bancroft - Queen (voice)
* Grant Shaud - Foreman (voice)
* John Mahoney - Drunk Scout (voice)
* Jane Curtin - Muffy (voice)
* Paul Mazursky - Psychologist (voice)
* Jerry Sroka - Bartender (voice)

### Producers

* Penney Finkelman Cox (executive producer)
* Bradford Lewis (producer) (as Brad Lewis)
* Sandra Rabins (executive producer)
* Carl Rosendahl (executive producer)
* Aron Warner (producer)
* Patty Wooton (producer)

## Details

### Release Dates

* October 25, 1997 (Canada) (Toronto International Film Festival)
* October 2, 1998 (Canada)
* October 2, 1998 (USA)
* October 5, 1998 (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
* October 29, 1998 (Australia)
* October 29, 1998 (New Zealand)
* November 4, 1998 (Morocco)
* November 5, 1998 (Czech Republic)
* November 5, 1998 (Germany)
* November 5, 1998 (Singapore)
* November 5, 1998 (Slovakia)
* November 6, 1998 (Austria)
* November 6, 1998 (Brazil)
* November 6, 1998 (Switzerland) (German speaking region)
* November 6, 1998 (Spain)
* November 6, 1998 (UK)
* November 6, 1998 (Ireland)
* November 6, 1998 (Iceland)
* November 6, 1998 (Portugal)
* November 7, 1998 (South Korea)
* November 7, 1998 (Taiwan)
* November 11, 1998 (Belgium)
* November 11, 1998 (Switzerland) (French speaking region)
* November 11, 1998 (France)
* November 12, 1998 (Argentina)
* November 12, 1998 (Greece)
* November 12, 1998 (Hong Kong)
* November 13, 1998 (Norway)
* November 13, 1998 (Poland)
* November 14, 1998 (Japan)
* November 17, 1998 (Trinidad and Tobago)
* November 19, 1998 (Malaysia)
* November 20, 1998 (Denmark)
* November 27, 1998 (Turkey)
* December 3, 1998 (Hungary)
* December 3, 1998 (Israel)
* December 29, 1998 (Jordan)
* December 30, 1998 (Zimbabwe)
* December 31, 1998 (Bahrain)
* December 31, 1998 (Serbia)
* January 1, 1999 (Azerbaijan)
* January 1, 1999 (Russia)
* January 4, 1999 (Bolivia)
* January 5, 1999 (Oman)
* January 5, 1999 (Pakistan)
* January 7, 1999 (Netherlands)
* January 8, 1999 (Indonesia) (Jakarta)
* January 10, 1999 (Bangladesh)
* January 11, 1999 (Afghanistan)
* January 14, 1999 (Georgia)
* January 14, 1999 (Mexico)
* January 14, 1999 (Peru)
* January 14, 1999 (Slovenia)
* January 15, 1999 (Finland)
* January 15, 1999 (Italy)
* January 15, 1999 (Sweden)
* January 18, 1999 (Belarus)
* January 18, 1999 (Kuwait)
* January 29, 1999 (United Arab Emirates)
* January 29, 1999 (Lebanon)
* February 4, 1999 (Albania)
* February 4, 1999 (Algeria)
* February 6, 1999 (Montenegro)
* February 13, 1999 (Tunisia)
* February 19, 1999 (Estonia)
* February 21, 1999 (Iran)
* March 2, 1999 (China)
* March 6, 1999 (Bahamas)
* April 15, 2022 (USA) (internet)
* April 15, 2022 (UK) (internet)
* April 15, 2022 (Japan) (internet)
* April 15, 2022 (France) (internet)
* April 15, 2022 (Australia) (internet)

### Trailer Released Dates

* Teaser - March 26, 2021
* Trailer 1 - July 21, 2021
* Trailer 2 - December 22, 2021
* Trailer 3 - February 18, 2022
* Trailer 4 - March 4, 2022

### Home Media Release Dates

* January 6, 1998 (USA) (VHS)
* January 6, 1998 (USA) (DVD)
* November 8, 1999 (UK) (VHS)
* March 19, 2001 (UK) (DVD)
* June 5, 2018 (USA) (DVD re-release)
* July 23, 2018 (UK) (DVD re-release)
* October 16, 2018 (USA) (Blu-Ray)
* April 15, 2022 (USA) (internet)

## Reception

### Box office

*Antz* grossed $171.8 million worldwide on a budget of around $42-105 million.

### Critical response

The film has a 6.5 rating on IMDb and a 93% on Rotten Tomatoes.

## Company Credits

### Production Companies

* DreamWorks Pictures (presents)
* Pacific Data Images (presents)
* DreamWorks Animation

### Distributors

* DreamWorks Pictures (1997) (USA) (theatrical)
* United International Pictures (1998) (Belgium) (theatrical)
* United International Pictures (1998) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
* United International Pictures (1998) (Germany) (theatrical)
* United International Pictures (1998) (Spain) (theatrical)
* United International Pictures (1999) (Finland) (theatrical)
* United International Pictures (1998) (France) (theatrical)
* United International Pictures (1998) (UK) (theatrical)
* United International Pictures (1999) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
* United International Pictures (1999) (Sweden) (theatrical)
* Universal Studios Home Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
* Universal Studios Home Video (1998) (USA) (DVD)
* Paramount Home Media Distribution (1999) (UK) (VHS)
* Universal Studios Home Video (2001) (UK) (DVD)
* Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (2018) (USA) (DVD)
* Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (2018) (UK) (DVD)
* Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (2018) (USA) (Blu-Ray)
* Netflix (2022) (USA) (internet)

### Special Effects

* Pacific Data Images
* Viewpoint Datalabs International (3D character and environment digitising and modelling)

## Technical Specs

### Aspect Ratio

* 1.85:1
* 2.39:1 (Cinemascope print)

## Trivia

* This is the second film produced by DreamWorks Animation.
* This is the first computer-animated film to be rated PG by the MPAA.
* This is the only computer-animated film released in the 1990s to be rated PG by the MPAA.
* This is the third computer-animated film after *Toy Story* (1995) and *Cassiopeia* (1996).
* The third Netflix animated film to be produced in 2.35:1, after *Next Gen* (2018) and *The Willoughbys* (2020).
* This film and *The Prince of Egypt* (1997) are the only Dreamworks Animation Films released in the 20th Century.

## Connections

### References

* *Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope* (1977)
* *Superman* (1978) - General Mandible says "Damn good" in the exact same manner as Lex Luthor.
* *Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back* (1980) - Bala says, "I sure hope you know what you're doing." Z responds, "Yeah, me too."
* *Dune* (1984) - General Mandible speaking to the workers looks too much like Muad'Dib talking to his new people....And, the scene where Z is trying to climb up the Reebok shoes is similar to the one where Muad'Dib tames the worms...
* *Saving Private Ryan* (1998)

### Referenced in

* *Flushed Away* (2006) - in Roddy's DVD collection

### Spoofs

* *Rocky* (1976)
* *Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope* (1977)
* *Close Encounters of the Third Kind* (1977)
* *Raiders of the Lost Ark* (1981)