Escape from Planet Earth

Escape from Planet Earth is a 2013 Canadian-American[6] 3D computer animated comedy-adventure science fiction film produced by Rainmaker Entertainment and distributed by The Weinstein Company in the United States and Alliance Films in Canada, directed by Cal Brunker, with a screenplay which he co-wrote with Bob Barlen, and features an ensemble voice cast that includes Rob Corddry, Brendan Fraser, Sarah Jessica Parker, William Shatner, Jessica Alba, Jane Lynch, Craig Robinson, George Lopez, Sofía Vergara, Steve Zahn, Chris Parnell, Jonathan Morgan Heit, and Ricky Gervais. The film was released on February 15, 2013. This was the first Rainmaker Entertainment film released in theaters. It was also Jessica Alba's voice debut in an animated feature.

Plot
On Planet Baab, Scorch Supernova (Brendan Fraser) works at BASA with his clumsy, yet smart older brother, Gary (Rob Corddry) and his computer, James Bing (Ricky Gervais). One day, Gary receives a message from Lena Thackleman (Jessica Alba), the head of BASA, that Scorch will be sent to the "Dark Planet" (the Baabians' name for Earth) due to a SOS call.

Scorch decides to go to the Dark Planet, as he already made a press conference and contacted his sponsors. However, Gary opposes the idea as Scorch is not serious and no alien has ever returned from the Dark Planet. After further arguing, Gary finally quits BASA before Scorch himself fires him. Gary goes home to his wife, Kira (Sarah Jessica Parker) and his adventure-hungry son, Kip (Jonathan Morgan Heit), who's a big fan of Scorch, only to find out that Scorch has already gone to the Dark Planet, while Kip is watching it on live TV.

Scorch arrives on Earth and lands in the desert and finds a 7-Eleven convenience store but mistakes an airdancer for a dying being. Scorch is then tranquilized and captured by General Shanker Saunderson (William Shatner), the selfish and malevolent general of the US Army, and is taken to "Area 51" where aliens from other planets are held. Witnessing this, Kip wants to go rescue Scorch, but Gary discourages him. That night, Gary goes to Kip's room to apologize only to find that he has escaped. He rushes to BASA with Kira wearing his prototype rocket boots and arrive in time to cancel the launch sequence at the last minute and save Kip.

Gary, having a change of heart, re-activates the sequence so he himself can rescue Scorch. As soon as he arrives, his ship immediately activates a self-destruct sequence, but he manages to escape. Gary arrives at the same 7-Eleven that Scorch arrived at earlier where he is spotted by its two geeky alien-loving owners, Hawk (Steve Zahn) and Hammer (Chris Parnell). Although both feared Gary, the two realize that Gary isn't hostile and offer him a Slurpee, giving Gary a brain freeze. Afterwards, Shanker's men break into the store, tranquilize Hawk and Hammer, and capture Gary, taking him to Area 51 as well.

Gary is taken to Shanker's office where he is quickly removed after he receives an incoming call from Lena, who is revealed to be his girlfriend as she has sent him the most powerful source in the galaxy known as "blubonium". Gary is placed in a cell hall where he meets a snarky and wise mouse-like alien named Doc (Craig Robinson), grouchy and sweet-tempered cyclops-like alien, Io (Jane Lynch), and friendly slug-like alien, Thurman (George Lopez), who tell Gary that various human technology has been invented by them for Shanker to rip off and sell to all of Earth so he will release them from Area 51. With these technologies, Shanker had made deals with companies like Apple Inc., Facebook, Google, and Pixar. Gary reunites with Scorch, but is again annoyed by his conceited behavior. After a food fight in the cafeteria, the aliens make their way to the "peace shield". Meanwhile, Lena captures Kira, who stayed at BASA and tried contacting Gary on his rescue mission. Lena reveals her plan to give a lifetime supply of blubonium to Shanker.

After Shanker reveals the blubonium, Gary unintentionally provokes Scorch into stealing it after stating its dangerous power. While being chased, Scorch destroys the blubonium, causing Shanker to freeze him and orders Gary to fix the blubonium, revealing that he's going to destroy all alien planets in the universe with a laser ray using the blubonium, thinking all aliens are hostile after a trio of grey aliens' spaceship (accidentally) killed his father in his youth back in 1947. Gary fixes the ray with help from his new friends, but Shanker goes back on his promise and freezes him instead. The other aliens discover Shanker's true intentions when he tries to destroy Baab with the laser ray and mutiny, knocking out Shanker's henchmen. It's revealed that Gary rigged the machine to malfunction, destroying itself before it can destroy Baab. With Gary and Scorch released from their icy prisons by the machine alongside the other frozen aliens, the brothers, Doc, Thurman and Io escape Area 51. With help from Hawk and Hammer, Gary and company locate Scorch's spaceship in a trailer park.

