The Addams Family (2019 film) explained

The Addams Family
Director:
Producer:
Screenplay:Matt Lieberman
Story:
Starring:
Editing:David Ian Salter
Studio:
Distributor:
Runtime:86 minutes[2]
Country:Canada
United States
Language:English
French
Budget:$24 million
Gross:$203.7 million[3] [4]

The Addams Family is a 2019 animated supernatural black comedy film based on the characters from the cartoon created by cartoonist Charles Addams. It was directed by Conrad Vernon and Greg Tiernan, with a screenplay by Matt Lieberman and a story by Lieberman, Erica Rivinoja, and Vernon. The film stars the voices of Oscar Isaac, Charlize Theron, Chloë Grace Moretz, Finn Wolfhard, Nick Kroll, Snoop Dogg, Bette Midler, and Allison Janney.

The film was theatrically released in the United States and in Canada by United Artists Releasing on October 11, 2019. It received mixed reviews from critics for its narrative and screenplay, though the voice acting and animation were praised, and grossed $203 million on a $24 million budget.

It is the final project for Kelly Asbury, who served as a story consultant, before his death a year after the film's release in June 2020.

A sequel, The Addams Family 2, was released on October 1, 2021.

Plot

An angry mob of villagers that rejects anything macabre in nature disrupts the midnight wedding ceremony of Gomez Addams and Morticia Frump and drives them away with the rest of the Addams clan. During the chaos, Grandmama buys Uncle Fester time to evacuate Gomez, Morticia, and Thing. Gomez and Morticia decide to move to New Jersey, a place "no one would be caught dead in." There, Gomez, Morticia, and Thing find their "perfect" home in an abandoned asylum on a hill. They meet Lurch, an escaped mental patient whom they hit when Thing was driving their car, and immediately recruit him as their butler.

13 years later, the Addams family continue to live their gloomy lives in isolation from the outside world. Gomez prepares his son Pugsley for his upcoming "Sabre Mazurka", a rite of passage that every Addams family member takes. Morticia struggles to keep their daughter, Wednesday, from wanting to experience the world outside the mansion after a balloon and confetti appear on their property.

Elsewhere, reality TV host Margaux Needler, who is building a perfect planned community called "Assimilation" so her show will have a successful season finale, discovers the Addams family's household and becomes determined to rid the town of it when the family refuses to change, starting with spreading rumors about the Addamses through social media, claiming that they are freaks. Wednesday then meets Margaux's neglected daughter Parker and persuades Morticia to let her attend junior high school. Pugsley struggles with the complicated traditions and pressure of his Mazurka, even with the guidance of Gomez and Uncle Fester. Grandmama arrives at the house for the event.

At school, Wednesday stands up for Parker and her twin friends Layla and Kayla from the school's bully Bethany and befriends them after she resurrects some dead frogs and commands them to attack Bethany. Later on, the two discuss their frustrations and change their dressing habits – Parker becomes more gothic and Wednesday dresses more colorfully – to the shock of both of their mothers, with Margaux vowing to destroy the Addamses and Wednesday grounded by Morticia. After an argument with Morticia, Wednesday decides to run away in secret and stay with Parker for a while, which Pugsley inadvertently tells Morticia.

As Cousin Itt arrives at the Addams household, Wednesday and Parker discover a secret room under Parker's house and that Margaux has planted hidden cameras in every house she designed in town. Margaux catches the two and locks them in the attic, but Wednesday breaks them out. Margaux rallies the townsfolk to attack the mansion just as the entire Addams clan arrive for Pugsley's Mazurka.

During the Mazurka, Pugsley fails in front of the whole family, but Gomez admits he forgot to let him be who he is. The mob arrives flinging boulders, severely damaging the mansion and trapping the family inside. Pugsley uses his love of bombs and destruction to defend his family and manages to destroy the mob's trebuchet. Wednesday and Parker join in and help everyone out of the wreckage safely with help of the living tree Ichabod.

