Who Plays Who?

Freddie Highmore Nicolas Cage Bill Nighy Kristen Bell Samuel L. Jackson Charlize Theron Donald Sutherland Eugene Levy Nathan Lane Moises Arias Sterling Beaumon Matt Lucas Madeline Carroll Victor Bonavida Tony Matthews

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Astro Boy Dr Tenma Dr Elefun Cora Zog 'Our Friends' Narrator General Stone Orrin Ham Egg Zane Sludge Sparx Widget/Grace Sam Cora's Dad

What Do The Critics Say

"There's an appealing mix of characters including Eugene Levy's hilarious robot Orrin, Nathan Lane's Ham Egg, who repairs robots from the scrap heap to participate in Gladiator-like contests, Donald Sutherland's ambitious General Stone, Samuel L Jackson's gigantic Zog and Kristen Bell's warm-hearted Cora. Bill Nighy's distinctively English voice seems at odds with Dr Elefun's squat, koala-like scientist, who always promotes common sense." Louise Keller URBAN CINEFILE "Astro Boy comes as something from left-field. Its rich atmospherics are strongly influenced by anime, which is fitting considering the original Astro Boy television show's pioneering place in that genre. An exciting action-packed story, this is a contender for best animated movie of the year." Annette Basile FILMINK "If all of this sounds a bit heavy, even dark and scary, indeed some of it is. But it’s also very funny, action packed and pithy." Tim Cogshell BOXOFFICE MAGAZINE "Kids of the ‘80s, relax. Your childhoods remain intact. After-school anime favourite Astro Boy has finally blasted on to the big screen with this reverent, zippy CG remodelling. The huge, exciting action sequences alone are enough to prove this belated Astro Boy big-screen bash is a worthwhile update. A smart, snappy upgrade doesn't tarnish memories of a childhood favourite." Ben McEachen EMPIRE MAGAZINE "Script by director David Bowers and Timothy Hyde Harris is mercilessly streamlined in its storytelling, and save for one very unexpected shout-out to Kant, it refrains from aiming too many jokes above its target audience's heads. Supporting characters are well drawn, particularly a band of robot revolutionaries plotting to overthrow their human overlords but hopelessly hampered by Asimov's first law of robotics." Andrew Baker VARIETY

"To their credit, the filmmakers put story first and foremost and let the CG animation deliver in its service: which it does in triumphant style. The symbolism and the underlying themes within this story may not be relevant to its core audience, but it's interesting to see how filmmakers feed off those elements: the father son relationship theme, the good 'blue core' v evil 'red core' theme, the coming of age theme (recognising one's true path), the sacrifice and redemption theme." Andrew L Urban URBAN CINEFILE "The accent is on action, as in most modern films for young audiences. Astro Boy doesn't like violence, but everyone keeps forcing him to defend himself. Biff! Pow! Clang!" Paul Byrnes SYDNEY MORNING HERALD "A new generation of young'uns is being exposed to Astro Boy (hey look! A superhero without a dark side!) and there are enough contemporary references to entertain the parents who accompany them." Sarah Theeboom TIME OUT SYDNEY The feature-length film, modelled on Pixar films, merges the best of western and eastern animation styles. result is an entertaining film that should satisfy both adults and children. Former Disney and DreamWorks animators worked with Imagi's team of about five hundred animators in Hong Kong to produce the frequently moving epic adventure that should satisfy Astro Boy's huge army of fans, many now mums and dads themselves." Des Partridge COURIER MAIL BRISBANE "The much-loved, trans-generational animated TV icon with the spiked hair and rocket-powered legs gets the origin story treatment he/it deserves in this snappy, respectful and impressive-looking Hollywood mega-sizing.Astro Boy should please new-generation fans as thoroughly as nostalgia-hungry adults who grew up with the cartoons of the 1960s and 1980s." Jim Schembri THE AGE