Meanwhile, back on Baab, Kip frees Kira, who subdues Lena after the latter took off with a blubonium shipment. US Air Force jets chase Gary's saucer, but Kip guides him through and manages to evade and destroy the jets. However, Shanker, wearing Scorch's robotic suit, uses a tractor beam to stop the ship in midair. Gary and Scorch jump out and manage to get the suit off Shanker which causes them all to plummet. While freefalling, Scorch and Gary reconcile, with Scorch admitting he always looked up to Gary for having a great family. The two embrace before they and an unconscious Shanker are rescued by the grey aliens. After Gary knocks out Shanker, the grey aliens take him away to deal with him. Scorch and Gary return to Planet Baab where Gary is reunited with his family. Scorch is greeted as a hero, but gives the credit to his brother, which the citizens of Baab celebrate.

Later, Scorch marries his girlfriend, anchorwoman Gabby Babblebrook (Sofía Vergara), with Gary, Kira, Kip, Doc, Io, Thurman, Hawk and Hammer in attendance.

Cast

 * Rob Corddry as Gary Supernova, Scorch’s older brother, who is also the head of mission control at BASA.
 * Brendan Fraser as Scorch Supernova, an arrogant but benevolent space pilot, Gary’s young brother.
 * Jessica Alba as Lena Thackleman, BASA's no-nonsense chief and Shanker’s love interest.
 * William Shatner as General Shanker Saunderson, the villainous head of Area 51.
 * Craig Robinson as Doc, a mouse-like alien.
 * George Lopez as Thurman, a three-eyed slug-like alien.
 * Jane Lynch as Io, a giant cyclops-like alien.
 * Steve Zahn as Hawk, Hammer's friend and owner of 7-Eleven.
 * Chris Parnell as Hammer, Hawk's friend and assistant.
 * Jonathan Morgan Heit as Kip Supernova, Gary and Kira's son.
 * Sarah Jessica Parker as Kira Supernova, Gary’s wife, who worked 15 years at the BASA Academy as a test pilot.
 * Sofía Vergara as Gabby Babblebrook, an anchorwoman on Baab and Scorch’s girlfriend.
 * Ricky Gervais as James Bing, a sarcastic talking computer who is programmed at BASA.

Development
The film was in development at The Weinstein Company at least since 2007. The film was first announced in a press release from The Weinstein Company, which announced that the film was in full production and also announced most of the cast.

The film was directed by Cal Brunker, who previously worked as a storyboard artist on the films Despicable Me, Horton Hears a Who! and Ice Age: Continental Drift. The film was originally set for release on February 14, 2013, but was pushed back to February 15, 2013, due to conflicting schedules.

Lawsuit
Writer-director Tony Leech and film producer Brian Inerfeld sued The Weinstein Company, claiming they signed a deal whereby they were to receive at least 20 percent of Escape's adjusted gross profit, which they estimated would be worth close to $50 million in back end participation alone. But the film languished in development, and the plaintiffs claimed that the Weinsteins repeatedly unlocked the script, forcing rewrites at least 17 times, which they say "eviscerated" the movie's budget by keeping 200-plus animators on payroll.[9] With the film pushing its budget, the Weinsteins went outside for fresh capital.

The Weinstein Company entered into a Funding and Security Agreement with JTM whereby the financiers agreed to provide new money and, in return, get 25 percent of the film's gross receipts and 100 percent of all foreign gross receipts. Leech and Inerfeld were upset, alleging that the agreement had mortgaged their own financial upside and said the Weinsteins advised them that if they wanted their past due money, they would have to agree to this arrangement. Instead, Leech and Inerfeld went on the legal attack against TWC even claiming that they were paid $500,000 in hush money to keep the dispute quiet on the verge of the Weinsteins' The King's Speech Oscar victory in 2011.As for JTM, the plaintiffs demanded a declaratory judgment that their contractual rights to share in the profits were superior to JTM's security interest in profits from the film.

On February 15, 2013, the same day the film was released, in a document filed in the New York Supreme Court, lawyers for both sides filed a motion of discontinuance in the case, effectively ending it. No details of the settlement were made available but because the motion was filed "with prejudice" both sides would be paying their own legal costs.

Soundtrack
Escape from Planet Earth: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the soundtrack of the film which was released on February 19, 2013.[11]

Score
Escape from Planet Earth: Original Score By Aaron Zigman is the soundtrack of the film scored by Aaron Zigman, performed by the Brussels Philharmonic Orchestra, which was released on February 8, 2013.[12]