The Great Discovery was released in the United Kingdom on 20 September 2008 and grossed $188,317.
Plot
As the island's annual "Sodor Day" is approaching, Thomas and James head to the wharf, awaiting duties from The Thin Controller. Thomas is sent to collect timber with Duncan, one of the island's narrow-gauge engines, who teases Thomas for not knowing his way around the hills. Duncan then tricks Thomas by leading him down a path that requires crossing an old bridge. As Thomas attempts to cross the bridge, several portions fall off into the ravine below, before the bridge ultimately collapses entirely. Once he retreats from the scene, he takes an alternate path, this time leading him to a well-preserved, overgrown, and abandoned town. Word quickly spreads across the island, and eventually reaches Sir Topham Hatt, who identifies the town as Great Waterton.
Sir Topham orders a complete restoration of the town, puts Thomas in charge of the process, and introduces a new tank engine named Stanley to do Thomas' usual work in his absence. While the other engines become fond of Stanley, Thomas grows increasingly jealous when he sees Stanley doing his work and getting along with the engines so well. Thomas finds Stanley in his berth at Tidmouth Sheds later on in the night, and furiously leaves to sleep elsewhere for the night. The next day, Thomas derails and rolls down an embankment; he is sent for repairs, and Stanley takes over his duties, much to his chagrin. Upon being repaired, Thomas decides to play a trick on Stanley, and asks him to carry a load of trucks that is far too heavy. As Stanley pulls the train, it uncouples from him, rolls down the tracks, and crashes into a brick standpipe tower, causing it to collapse to the ground and damage the surroundings.
When Sir Topham announces that there may be a setback in the restoration of the town, the engines grow furious with Thomas, who avoid talking to him as they leave for the night. While Thomas is clearing off some of the debris alone, he bumps into a truck that leads into an abandoned mine, which he then chases throughout it. At a fork in the track, the truck goes down one set of rails, and Thomas unknowingly goes down the opposite path. As he progresses, he finds the tunnel ahead of him is blocked. He crashes through the boarded-up tunnel and lands in a river-like body of water, on which he floats across. The next morning, Thomas is reported missing, and Sir Topham initiates a large-scale search party to rescue Thomas. After floating in the water in the mine for a period of time, Thomas then collides with a wall of bushes, flies across a ravine, and settles at the bottom of a hill next to a set of rails, unable to move. As the engines continue searching for him, Stanley reflects on how Thomas must have felt seeing him getting along with his friends and doing his duties.
Stanley decides to venture himself to find Thomas. In doing so, Stanley stops on the tracks and blows a long and loud whistle. Thomas, hearing the whistle, musters up enough strength to blow a whistle back, which Stanley hears. Stanley finds Thomas at the bottom of the hill near the rails and helps him out, but bursts a valve in his boiler in the process. Thomas uses some of Stanley's coal to bring Stanley back to Great Waterton, and word immediately spreads that Thomas has been found. After the restoration had been completed, Stanley offers Thomas the opportunity to bring the mayor of Sodor to the grand opening. While the festivities carry forward, Thomas reflects on the importance of his friends.
Production
Irish actor Pierce Brosnan narrates this special; this is his only role in the Thomas & Friends series.
On July 19, 2007, HIT Entertainment, the then-owners of the Thomas & Friends franchise, announced that Pierce Brosnan would be the new narrator of the series, starting with a new hour-long special titled The Great Discovery, and would be the narrator for both the British and American versions of the show, replacing previous narrators Michael Angelis in the United Kingdom, and Michael Brandon in the United States. Brosnan stated he was excited at the prospect of narrating the series he had watched with his children. HIT Entertainment's CEO, Bruce Steinberg, stated that Brosnan would be a "unique voice that children and parents around the world will recognise and trust", and credited the current narrators, Angelis and Brandon, for laying the foundation for future narrators of the show.[2][3][4]
Thomas & Friends: The Great Discovery grossed $188,317 at the box office.[1]
Critical reception
Brosnan was praised for his narration by the media and by HIT Entertainment. Common Sense Media rated the film 4 out of 5, stating that it teaches lessons about jealousy and leadership through Thomas' adventures.[5][6][7]
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