Superworm (film)

Superworm
Directed by	Jac Hamman Sarah Scrimgeour
Written by	Max Lang Suzanne Lang
Based on	Superworm by Julia Donaldson
Produced by	Martin Pope Barney Goodland
Starring	Olivia Colman Matt Smith Patricia Allison Kobna Holdbrook-Smith Rob Brydon Paul Thornley Cariad Lloyd
Edited by	Robin Sales
Music by	René Aubry
Production companies	Magic Light Pictures Blue Zoo Animation Studio
Distributed by	BBC ZDF
Release date	25 December 2021 (2021-12-25)(BBC One)
Running time	25 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

Superworm is a 2021 British short computer animated TV film based on the 2012 picture book of the same name written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler.

Directed by Jac Hamman and Sarah Scrimgeour, the film was produced by Martin Pope and Barney Goodland of Magic Light Pictures and was adapted from the book by Max Lang and Suzanne Lang, with the score composed by René Aubry.

The film stars Olivia Colman, Matt Smith, Rob Brydon, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Patricia Allison and Cariad Lloyd. ^[1] The film was first broadcast on BBC One on 25 December 2021. ^[2]

Plot

Superworm, a super strong and long worm, trains to become a superhero. He is joined by a caterpillar, who eventually enters a cocoon, while Superworm continues training.

When Caterpillar leaves her cocoon as a butterfly, she helps Superworm gain notoriety due to a series of heroic acts (saving a toad from being run over by a truck, entertaining a swarm of bored bees, and saving a drowning beetle), thought Butterfly is upset when Superworm is given sole credit for his good deeds.

While the fellow garden insects celebrate Superworm's rescues, Wizard Lizard, digging for treasure nearby, overhears the commotion and orders his servant crow to retrieve Superworm. The crow kidnaps Superworm and brings him to the Wizard, who casts a spell on the hero so he will dig for treasure for the Wizard. Butterfly overhears this and rallies the garden insects to rescue Superworm.

Sneaking to the Wizard's lair, the garden creatures incapacitate him, wrap him a cobweb and throw him into a nearby rubbish dump. They search for Superworm, but to no avail. When Butterfly and the other creatures have given up hope of finding their hero, Superworm bursts out of the ground, before reconciling with Butterfly.

When the insects return to their homes, the crow attacks again, but Butterfly and Superworm incapacitate the bird and slingshot him away. The insects celebrate their victory and the return of their hero.

Voice cast

Source: ^[3]

• Olivia Colman as the narrator
• Matt Smith as Superworm
• Patricia Allison as Butterfly
• Kobna Holdbrook-Smith as Wizard Lizard
• Rob Brydon as Crow
• Paul Thornley as Papa Toad & Beetle
• Cariad Lloyd as Mama Toad
• Felix Tandon as Baby Toad
• Samara Sutariya as Skipping Beetle
• Lizzie Waterworth-Santo as Spider

Reception

Helen Brown of The Daily Telegraph gave the film a positive review. ^[4]

References

1. Hollingsworth, David (December 7, 2021). "'Superworm': release date, voice cast, plot, and everything we know". whattowatch.com. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
2. Wright, Minnie (December 7, 2021). "Superworm trailer introduces Matt Smith as titular hero and Olivia Colman as narrator". Radio Times. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
3. "BBC One – Superworm: Credits". BBC. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
4. Brown, Helen (December 25, 2021). "Superworm, review: Julia Donaldson's Christmas Day gem can captivate even the most cynical viewer". The Daily Telegraph. ISSN   0307-1235 . Retrieved April 22, 2022.