Planetokio (film)

Planetokio (also known as The Planetokio Movie) is a 2014 American-Canadian computer-animated science fiction action-comedy film, produced by Gingo Movies with animation provided by Rainmaker Entertainment and based on the video game series of the same name. The film was directed by Steven Dean Moore from a screenplay by Moore, Don Rhymer, and Joe Stillman featuring an original story loosely based on the 1999 video game Planetokio. It stars the voices of Griffin Gluck, Jessica Biel, Danny McBride, Nathan Lane, Bill Hader, Wallace Shawn, and Bobby Moynihan, with George Takei, Tom Kane, and Phil LaMarr reprising their roles from the series.

Planetokio premiered at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival on June 25, 2014, and was released in the United States and Canada on July 2, 2014 by Universal Pictures. It received mixed reviews from critics and grossed over $221 million worldwide.

Plot
Coming soon!

Voice cast

 * Further information: List of Planetokio characters


 * Griffin Gluck as Iken J. Yanguburu, a blue-haired meal delivery boy who works at Rai Rai Ken
 * Jessica Biel as Naomi Canbell, Iken's girlfriend and Dr. Cambert's daughter
 * George Takei as Dr. Hokin, a scientist that lives in the bottom of Rai Rai Ken and the inventory of the energy ball gun. Takei previously provided the voice of Dr. Hokin in the original game series. He, Tom Kane, and Phil LaMarr are the only three original main cast members from the games who returned for the film.
 * Danny McBride as Dr. Canbell, Naomi's father
 * Nathan Lane as Boro, Iken's robot assistant
 * Bill Hader as Lai Lai, the owner of Rai Rai Ken, and Mr. Bye-Bye, Lai Lai's twin counterpart
 * Wallace Shawn as Noboru, a convenience store clerk who gives Iken some new products
 * Bobby Moynihan as Akiba, the police chief
 * Tom Kane as Mr. Leakage, a brain ramen addiction
 * Phil LaMarr as Stamp Robot
 * Steven Dean Moore as Ferdinand, an nasty thief who is responsible for stealing Iken's delivery
 * Vincent Tong as Cocky Alien
 * Ian James Corlett as Freddy
 * Brian Drummond as Jarvis
 * Tabitha St. Germain as Sharen

ADR Loop Group

 * Steve Alterman
 * Ranjani Brow
 * William Calvert
 * Wendy Hoffmann
 * Karen Huie
 * Ashley Lambert
 * Wendee Lee
 * Scott Menville
 * Heidi Brook Myers
 * Juan Pacheco
 * Moira Quirk
 * Cindy Robinson
 * Darren Richardson
 * Al Rodrigo
 * Michelle Ruff
 * Keith Silverstein
 * Michael Sorich
 * Matthew Wolf

Production
Rumors about a possible Planetokio film had circulated since the release of the first game in 1999. During that time, Universal Studios had acquired the rights for the original Tokyo Wakusei Planetokio game to market the game in America through Agetec, retitled as Planetokio, and to make a potential film adaptation based on Planetokio which would be co-produced with Gingo Movies. In May 2000, screenwriter Robert Reece pitched Universal an idea of a live-action/CGI hybrid film based on Planetokio, titled Iken: A Planetokio Movie, attaching Anthony Stacchi as director. Like the 2003 live-action adaptation of Puyo Puyo, the human characters would be live-action while the creature and robot characters would be animated. In September 2000, Len Blum was hired to rewrite Reece's Iken: A Planetokio Movie. Filming was originally set to begin in late 2001, with Universal looking for a young actor to play Iken. Universal Digital Images and Rhythm and Hues were set for work on special effects. However, by March 2001, Universal decided to abandon Iken: A Planetokio Movie due to story problems.

