Astro Boy (film)

Astro Boy
Theatrical release poster
Directed byDavid Bowers
Written by
Story byDavid Bowers
Based onAstro Boy
by Osamu Tezuka
Produced by
  • Maryann Garger
  • Kuzuka Yayoki
Starring
CinematographyPepe Valencia
Edited byRobert Anich
Music byJohn Ottman
Production
company
Distributed bySummit Entertainment (United States)
Panasia Films (Hong Kong)
Release dates
  • October 8, 2009 (2009-10-08) (Hong Kong)
  • October 23, 2009 (2009-10-23) (United States)
Running time
94 minutes
Countries
  • Hong Kong
  • United States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$65 million[2]
Box office$42 million[3]

Astro Boy is a 2009 animated superhero film loosely based on the manga series of the same name by the Japanese writer and illustrator Osamu Tezuka. Produced by the Hong Kong-based company Imagi Animation Studios, it was directed by David Bowers, who co-wrote the screenplay with Timothy Hyde Harris. The film stars Freddie Highmore, Kristen Bell, Nicolas Cage, Donald Sutherland, Bill Nighy, Matt Lucas, Eugene Levy, Samuel L. Jackson, Charlize Theron and Nathan Lane. In the film, Dr. Tenma (Cage) creates Astro (Highmore), a teenage robot implanted with the memories of his son after he is killed in an accident. The pair face Stone (Sutherland), the president of Metro City who is running for re-election, for their betrayal.

The film was first released in Hong Kong on October 8, 2009, and in the United States on October 23, 2009. It received generally mixed reviews from film critics and was a financial failure, earning $42 million worldwide against its $65 million budget. As a result of the film's bad performance, Imagi was shut down on February 5, 2010, and as a result, it became the last film produced by the studio.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference VarietyReview was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Frater, Patrick (October 10, 2009). "Imagi hitches rocket to 'Astro Boy'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on November 3, 2012. Retrieved April 18, 2012.
  3. ^ "Astro Boy". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved January 18, 2021.