The Inside Story Few animated characters have made as powerful or as lasting an impression on international popular culture as has "Astro Boy". The little robot first appeared in 1951 as a character in Osamu Tezuka’s legendary manga (Japanese comic book) and became an instant icon. In 1963, he starred in a black and white television series produced in Japan. With his large expressive eyes, Astro Boy became the standard for a new form of animation that has become world famous as anime. The original series also garnered a devoted following when it debuted in the U.S. that same year. Astro Boy continued to inspire fans in a 1982 television series, and then again in an American-made series that debuted in 2003. Airing in fourty countries, including Japan and the U.S., this third series appeared on the Warner Bros and Cartoon Network, winning first place in its time slot for two years running. Tezuka has been honoured as both the 'god of manga' and 'father of anime', and Astro Boy and his creator became such enormous celebrities in their native Japan that they even appeared on postage stamps. In 2004, Astro Boy was inducted into the Robot Hall of Fame alongside C-3PO from Star Wars and Robby the Robot from "Forbidden Planet". Astro Boy’s story, with its themes of displacement and the need to belong, touched director David Bowers. "Astro Boy is a timeless story in the tradition of Pinocchio or Oliver Twist," he says. "It’s very Dickensian, but at the same time, it’s very modern. He is a child created to replace the son that a father has lost. The father comes to realize that the boy can’t truly replace his lost son. The boy, who thought he was a real kid, finds out he’s a robot, and from there his life just goes crazy." Thinking back to films I’ve loved and that have really influenced me over the years, I realized that the first movie I saw in a theatre was Pinocchios. My father took me to see it and it had an enormous impact. 'When You Wish Upon a Star' makes me cry to this day." Then, when he was researching Astro Boy, Bowers learned that Osamu Tezuka was highly influenced by the work of Walt Disney. "It was easy to see where Astro Boy came from. There are all sorts of similarities with Pinocchio—except he’s improved it with giant fighting robots!" Staying faithful to the original "Astro Boy" while updating its sensibility for a 21tst century audience was a central concern for everyone involved with the film," says producer Maryann Garger. "Astro Boy is a national treasure in Japan. He is their Mickey Mouse. We wanted to create that same excitement and passion for the character in Western audiences. I think viewers who know the character will see Astro Boy’s story in a way they haven’t seen it before. On the other hand, if you’re new to "Astro Boy", it’s an incredibly emotional story. It’s sort of Pinocchio, but it’s also Star Wars. And it’s not just for kids. It’s for grownups, too, and hopefully moviegoers around the world will discover that." Bowers ("Flushed Away") is confident that long time fans will be happy with this updated Astro Boy. "He is still the Astro Boy we know and love, except this is the first time on the big screen, so it’s a much bigger story. It has much more scope and much more scale, even in things like the emotional aspects of Astro Boy’s journey." But while Astro Boy has a poignant side, the filmmakers have not skimped on the action: nor the humour. "We have Astro Boy flying down the streets, cars blowing up, buildings collapsing. We have flying cities crashing to the ground. It’s heart-warming, but at the same time very exciting and very funny, too." Garger ("Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas") says she didn't grow up with Astro Boy. But admits it was love at first sight. The opportunity to direct Astro Boy was too good an opportunity for Bowers (who was a storyboard artist on "Balto" & "The Road To El Dorado") to pass up. "My job, first and foremost, is to be a storyteller. I helped harness the creative energies of all these amazing people surrounding me to get the story out there as something that people can enjoy. I hope that it’s something that will be around for a while. If we can move people, if we can make people laugh and make people cry, then I think we’ve done our job. If we can excite them and have them at the edge of their seats, too, then we’ve done our job really well." Putting together the best project possible meant assembling an all-star creative team, says the director. "We managed to get these amazing talents to work on our film. Everybody was committed to making "Astro Boy" the most spectacular, fantastic, exciting and funniest film movie that we could possibly create." The film is produced by Hong Kong based animation studio Imagi Studios, who also have a creative development and production facility in Los Angeles and, an office in Tokyo. The company's first major CG-animated theatrical movie, "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles", was released domestically on March 23rd 2007 by Warner Bros, opening at #1 at the box office. "Imagi has all these great artists from around the world who are very passionate," Bowers adds. "A lot of top creative people that I worked with at other studios are there, so it really felt like we were getting the band back together. I was thrilled to be reunited with Maryann Garger, who was the co-producer of Flushed Away." Garger echoes his enthusiasm. "Imagi is especially exciting for me because we have an opportunity to help build the studio," she revealed. "That was something I loved doing when I was at