Saturn


 * This article is about the 2013 computer-animated film. For the game console, see Sega Saturn.

Saturn is a 2013 American 3D computer-animated sci-fi comedy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and features the voice cast of Daniel Craig, Jennifer Lawrence, Jason Lee, Keira Knightley, and Bill Paxton. Directed by Tony Bancroft from a screenplay by Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger, it follows an astronaut crew who land on Saturn and face the lack of surface on the planet. They intended to find their way back to Earth. Mikros Image provided its animation.

The film was released in the United States on October 4, 2013, by Universal Pictures. It grossed $443 million worldwide against its $90 million budget. The film received mixed reviews from critics with praise for its animation, visuals, vocal performances of Daniel Craig and Jennifer Lawrence, Hans Zimmer's musical score, but criticized the screenplay.

Plot
Jeremy Patmore (Daniel Craig) is working at college to study astronomy. Afterward, he was selected to go on the Saturn mission by the space program.

Patmore, Carrie Wayne (Jennifer Lawrence), David Chiller (Jason Lee), and Heather Jane (Keira Knightley) train at the space academy for their Saturn mission. Before the launch, space director Joe Lendry (Bill Paxton) warns the astronaut team that Saturn didn't have a surface and may not find a foothold on the planet. The astronaut crew's rocket launches into outer space for its Saturn mission.

As the rocket arrives at Saturn, Patmore notices the rings of the planet before the rocket landed here. Chiller suffers some lack of surface while the astronaut crew was at Saturn. Wayne gives Chiller some oxygen to breathe better. Somehow, Jane saw many moons around Saturn, including Titan. Soon, Patmore discovered that Saturn's rings were made out of its icy particles which led Chiller to accidentally jump on the icy particle and then sink through its atmosphere.

Joe Lendry reminded the crew to head back to Earth once they are done discovering Saturn. Wayne warns Patmore that Chiller is going to get crushed inside the planet. The crew then rescue Chiller from being crushed. They head back to the rocket, but realize it ran out of fuel, leaving the rocket to remain around Saturn. Patmore jumps around to get the extra fuel tank from the solid particle while Wayne helps crush the icy particles.

Patmore then gives Jane a fuel tank to refill the rocket. The crew finally lands back on Earth as the rocket launches back. Lendry then gives each astronaut crew medals of honor as they completed the Saturn mission.

Cast

 * Daniel Craig as Jeremy Patmore
 * Jennifer Lawrence as Carrie Wayne
 * Jason Lee as David Chiller
 * Keira Knightley as Heather Jane
 * Bill Paxton as Joe Lendry

Production
In 2010, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer began development on its computer-animated sci-fi movie with Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger writing the screenplay. In August 2011, Mulan co-director Tony Bancroft was hired to direct the film while revealing its title Saturn. The animation would be handled by Mikros Image. The voice cast has been announced on November 24, 2012 with Universal Pictures acquiring distribution rights.

The logo for the film was revealed in February 2013. The logo was met with confusion from fans as the Saturn symbol acting as the R for the logo was thought to be the symbol for Sailor Saturn, a character from the popular manga and anime series, Sailor Moon, with fans believing that the character would make some sort of appearance in it. On March 20, 2013, with the first trailer being released, Hans Zimmer was revealed to be scoring music for the film.

Release
Saturn was released in the United States on October 4, 2013 in RealD 3D and in select international IMAX 3D theatres. When released in theaters, it was accompanied by the Swan Dream Pool short film Invisible Magic Wendy.

Marketing

 * The first trailer was released on March 20, 2013, and was released in front of The Croods in theaters.

Home media
Saturn was released on DVD and Blu-ray on January 7, 2014, by MGM Home Entertainment and 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.

Box office
In the United States and Canada, the film opened alongside Gravity and Runner Runner and was expected to gross around $30 million in its opening weekend. The film grossed $9.8 million on its first day (including $975,000 from its Thursday night previews), and ended up grossing $31 million on its opening weekend, finishing second place behind Gravity.

More to be added.

Critical response
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 56%, based on 174 reviews. On Metacritic, the film holds a weighted average score of 43 out of 100, based on 30 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale.