| The Simpsons Movie | |
|---|---|
.png) Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | David Silverman |
| Screenplay by | |
| Based on | The Simpsons by Matt Groening |
| Produced by |
|
| Starring | |
| Edited by | John Carnochan |
| Music by | Hans Zimmer |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox[1] |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 87 minutes[3] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $75 million[4] |
| Box office | $536.4 million[4] |
The Simpsons Movie is a 2007 American animated comedy film based on the Fox animated sitcom The Simpsons created by Matt Groening. The film was directed by series veteran David Silverman (in his feature film directorial debut) and stars Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, Harry Shearer, Pamela Hayden, Tress MacNeille, and other recurring actors reprising their roles from the series, with Albert Brooks joining for the film. The plot follows Homer Simpson as he attempts to save Springfield when it is imprisoned under a glass dome by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) after Homer irresponsibly pollutes the town's local lake.
Although previous attempts to create a Simpsons film had been made, they failed due to the lack of a final screenplay. In 2001, series producers Groening, James L. Brooks, Al Jean, Mike Scully and Richard Sakai began development on the film: a writing team of Brooks, Groening, Jean, Scully, Ian Maxtone-Graham, George Meyer, David Mirkin, Mike Reiss, Matt Selman, John Swartzwelder and Jon Vitti was assembled. They conceived numerous plot ideas, with Groening's adapted. The screenplay was rewritten over a hundred times, which continued after work on the film's animation began in 2006. Consequently, hours of finished material was cut from the final release, including cameo roles from Erin Brockovich, Minnie Driver, Isla Fisher, Edward Norton, and Kelsey Grammer, who would have reprised his role as Sideshow Bob. Green Day and Tom Hanks voice their own animated counterparts in the film's final cut.
Tie-in promotions were made with several companies to promote the film's release, including Burger King and 7-Eleven, the latter of which transformed selected stores into Kwik-E-Marts. The film premiered in Springfield, Vermont, on July 21, 2007, and was theatrically released in the United States six days later on July 27, by 20th Century Fox. The Simpsons Movie grossed $536.4 million worldwide, becoming the eighth-highest-grossing film of 2007, the second-highest-grossing traditionally animated film (behind Disney's The Lion King), the highest-grossing film based on an animated television series, and the highest grossing adult animated movie of all time. The film was nominated for numerous awards, including a Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film at the 65th Golden Globe Awards.
- ^ a b "The Simpsons Movie (2007)". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Archived from the original on March 19, 2021. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
- ^ Baisley, Sarah (January 18, 2007). "Universal Pictures Lures Chris Meledandri From 20th Century Fox Animation". Animation World Network. Archived from the original on March 19, 2021. Retrieved August 8, 2018.
- ^ "The Simpsons Movie". British Board of Film Classification. Archived from the original on August 28, 2019. Retrieved August 9, 2010.
- ^ a b "The Simpsons Movie (2007)". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on October 8, 2012. Retrieved December 21, 2007.