Assimilation's civilians realize that the Addamses are not monsters, but a family, as Wednesday and Parker state that everyone is weird in their own unique way, revealing also Margaux's spying on the civilians, who are violated upon hearing this. Margaux gets her comeuppance when her true nature is then exposed during a subsequent tirade against the civilians — demanding they do as she says or be kicked out of town — thanks to Parker live-streaming it on her phone, after which Margaux's agent Glenn informs her their network has cancelled her show because of the bad publicity. As Fester comes up with a compromise for Margaux, Assimilation's civilians offer to make amends with the Addamses.

After they work together to rebuild the mansion, the Addams family and Assimilation's civilians live in peace. Margaux becomes Fester's business partner, selling homes to the other members of the Addams clan, and Pugsley is hailed as an Addams for his defending of the clan.

Voice cast

Production

In 2010 after Illumination Entertainment acquired the rights to The Addams Family comics, they began work on the film at Universal Pictures as a stop-motion animated film directed by Tim Burton and produced by Chris Meledandri.[5] After development stopped, however, in 2013, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer announced that they would produce the animated film based on The Addams Family comics, with Pamela Pettler then writing the screenplay.[6] [7] On June 6, 2019, it was announced that Bron Creative is co-financing the film with MGM as part of a multi-picture co-financing agreement with the studio.[8] In October 2017, it was announced that the film would be directed and produced by Conrad Vernon. Additionally, Gail Berman, Alex Schwartz, and Alison O'Brien also produced the film. Matt Lieberman wrote the finished screenplay, with story by credit for Lieberman, Erica Rivinoja, and Vernon. The film was animated by Cinesite Studios and Nitrogen Studios with Tabitha Shick overseeing it for MGM.[9] [10] In December 2017, it was reported that Oscar Isaac was in talks to voice the role of Gomez Addams in the film.[11] On June 5, 2018, Isaac was officially cast, alongside Charlize Theron, Allison Janney, Bette Midler, Chloë Grace Moretz, Finn Wolfhard and Nick Kroll.[12] On July 24, 2018, Aimee Garcia joined the voice cast.[13] On August 30, 2018, Elsie Fisher was added as well.[14] On November 23, 2018, Catherine O'Hara and Martin Short were added as Morticia's parents,[15] On August 7, 2019, Snoop Dogg, Tituss Burgess, and Jenifer Lewis joined as Cousin Itt, Glenn, and Great Auntie Sloom, respectively.[16]

Music

See main article: The Addams Family (2019 soundtrack).

Migos, Karol G, Snoop Dogg, and Rock Mafia recorded a song for the film called "My Family", which was released on September 13, 2019, and plays during the end credits; while Christina Aguilera released the song "Haunted Heart" from the film's soundtrack on September 27, 2019, which plays in the film's opening.[17] HeathisHuman created an updated version of Vic Mizzy's original theme song that plays at the film's ending.

Marketing

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer launched the film with a global promotion partner campaign worth $150 million, their largest ever outside the 007 franchise. They spent a total of $72 million on prints and advertisements for the film.

Release

Theatrical

The film was theatrically released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer through United Artists Releasing in North America on October 11, 2019, with Universal Pictures handling the international rights.[14] It was previously set for October 18, 2019[18] [11] before being moved up to October 11, 2019, to avoid direct competition with .[19]

Home media

The film was released by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment digitally on December 24, 2019, followed by a DVD and Blu-ray release on January 21, 2020.

Reception

Box office

The Addams Family grossed $100 million in the United States and Canada and $103 million in other territories for a worldwide total of $203 million. Deadline Hollywood calculated the net profit of the film to be $76million, when factoring together all expenses and revenues.[20]

In the United States and Canada, the film was released alongside Gemini Man and Jexi and was projected to gross $28–30 million from 4,007 theaters in its opening weekend.[21] The film made $9.7 million on its first day including $1.25 million from Thursday night previews. It went on to debut to $30.3 million, finishing second behind holdover Joker.[22] It made $16.3 million in its second weekend, $12 million in its third and $8.2 million in its fourth, finishing fourth, third and sixth, respectively.[23] [24] [25]

Critical response

On review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of and an average rating of, based on reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "The Addams Familys starry voice cast and eye-catching animation aren't enough to outweigh its saccharine handling of the delightfully dark source material."[26] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 46 out of 100, based on 22 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[27] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale, while PostTrak reported that surveyed children and parents gave it 4 and 3.5 out of 5 stars, respectively.