Before the release of the Planetokio animated series in November 2002, a fully computer-animated film adaptation based on the Planetokio game series was announced to be in development at Universal and Gingo. It was specifically said to be based on the first game. It was being directed by Osamu Sato, the creator of Planetokio, with Jason Marsden, Lauren Tom, George Takei, Maurice LaMarche, and Corey Burton reprising their roles as Iken, Naomi, Dr. Hokin, Dr. Canbell, and Boro, respectively. By August 2002, Jon Vitti was hired to write the film's screenplay. The release date for the film was set for the summer of 2006, but was delayed to 2007. However, due to creative reasons, production was ultimately shut down in 2005, following the box office failure of Gingo's live-action/CGI hybrid sequel Puyo Puyo 2. The film labored in development hell for years until 2011.

On July 10, 2011, it was announced that a computer-animated feature film based on the Planetokio series was brought back in development by Universal and Gingo. Steven Dean Moore was announced to write and direct, with David K. Thompson producing. Don Rhymer, the writer of Surf's Up and Rio, joined the project. Moore said, "One of the biggest questions we've gotten in the last few years is "Are you going to make a Planetokio movie?" As in matter of fact, yes, we are. When I came up with this new idea, I just could not stop thinking about it. I was so excited about it that I knew we had to make this movie—and I wanted to direct it myself."

In June 2012, Moore confirmed that he planned to redesign the film's characters. On August 23, 2012, it was announced that Joe Stillman had been hired to write the draft for the film. However, Don Rhymer died from head and neck cancer on November 28, 2012 during the writing phase of the film. On September 13, 2012, it was confirmed that a form of the script was completed. The first image from the film was revealed in May 2013, with Griffin Gluck, Jessica Biel, George Takei, Danny McBride, Nathan Lane, Bill Hader, Wallace Shawn, Bobby Moynihan, and Tom Kane as part of its cast. Animation services were handled by Rainmaker Entertainment, while Skywalker Sound handled audio post-production services. Although the film was announced in 2011, Rainmaker had already began work on the production since 2008.

Soundtrack
Coming soon!

Track listing

 * 1) GoGo, Planetokio - Fatboy Slim
 * 2) Eternal (Radio Edit) - D.J. Dee.M
 * 3) Not Anyone - Black Box
 * 4) Brimful of Asha (Norman Cook Mix) - Cornershop
 * 5) Knocking on Your Door - Erasure
 * 6) The Weekend (Radio Edit) - Michael Gray feat. Shèna
 * 7) The Launch - DJ Jean
 * 8) Thunderstruck - Owl City feat. Sarah Russell
 * 9) Millennium (Ashes to Ashes Mix) - Front Line Assembly
 * 10) Theme from Planetokio (Cooly's Jungle Mix) - Osamu Sato

Score
Coming soon!

Track listing
All music composed by Hans Zimmer.
 * 1) The Rai Rai Ken Lab
 * 2) Delivery Theft
 * 3) Junkyard Material
 * 4) The Culprit
 * 5) Mr. Bye-Bye
 * 6) What Do I Need a Teddy Bear For?
 * 7) The Boro Project
 * 8) Correct Star
 * 9) Fireworks
 * 10) Gorilla Boro
 * 11) Ueno
 * 12) Fixing Naomi
 * 13) The Break-In
 * 14) Alien Naomi
 * 15) Blannetkio
 * 16) Monkey See, Monkey Shoo
 * 17) Giving the Memories
 * 18) Blast-Off!

Gallery
Coming soon!

Release
Planetokio was initially scheduled to be released on April 25, 2014. However, in September 2013, Universal Pictures moved the release date to July 2, 2014.

Marketing
The first teaser trailer was released online on December 12, 2013, and the official trailer for the film was released on March 21, 2014. A 95-second sneak peek of the film was released online via Gingo's YouTube channel on June 7, 2014. The studio spent a total of $120 million promoting the film.

Home media
Planetokio was released on digital HD on November 25, 2014 and on Blu-ray and DVD on December 9, 2014.

Box office
Coming soon!

Critical response
Coming soon!

Accolades
TBA

Main
To see the main transcript of the film, click here.

Trailers
To see the transcript for the trailers of the film, click here.