DreamWorks. Because Imagi is a start-up studio, there’s a lot of artistic energy which translates to the screen. We have made a film that we’re very proud of that will compete in today’s global marketplace." The film’s screenplay is by Bowers and, Timothy Harris, a seasoned writer whose credits include such hits as "Trading Places" and "Kindergarten Cop" as well as the blockbuster animated action comedy "Space Jam". At the age of seventeen, Freddie Highmore ("Five Children and It") has a resume any actor would envy, but "Astro Boy" is his first foray into superhero status. Working on the film was an education for Highmore, who was not initially familiar with the character. "It was exciting to learn about this whole new world. Sometimes I feel like we know this huge secret, and we’re about to go and tell all these people about it." Highmore voices both Toby and Astro Boy in the movie, giving him the additional challenge of creating two similar, but distinct, characters. "It was really interesting to play," the 2005 Empire Award winner for "Finding Neverland" says. "They are quite different. All great characters change through the course of a movie. "Astro Boy" definitely learns many things about himself and about how to live in the world. He realizes that he has all these amazing powers. As he discovers his powers, the audience discovers them as well and hopefully they go through the emotions with him." One of the aspects that attracted Highmore to the project was its innovative approach to animation. "It’s quite original and it’s got a modern feel to it." 1996 Oscar winner Nicolas Cage ("Leaving Las Vegas") who voices Dr Tenma, Astro Boy’s father, says he grew up watching the original black and white "Astro Boy" television series. He remembers: "There was a tremendous amount of emotion in those little Japanese cartoons. I couldn’t take my eyes off of it." "There was this marvellous charm in seeing somebody that small be that powerful. I think that’s something that a lot of children can get in step with." And is it true Cage once considered making a live action feature based on the character? "It wasn’t something that ever got off the ground. But Mr Tezuka sent me a little wooden clock with all his characters carved into it. Even though I never met the man, I had personal connection to him, which was part of the reason I chose to participate in this movie." And what does Cage see as the key to Astro Boy’s popularity? The four time Blockbuster Entertainment Award winners says: "His inherent humanity. I love Astro Boy’s good-heartedness, his wanting to belong, wanting to be loved, even though he’s this little robot. You can’t help but adore the character, because you feel so much for him. Those things separate Astro from other anime." Kristen Bell ("Couples Retreat"), who voices Cora, a young runaway from Metro City with a thorny exterior, says being in a movie with a cast that includes Nicolas Cage, Nathan Lane and Bill Nighy is a dream come true for her. "The film is going to be wildly entertaining and really heart warming. The images are so beautiful. There’s a lot of heart behind this movie because there’s a lot of heart behind this little boy. Everything has gone wrong for him and you really root for him because you know that he’s true to himself. When I was growing up, I secretly wanted to be in a cartoon musical. I didn’t get to sing as Cora, but this ended up being such a wonderful experience." 2004 BAFTA Film and BAFTA TV winner Bill Nighy ("Love Actually" & TV'S "State Of Play") admits to being very impressed by the international phenomenon surrounding Astro Boy. "He is so beloved in Japan. There are statues of him, as well as whole stores devoted to Astro Boy. Not only is he exciting as an adventure character, but he’s also terribly chic." Nighy plays two characters in Astro Boy: Dr. Elefun, a scientist and colleague of Tenma, and Robotski, a rebel robot. He signed on knowing that Bowers, who directed him in "Flushed Away", was helming the project. "I was reassured that I was in safe hands." For Orrin, the robot working in Dr Tenma’s household, Bowers cast Eugene Levy ("Over the Hedge" & "Curious George"). Levy describes his character as: "kind of a nervous type. One of the things that makes him nervous is the fact that the kid in the house, Toby, doesn’t necessarily treat him with respect. Robots in Metro City are a kind of appliance and they’re treated the way you would treat a toaster or an oven." 1996 & 2003 Golden Globe winner Donald Sutherland (TV'S, "Citizen X" & "Path to War") plays President Stone. "It was so compellings. Then I saw the realized footage. It was absolutely thrilling and everything that I imagined. In fact, it was way beyond what I imagined. The look of it, the energy of it, the joy of it, the sincerity of soul is extraordinary. It’s a monumental work." British comedian Matt Lucas is the voice of Sparks, leader of The Robot Revolutionary Front. "The writer gave him some truly funny lines and I was given a bit of free rein as well to improvise." Lucas observes, "Astro Boy’s a great role model for young people today. He’s a lovely character, he’s got a good heart and he has a fabulous work ethic. He’s a mensch." And what is Bowers hope for "Astro Boy"? "When kids go to the movie theatre to see Astro Boy, I hope it will be an amazing experience for them. But when they come out of the movie theatre, I want that experience to expand into their everyday lives. That’s how Astro Boy is in Japan." The legacy of Osamu Tezuka (3/11/1928 - 9/2/1989), who passed away from stomach cancer, lives on. Synopsis