Accolades

YearAwardCategoryNomineeResult
2019 Best Original Song – Animated Film
("Haunted Heart") 		Christina Aguilera (written and performed by)
Antonina Armato (written by)
Tim James (written by)
Saturn Awards[28] The Addams Family

Sequel

See main article: The Addams Family 2. On October 15, 2019, it was announced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer that a sequel was scheduled for release on October 22, 2021, with Conrad Vernon and Greg Tiernan reprising their roles as co-directors, and Cinesite Studios returning as animators.[29] [30] [31] On October 8, 2020, Bill Hader and Javon "Wanna" Walton joined the cast; Hader voices a new character named Cyrus, while Walton replaces Finn Wolfhard as the voice of Pugsley. It was also pushed forward two weeks to October 8, 2021.[32] On January 21, 2021, it was again pushed forward one week to October 1, 2021, allowing another MGM film, No Time to Die to take over the slot.[33] In July 2021, Wallace Shawn was revealed to have voiced a new character for the film.[34] In August 2021, the film shifted its release for a simultaneous premium video on demand rental and theatrical release on the October 1 date, in the United States and Canada, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the rising cases of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant.[35]

Notes and References

  1. News: Galuppo . Mia . MGM, Annapurna Team for Distribution Label United Artists Releasing . . February 5, 2019 . February 6, 2019 . February 6, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190206075148/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/mgm-annapurna-team-distribution-label-united-artists-releasing-1182888 . live .
  2. Web site: The Addams Family (2019) . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210914060138/https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/the-addams-family-film-qxnzzxq6vlgtota0otq2 . September 14, 2021 . September 14, 2021 . British Board of Film Classification.
  3. tt1620981. The Addams Family (2019). September 14, 2021.
  4. Addams-Family-The-(2019). The Addams Family (2019). September 14, 2021.
  5. Web site: Tim Burton's Next 3D Animated Film? Da Da Da Da, Snap Snap: 'The Addams Family'. Deadline Hollywood. Fleming. Mike Jr.. March 18, 2010. November 9, 2017. October 1, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171001120841/http://deadline.com/2010/03/tim-burton-next-3d-animated-film-da-da-da-snap-snap-the-addams-family-28841/. live.
  6. Web site: New Animated Addams Family Movie Is In The Works. CinemaBlend. Eisenberg. Eric. 31 October 2013. November 9, 2017. 10 November 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171110171355/https://www.cinemablend.com/new/Animated-Addams-Family-Movie-Works-40103.html. live.
  7. Web site: 'Addams Family' Reborn As Animated Movie At MGM. Variety. McNary. Dave. Dave McNary. October 31, 2013. November 9, 2017. December 4, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171204205147/http://variety.com/2013/film/news/addams-family-reborn-as-animated-movie-at-mgm-exclusive-1200781652/. live.
  8. Web site: Bron, MGM Ink Multipicture $100M Co-Financing Deal. The Hollywood Reporter. Siegel. Tatiana. June 6, 2019. September 6, 2019. September 7, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190907183023/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/bron-mgm-ink-multi-picture-100m-financing-deal-1216233. live.
  9. Web site: MGM's CG 'The Addams Family' Movie Gets Animated. Deadline Hollywood. Hipes. Patrick. October 12, 2017. November 10, 2017. November 10, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171110224740/http://deadline.com/2017/10/the-addams-family-animated-movie-conrad-vernon-production-1202195237/. live.
  10. Web site: Addams Family Animated Movie Hires Director Conrad Vernon. Collider. Trumbore. Dave. October 13, 2017. November 10, 2017. November 10, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171110115103/http://collider.com/addams-family-animated-movie-director-conrad-vernon/. live.
