American Girl (film series) explained

American Girl
Director:Nadia Tass [1]
Joyce Chopra
Patricia Rozema
Martha Coolidge [2]
Vince Marcello
Tina Mabry
Valerie Weiss
Studio:Mattel Films
Distributor:Warner Bros. Pictures
Universal Pictures
Amazon Studios
Paramount Pictures [3]
Released:2004-TBA
Country:United States
Language:English

American Girl is a line of books, movies, dolls, and accessories based on pre-teen girl characters (aged 11–13) from various periods of history including the 21st century. Several of the characters from the American Girl books have since had their stories adapted into films, the majority of them released as direct-to-DVD or television films, with the exception of Kit Kittredge: An American Girl, which was a theatrical release. Starting with the debut of the Maryellen Larkin doll, American Girl has since expressed interest in producing webseries based on their characters.[4]

Synopsis

In 2004, American Girl teamed up with Julia Roberts' Red Om Films production company to create the first American Girl movie Samantha: An American Girl Holiday. Samantha was played by AnnaSophia Robb.

In 2005 came the second American Girl TV movie . It starred Shailene Woodley as Felicity.

The third American Girl television movie appeared in 2006. featured Maya Ritter as Molly.

The first American Girl movie to appear in theaters was ; it opened in wide release on July 2, 2008. It was produced by Picture House. Kit was played by Academy Award nominee Abigail Breslin and notable co-stars included Stanley Tucci, Chris O'Donnell, Julia Ormond and Joan Cusack.

The first Girl of the Year movie was entitled . Chrissa was portrayed by Sammi Hanratty.[5] It was released by HBO directly to DVD on January 6, 2009.[6]

McKenna Brooks, the "Girl of the Year 2012", has a movie named McKenna Shoots for the Stars released July 3, 2012. The movie, starring Jade Pettyjohn as McKenna, started filming in July 2011 and aired on NBC July 14, 2012.

Saige Copeland, Girl of the Year 2013, has a movie named Saige Paints the Sky released July 2, 2013. The movie, starring Sidney Fullmer as Saige, was released on NBC on July 13, 2013.

A film based on Girl of the Year 2014 Isabelle Palmer entitled Isabelle Dances Into the Spotlight was released July 22, 2014, starring Erin Pitt as the title character.

A film based on Girl of the Year 2015 Grace Thomas entitled , with Olivia Rodrigo playing the title role, was released June 23, 2015.[7] [8]

In November 2015, short independent films were uploaded on American Girl's YouTube page, based on the Maryellen Larkin and Julie Albright characters, the latter in lieu of the previously announced musical film project slated in 2007. The films star Harlie Galloway and Jolie Ledford as Maryellen and Julie, respectively, and mark American Girl's venture into digital content and independent film production.[4]

Amazon's original American Girl live-action specials

A live-action web special based on Melody Ellison's stories entitled Melody, 1963: Love Has to Win, an American Girl Story was released by Amazon in 2016, starring Marsai Martin as the title character.[9] [10] Love Has to Win was then followed by An American Girl Story - Maryellen 1955: Extraordinary Christmas, starring Alyvia Alyn Lind as Maryellen Larkin and was released by Amazon on November 25, 2016.[11]

Set in 1976 in San Francisco, Ivy Ling is a Chinese-American who struggles to balance her two cultural identities. With the help of her best friend, Julie Albright, Ivy makes a tough call on two important events in her life when her gymnastics tournament and family's Chinese New Year dinner land on the same day. The movie An American Girl Story - Ivy & Julie 1976: A Happy Balance was released by Amazon in 2017, starring Nina Lu as Ivy Ling, and Hannah Nordberg as Julie Albright.[12] [13]

In 2023, a film entitled was released by Amazon on July 28. It was originally supposed to release on HBO Max and Cartoon Network in December 2022,[14] but that never materialized.[15] As of early 2024, it is currently featured on Netflix.[16]

Films and DVD release dates

Film Main character Region 1 Rating
Samantha ParkingtonNovember 30, 2004[17] G
Felicity MerrimanDecember 6, 2005[18] G
Molly McIntireNovember 28, 2006[19] G
Kit KittredgeOctober 28, 2008[20] G
Chrissa MaxwellJanuary 6, 2009PG
McKenna BrooksJuly 3, 2012[21] G
Saige CopelandJuly 2, 2013G
Isabelle PalmerJuly 22, 2014[22] G
Grace ThomasJune 23, 2015Not Rated/G
Lea ClarkJune 14, 2016[23] TV-Y7
Melody EllisonOctober 20, 2016PG (BBFC)[24]
Maryellen LarkinNovember 25, 2016TV-Y/PG (BBFC)[25]
An American Girl Story – Ivy & Julie 1976: A Happy BalanceIvy Ling and Julie AlbrightMarch 24, 2017[26] G
An American Girl Story – Summer Camp, Friends for LifeZ YangJune 9, 2017[27] G
American Girl Corinne TanCorrine TanJuly 28, 2023[28] G