In the futuristic world of Metro City, a gleaming metropolis in the sky, the brilliant scientist Dr Tenma creates Astro Boy to replace the son he has lost, programming his creation with the best of human characteristics and values, as well as endowing him with extraordinary super powers. Cast out when he can't meet his grieving father’s expectations, Astro Boy is futher shattered when he learn he's a robot and not a human being. Astro Boy, who carries within himself the Blue Core, a power source made of positive 'blue' energy, is hunted by the troops of militaristic President Stone, who's obsessed with using the Core for the 'Peacekeeper', a robot invented to be used as a weapon to dominate Earth. But, while fleeing the military, Astro Boy crashes to the surface of the Earth. Lost and unsure of his identity, he just wants to fit in. Can he hide the truth? And what will happen if his secret is revealed?

The Verdict "If you thought (just as I did) that "Up" was terrific, here's another animation treat which is every bit as good in onscreen quality: "Astro Boy". That's right: "Astro Boy". The boy robot who replaced Dr Tenma's son Tobio, who was killed in a car accident. And, believe it or not, this up-dated bigscreen,21st century edition is every bit as entertaining and every bit as endearing as "Up". This highly polished production from Hong Kong based Imagi Studios, embodies all the qualities, excitement, adventure, pathos and humour Osamu Tezuka instilled into "Astro Boy" when he created the much-loved iconic character way back in 1951. This is not a 'boys own adventure', because "Astro Boy", thanks to the character Cora, will appeal to both genders. This is a film cinemagoers of all ages, adults and children, will receive much enjoyment from. The voice cast is superb. The CGI work is crisp. And, it looks as though there is a sequel in the offering. Like "Up", "Astro Boy" is the perfect catalyst for a great time at your local multiplex. Another glorious animation treat! Highly commended. 5 STARS." The Production Team

Director Comic Series Screenplay Producer Original Music Cinematography Film Editing Casting Art Direction Costume Design

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David Bowers Osamu Tezuka Timothy Harris & David Bowers Maryann Garger John Ottman Pepe Valencia Robert Anich Cole Linda Lamontagne Jake Rowell Jane Poole

Run Time 94 minutes Rated PG [AUST] Copyright ©2009 - Hoyts Distribution - All Rights Reserved ©1999-2009 All Rights Reserved The Movie Pages - Protected by Australian & International Copyright. Trademark Laws Apply.