  11. Web site: Oscar Isaac in Talks to Voice Gomez Addams in Animated 'Addams Family'. McNary. Dave. Dave McNary. December 15, 2017. Variety. December 16, 2017. December 16, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171216040209/http://variety.com/2017/film/news/oscar-isaac-addams-family-gomez-1202642805/. live.
  12. Web site: 'Addams Family' Movie Scares Up Charlize Theron, Bette Midler, Allison Janney & More For Voice Cast. Anthony. D'Alessandro. Deadline Hollywood. 5 June 2018. 5 June 2018. 12 June 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180612143317/https://deadline.com/2018/06/charlize-theron-addams-family-cast-bette-midler-allison-janney-1202403723/. live.
  13. Web site: "Lucifer" Star Aimee Garcia Joins 'The Addams Family'. IMDb. 2018-07-24. 2019-09-07. https://web.archive.org/web/20190907183029/https://www.imdb.com/news/ni62145406. live.
  14. Web site: Kit . Borys . August 30, 2018 . Eighth Grade Star Elsie Fisher Joins Animated Addams Family Movie (Exclusive) . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210423060154/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/eighth-grade-star-elsie-fisher-joins-animated-addams-family-movie-1138730 . April 23, 2021 . August 30, 2018 . The Hollywood Reporter.
  15. News: Martin Short and Catherine O'Hara join the animated 'Addams Family' movie . Wakeman . Gregory . . November 23, 2018 . August 11, 2019 . July 16, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190716032511/https://www.metro.us/entertainment/movies/martin-short-and-catherine-ohara-added-to-the-animated-addams-family-movie . live .
  16. Web site: Official Trailer and Images for 'The Addams Family' Bring the Title Terrors into the Light . Trumbore . Dave . . August 7, 2019 . August 11, 2019 . August 12, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190812030348/http://collider.com/addams-family-movie-trailer-poster-images/ . live .
  17. Web site: Snoop Dogg and Migos Share New Song for The Addams Family: Listen. Pitchfork. Moreland. Quinn. September 13, 2019. September 14, 2019. July 26, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200726051839/https://pitchfork.com/news/snoop-dogg-and-migos-share-new-song-for-the-addams-family-listen/. live.
  18. Web site: 'Sausage Party's' Conrad Vernon to Direct Animated 'Addams Family' Movie. Variety. Kroll. Justin. October 12, 2017. November 9, 2017. November 10, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171110115242/http://variety.com/2017/film/news/sausage-party-animated-addams-family-pic-1202588895/. live.
  19. Web site: Universal Shifts Damon Lindelof's 'The Hunt' To October; 'Addams Family' Moves Up A Week – Update. Deadline Hollywood. Erik. Pederson. March 6, 2019. March 6, 2019. March 8, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190308050858/https://deadline.com/2019/03/the-hunt-release-date-damon-lindelof-blumhouse-universal-pictures-everest-1202367503/. live.
  20. Web site: 'The Addams Family' Snaps To No. 20 On Deadline's 2019 Most Valuable Blockbuster Tournament. Anthony. D'Alessandro. Deadline Hollywood. April 13, 2020. April 14, 2020. April 14, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200414000925/https://deadline.com/2020/04/the-addams-family-movie-box-office-profit-2019-charlize-theron-oscar-isaac-1202907354/. live.
  21. Web site: 'Joker' Breaks Tuesday October Record With $13.9M, Will Continue To Make Serious B.O. This Weekend With $42M+ . D'Alessandro . Anthony . . October 9, 2019 . October 9, 2019 . October 9, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191009181920/https://deadline.com/2019/10/joker-october-tuesday-box-office-record-weekend-forecast-addams-family-will-smith-gemini-man-1202756065/ . live .
  22. Web site: 'Joker' $55M+ Scores 2nd Weekend October Record, 'Addams Family' Rich $30M+, 'Gemini Man' Still Not Dazzling $20M – Sunday B.O. Update . D'Alessandro . Anthony . . October 13, 2019 . October 13, 2019 . October 11, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191011150127/https://deadline.com/2019/10/gemini-man-will-smith-joker-addams-family-jexi-weekend-box-office-1202757855/ . live .
