Wonder Park

Wonder Park
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Dylan Brown
Screenplay by	Josh Appelbaum André Nemec
Story by	Robert Gordon Josh Appelbaum André Nemec
Produced by	Josh Appelbaum André Nemec Kendra Haaland
Starring	Jennifer Garner Matthew Broderick John Oliver Mila Kunis Kenan Thompson Ken Jeong Norbert Leo Butz Brianna Denski Ken Hudson Campbell
Cinematography	Juan García González
Edited by	Edie Ichioka
Music by	Steven Price
Production companies	Paramount Animation Nickelodeon Movies Ilion Animation Studios
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release dates	March 15, 2019(2019-03-15)(United States) April 12, 2019(2019-04-12)(Spain)
Running time	85 minutes
Countries	United States Spain
Language	English
Budget	$80–100 million
Box office	$119.6 million

Wonder Parkis a 2019 animatedadventure comedy filmproduced byParamount AnimationandNickelodeon Movies,withIlion Animation Studioshandling animation. The plot follows a young girl who encounters a real version of her magical amusement park run by anthropomorphic animals. The film stars the voice talents ofJennifer Garner,Matthew Broderick,John Oliver,Mila Kunis,Kenan Thompson,Ken Jeong,Norbert Leo Butz,Brianna Denski, andKen Hudson Campbell.

The film was directed by formerPixaranimator Dylan Brown in his directorial debut; while he was involved through most of the production period,Paramount Picturesdismissed him in January 2018, citing "inappropriate and unwanted conduct".

Wonder Parkwas released in the United States on March 15, 2019, byParamount Pictures.The film received negative reviews from critics, who praised the animation and voice acting, but criticized the story, tone, and ending. The film was also acommercial failure,grossing $119 million against a budget of $80–100 million.

Plot

June Bailey, a young imaginative girl, and her mother come up with the idea of Wonderland, a magical amusement park run by a group of anthropomorphic animals: Boomer, a big blue bear who greets guests; Greta, a wild boar; Gus and Cooper, beaver brothers; Steve, a porcupine who is the park's safety manager and is in love with Greta; and Peanut, a chimpanzee who is the park's leader and has the ability to create rides by listening to June's mother's voice. Over time, June's mother starts to get sick and is sent away for recovery. As a result, June starts alienating from Wonderland and burns the blueprints of the park out of frustration.

Sometime later, June's father sends her to math camp. After misinterpreting a note from her father as a cry for help, June uses her friend Banky to create a distraction on the bus to escape and return home to help her father. Instead, she finds a real broken-down Wonderland in the woods. The park is currently being surrounded by a cloud named the Darkness; June and the animals attempt to fix Clockwork Swings, the park's mechanism, but are attacked by Chimpanzombies, the park's former plush toys that now empower the Darkness. In the chaos, June gets separated from the animals and finds herself in a floating chamber known as Zero-G Land. There, June finds Peanut hiding from the Darkness where he confesses he felt lost after he stopped hearing the voice in his head. This leads June to realize that the Darkness was created by herself as a result of her cynicism from her mom's illness. The Chimpanzombies break in and take Peanut as their prisoner, but June escapes.

June runs back to the animals to tell them she found Peanut but also confesses that she is responsible for the Darkness. Feeling upset over this revelation, they selfishly abandon her. After noticing the piece of the blueprint and realizing that she has been able to create the ideas for the park herself, June fixes one of the attractions to catch up with the animals and make it to Clockwork Swings. She also explains why she created the Darkness, and seeing that she wants to help, the animals reform the team to save Peanut and Wonderland.

The gang finds the Chimpanzombies taking Peanut to get sucked up into the Darkness. The animals fight back while June rushes to save Peanut by jumping into the void. She promises him that she will provide the voice for his imagination and that he should not let the Darkness take over him, giving him an idea to make a slide out of bendy straws to escape. While the gang and Peanut are riding the slide to avoid the Chimpanzombies, June then notices that Clockwork Swings is attached to her name written in cursive, just like the blueprint piece. With Peanut's help, they get Clockwork Swings back up and running by using her name to move the gears, and clear up Wonderland from the Darkness. A cloud remains over the park, to which June interprets as a reminder to continue to be imaginative.

June returns home, and with it, her now cured mother, and they set up a Wonderland in their backyard. June then shares with other kids the story of Wonderland.

