Swan Dream Pool: The Magic Trails

Swan Dream Pool: The Magic Trails is a 2021 American 3D computer-animated musical fantasy adventure film directed by Steve Hickner from the screenplay by Joe Stillman, Allison Schroeder, Eyal Podell and Jonathon E. Stewart and a story by Hickner, Akiva Goldsman, and Schroeder. It is a sequel to the 2011 animated film Swan Dream Pool. The film stars the reprised roles of Kiernan Shipka and Ben Kingsley alongside new additions of Asa Butterfield (replacing Jonah Bobo), Dylan O'Brien, John Cena, Karen Gillan, and Robert De Niro.

Swan Dream Pool: The Magic Trails was released on January 22, 2021, by United Artists Releasing simultaneously in theatres and on premium video-on-demand. Universal Pictures distributed the sequel internationally, replacing Warner Bros. Pictures. The film received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics.

Plot
The story takes place nine years after the events of the first film and continues Andy Clark and Wendy's journey as they go on a quest to the magic trails to recover the magic of Swan Dream Pool.

Cast

 * Asa Butterfield as Andy Clark
 * Kiernan Shipka as Wendy
 * Ben Kingsley as Kenneth
 * Dylan O'Brien as Dominic
 * John Cena as Ray
 * Karen Gillan as Freya
 * Robert De Niro as Gaster

Production
Following the success of the original Swan Dream Pool in 2011, director Steve Hickner was open to sequel ideas that if the script works out then he'll direct the sequel.

In 2015, MGM has greenlit plans to make a sequel for Swan Dream Pool with Steve Hickner returning to direct and Kiernan Shipka reprising her role and Asa Butterfield replacing Jonah Bobo as Andy Clark. Joe Stillman was offered to write the screenplay of the sequel. Reel FX Creative Studios also returned to animate the sequel.

In 2016, Warner Bros. opted to drop out from the sequel due to its distribution rights expired after the TV series. In 2017, Allison Schroeder (of Hidden Figures and Christopher Robin fame), Eyal Podell and Jonathon E. Stewart (of FusionMania: The Movie and Cars 3 fame) were hired to rewrite the screenplay for Stillman. Steve Hickner, Akiva Goldsman, and Schroeder would later be credited as story writers. In February 2019, Dylan O'Brien, John Cena, Karen Gillan and Robert De Niro joined the voice cast with MGM and Annapurna Pictures handling domestic distribution through United Artists Releasing joint venture and Universal Pictures handling international distribution rights.

Music
On January 12, 2020, MGM announced that Marc Shaiman will return to score music and write songs with Scott Wittman for its sequel. On December 1, 2020, Shaiman and Wittman reveal details for the soundtrack album, including "Restore the Pool" by Kiernan Shipka. The soundtrack album was released on January 8, 2021, by Lakeshore Records.

Release
Swan Dream Pool: The Magic Trails was originally scheduled to be released on August 28, 2020 in theaters in time for the first film's 9th anniversary, but following the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, MGM announced that the sequel was delayed later in 2020 with Bill & Ted Face the Music taking its old slot before being moved to October 16, 2020. On October 2, 2020, Kiernan Shipka announced that the film was pushed back to January 22, 2021. On November 5, 2020, director Steve Hickner announced that the United States release will also be available in premium video on demand. It will be released in 2D, RealD 3D, and Dolby Cinema. On September 28, 2020, it was confirmed that it will get an IMAX release in some territories. The studio spent about $15 million promoting the film.

The film was originally going to be released in the United Kingdom and Ireland and some European countries (including the Netherlands on January 7), two weeks before its North American release. Most of the international releases would later be delayed until February 2021 while it opened in Australia and Mexico on January 21.

Marketing
The first trailer of the film was released on June 16, 2020. The second trailer was released on October 14, 2020.

The Wendy balloon debuted at the 94th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 26, 2020. McDonald's released 6 Happy Meal toys based of it on January 12, 2021.

Box office and VOD
In the United States and Canada, Swan Dream Pool: The Magic Trails was projected to gross around $7 million from 2,075 theaters in its opening weekend. It ended up debuting $7.3 million, making it the second animated title to top the box office weekend during the COVID-19 pandemic after The Croods: A New Age (or fourth when counting the Canadian theatrical releases of The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run and Imagimals 2), but 85% less than its predecessor's opening weekend ($49.2 million). That same weekend, it was the top-rented film on FandangoNow, Vudu, Apple TV, and Google Play.

Critical response
On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 69% based on 151 reviews, with an average rating of 6.2/10. The website's critical consensus reads: "Swan Dream Pool: The Magic Trails makes an agreeable musical magic comeback in nearly ten years, even if it cannot recapture brilliance of its predecessor." On Metacritic, the film holds a weighted average score of 55 out of 100 based on 31 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale (down from the "A−" received by its predecessor), while PostTrak reported 79% of those gave the film a positive score, with 63% saying they would definitely recommend it.