  23. Web site: 'Maleficent: Mistress Of Evil' No Magic With $36M+, 'Joker' Still Stealing 2nd Place From 'Zombieland 2' With $28M+ . D'Alessandro . Anthony . . October 20, 2019 . October 20, 2019 . October 19, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191019220728/https://deadline.com/2019/10/maleficent-mistress-of-evil-zombieland-double-tap-weekend-box-office-1202763525/ . live .
  24. Web site: 'Maleficent: Mistress Of Evil' Tricks 'Joker' & Steals No. 1 With $19.37M After Dead Heat B.O. Battle . D'Alessandro . Anthony . . October 28, 2019 . October 29, 2019 . October 30, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191030094937/https://deadline.com/2019/10/joker-maleficent-2-black-and-blue-countdown-halloween-box-office-weekend-1202769043/ . live .
  25. Web site: D'Alessandro . Anthony . How 'Terminator: Dark Fate' Conked Out With $27M+ & Why 'The Irishman' Is Not A Missed Strategic Opportunity – Box Office . Deadline . November 3, 2019 . November 4, 2019 . November 3, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191103173532/https://deadline.com/2019/11/terminator-dark-fate-linda-hamilton-harriet-motherless-brooklyn-weekend-box-office-1202774477/ . live .
  26. . m. The Addams Family (2019). .
  27. the-addams-family-2019. movie. The Addams Family (2019). September 14, 2021.
  28. News: Saturn Awards Nominations 2021. Deadline Hollywood. March 15, 2021. March 7, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210307215716/https://deadline.com/2021/03/saturn-awards-nominations-2021-nominees-list-1234706492/. live.
  29. Web site: 'The Addams Family 2' Is In The Works After Great $35M+ 4-Day Weekend, MGM/UAR Set Fall 2021 Release. D'Alessandro. Anthony. October 15, 2019. Deadline Hollywood. en. October 15, 2019 . October 15, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191015161717/https://deadline.com/2019/10/addams-family-2-in-works-fall-2021-release-1202760482/ . live.
  30. Web site: Ridgely. Charlie. The Addams Family Directors Explain Their Approach to the Upcoming Sequel. ComicBook.com. en. November 6, 2019. November 30, 2019 . October 14, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201014005401/https://comicbook.com/movies/news/addams-family-sequel-hopes-directors-interview/ . live.
  31. Web site: 'The Addams Family' Will be Back Soon! . . 14 October 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210125171731/https://www.cinesite.com/sequel-to-the-2019-animated-film-the-addams-family/ . January 25, 2021 . live . January 25, 2021.
  32. Web site: 'The Addams Family 2': Bill Hader & Javon "Wanna" Walton Join Voice Cast. October 8, 2020. Anthony . D'Alessandro. Deadline Hollywood. https://web.archive.org/web/20201008162155/https://deadline.com/2020/10/the-addams-family-2-bill-hader-javon-wanna-walton-join-voice-cast-1234593614/. October 8, 2020. live. October 8, 2020.
  33. Web site: James Bond: 'No Time To Die' Release Date Delayed to Fall . Pamela . McClintock . . January 21, 2021 . February 13, 2021 . en . https://web.archive.org/web/20210604005234/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/james-bond-pic-no-time-to-die-delays-release-to-fall-4115187/ . June 4, 2021 . live.
  34. Web site: The Addams Family 2 Character Posters Take the Kooky Family on One Ooky Summer Vacation . . Dick . Jeremy . July 2, 2021 . July 7, 2021 . July 2, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210702210642/https://movieweb.com/the-addams-family-2-character-posters/ . live.
  35. Web site: MGM's 'Addams Family 2' Shifts Release Plan, Will Debut Theatrically and for Rental on Same Day . . Angelique . Jackson . August 20, 2021 . August 21, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210821020050/https://variety.com/2021/film/news/addams-family-2-in-theaters-online-rental-1235045999/ . live . August 21, 2021.

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