Voice cast

• Brianna Denski as June Bailey, an imaginative and optimistic girl who created Wonderland
  • Sofia Mali as Young June
• Jennifer Garneras Mrs. Bailey, June's mother
• Matthew Broderickas Mr. Bailey, June's father
• John Oliveras Steve, a white porcupine who is the safety officer of Wonderland
• Mila Kunisas Greta, awild boarwho is Steve's love interest
• Kenan Thompsonas Gus, an orange beaver who is Cooper's brother
  • Ryan Fitzgeraldvoices Gus in the Australian version andJoe Suggin the UK version
• Ken Jeongas Cooper, a red beaver who is Gus' brother
  • Wippavoices Cooper in the Australian version andCaspar Leein the UK version
• Norbert Leo Butzas Peanut, a chimpanzee who acts as Wonderland's main mascot and ride creator
• Ken Hudson Campbellas Boomer, anarcolepticblue bear who welcomes the visitors to Wonderland
  • Tom Bakervoices Boomer in the UK version
• Oev Michael Urbas as Banky, June's best friend
• Kevin Chamberlinas Uncle Tony
  • Eamonn Holmesvoices Uncle Tony in the UK version
• Kate McGregor-Stewart as Aunt Albertine, Ulysses' older sister
  • Ruth Langsfordvoices Aunt Albertine in the UK version
• Kath Soucieas Bus Counselor Shannon

Catherine CavadiniandDavid Arnottprovided additional voices via ADR group.

Production

Wonder Parkstarted development in early 2012, with the story being written byGalaxy QuestandLemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate EventswriterRobert Gordonand production commenced in September 2014.In June 2015, it was revealed that Spain'sIlion Animation Studioswould produce the film.In November 2015,Paramount Animationofficially announced the project, then titledAmusement Park,with formerPixaranimator Dylan Brown directing.The voices in the film were set asMatthew Broderick,Jennifer Garner,Ken Hudson Campbell(originallyJeffrey Tambor),Kenan Thompson,Ken Jeong,Mila Kunis,andJohn Oliver.For the lead role of June Bailey, the filmmakers wanted an unknown actress for the part. More than 1,500 people from all over the US and the world auditioned before 11-year-old Brianna Denski fromTerryville, Connecticutwas offered the role.

In January 2018, it was reported that director Dylan Brown was fired from the production byParamount Pictures,following an investigation into complaints of "inappropriate and unwanted conduct".Paramount offered the director's credit to multiple key creative personnel on the film, but they refused, fearing the film would be detrimental to their careers.The position went then uncredited in the film.In April 2018, the title of the film was changed fromAmusement ParktoWonder Park.

Music

Main article:Wonder Park(soundtrack)

The music forWonder Parkwas scored by composerSteven Price.The album was released on March 8, 2019,a week before the film was released into theatres.

Grace VanderWaalrecorded the song "Hideaway" for the film.

In April 2018, it was reported thatRachel Plattenwould perform an original song forWonder Park.The single, titled "Wonder", was released in March 2019.

Release

Wonder Parkwas released on March 15, 2019, by Paramount Pictures.In January 2017, the film was moved up from its original release date, March 22, 2019, to July 13, 2018.A few months later, it was pushed back from July 13, 2018, to August 10, 2018,and by August 2017, it was pushed back for a final time to March 15, 2019.

Home media

Wonder Parkwas released onDVDandBlu-rayon June 18, 2019, and on Digital HD on June 4, byParamount Home Entertainment.

Reception

Box office

Wonder Parkgrossed$45.2 millionin the United States and Canada, and$74.4 millionin other territories, for a worldwide total of$119.6 million,against a production budget of around $80–100 million.

In the United States and Canada,Wonder Parkwas released alongsideCaptive StateandFive Feet Apart,and was projected to gross $8–14 million from 3,838 theaters in its opening weekend.It made $5.4 million on its first day, including $700,000 from Thursday night previews. It went on to debut to $16 million, which beat projections, thoughDeadline Hollywoodsaid it was "[not] enough to consider this... production a success."The film fell 45% in its second weekend, grossing $8.8 million, and 43% in its third to $5.0 million.

Critical response

Onreview aggregatorwebsiteRotten Tomatoes,the film holds an approval rating of 34% based on 108 reviews, with an average rating of 4.8/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Colorful and energetic but lacking a compelling story,Wonder Parkis little more than a competently made diversion for very young viewers. "OnMetacritic,the film has aweighted averagescore of 45 out of 100, based on 22 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".Audiences polled byCinemaScoregave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale.

Other media

Unaired television series

Prior toWonder Park's release, Paramount Animation announced that a television series based on the film would debut onNickelodeonafter the film's theatrical release. This would be the third animated film from Nickelodeon Movies to have a series spin-off, afterJimmy Neutron: Boy GeniusandBarnyard,and the first animated film from Paramount Animation to inspire a series spin-off from the film.

Although a trailer for the series,Adventures in Wonder Park,was attached to the Blu-ray release of the film, there have been no updates from Nickelodeon on the project since. A sizable collection of unfinished episodes, including animatics, storyboards and scripts, were posted online around December 9, 2022.

Mobile game

Prior to the film's release, a licensed mobile game titledWonder Park Magic Rideswas released by Pixowl.

External links

• Official website
• Wonder ParkatIMDb