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Samantha: An American Girl Holiday. iTunes. 23 November 2004 . Apple, Inc.. 2 September 2013.
  2. Web site: An American Girl - Chrissa Stands Strong. Barnes & Noble. 31 August 2013.
  3. News: Woerner . Meredith . American Girl Dolls Movie in the Works From Mattel, 'Pet Semetary: Bloodlines' Screenwriter . December 14, 2023 . Variety . December 13, 2023 . en.
  4. American Girl® Debuts New Digital Content For Girls, About Girls, And Starring... PRNewsWire. 5 November 2015.
  5. Web site: Entertainment news, movie reviews, awards, festivals, celebrity photos, industry events - Variety . 2008-10-12 . https://web.archive.org/web/20081012045059/http://www2.variety.com/finguide2008_listings.asp?company_id=42020 . 2021-11-22. 2008-10-12 .
  6. Web site: HBO readies new American Girl - 9/12/2008 - Video Business . https://web.archive.org/web/20090111123157/http://www.videobusiness.com/index.asp?layout=article&articleid=CA6595606 . 2021-11-22. 2009-01-11 .
  7. Web site: An American Girl: Grace Stirs Up Success Blu-ray. Blu-ray.com. May 9, 2015.
  8. Web site: 'An American Girl: Grace Stirs Up Success' Blu-ray Announced for June. Cohen. Steven. 4 March 2015. High-Def Digest. 9 May 2015.
  9. Web site: TV News: Marsai Martin of 'Black-ish' Becomes First American Girl. Cavassuto. Maria. 25 August 2016. Variety. 25 August 2016.
  10. News: Black-ish's Marsai Martin cast as American Girl Melody. Barsanti. Sam. 25 August 2016. The A.V. Club. 25 August 2016.
  11. This American Girl Christmas special trailer will warm your heart — exclusive. Raynor. Madeline. 3 November 2016. Entertainment Weekly. 5 November 2016.
  12. Web site: Watch the Trailer for Amazon's Latest American Girl Story Special, 'Ivy & Julie 1976' . 2023-12-19 . EW.com . en.
  13. Web site: Calvario . Liz . 2017-02-25 . ‘American Girl’: Gwendoline Yeo To Star In Amazon’s Special ‘Ivy & Julie 1976: A Happy Balance’ . 2023-12-19 . Deadline . en-US.
  14. Web site: 2022-05-11 . American Girl Corinne Tan Movie Official Announcement and Casting . 2023-08-04 . agnews . en.
  15. Web site: 2023-07-29 . Review: American Girl Corinne Tan - The Movie . 2023-08-04 . agnews . en.
  16. Web site: Watch American Girl: Corinne Tan Netflix . 2024-01-29 . www.netflix.com . en.
  17. Web site: Samantha - An American Girl Holiday. 30 November 2004. 25 February 2017. Amazon.
  18. Web site: Felicity - An American Girl Adventure. 6 December 2005. 25 February 2017. Amazon.
  19. Web site: Molly - An American Girl on the Home Front. 28 November 2006. 25 February 2017. Amazon.
  20. Web site: Kit Kittredge: An American Girl. 28 October 2008. 25 February 2017. Amazon.
  21. Web site: McKenna - 2012 - Girl of the Year - Play at American Girl. americangirl.com. 25 February 2017.
  22. Web site: Isabelle - 2014 - Girl of the Year - Play at American Girl. americangirl.com. 25 February 2017.
  23. American Girl's 2016 Girl of the Year™ Stars in its First-Ever Action-Adventure Movie!. Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. prnewswire.com. 25 February 2017.
  24. Web site: An American Girl Story - Melody 1963: Love Has to Win. British Board of Film Classification. 5 November 2016.
  25. Web site: AN AMERICAN GIRL STORY - MARYELLEN 1955: EXTRAORDINARY CHRISTMAS. British Board of Film Classification. 11 January 2017.
  26. Watch the trailer for Amazon's latest American Girl Story special, Ivy & Julie 1976: A Happy Balance. Entertainment Weekly.
  27. Web site: April 28, 2017 . TV News Desk . VIDEO: First Look - Amazon Original Special AN AMERICAN GIRL STORY: SUMMER CAMP, FRIENDS FOR LIFE . BroadwayWorld.com .
  28. Web site: 2023-07-29 . Review: American Girl Corinne Tan - The Movie . 2023-08-04 . agnews . en.