Thomas & Friends: The Great Race | |
---|---|
Directed by | David Stoten [1] |
Written by | Andrew Brenner |
Produced by | Ian McCue (HIT) Robert Anderson Lynda Craigmyle Jane Sobol (Arc) |
Starring | Joseph May (US) John Hasler (UK) Kerry Shale Keith Wickham Tina Desai Rufus Jones Rasmus Hardiker John Schwab |
Narrated by | Mark Moraghan [1] |
Music by | Chris Renshaw Oliver Davis Andrew Brenner |
Production companies | |
Distributed by | HIT Entertainment National Amusements (UK, theatrical release) [1] Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (US) |
Release dates |
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Running time | 60 minutes [1] |
Countries | United Kingdom United States |
Language | English |
Box office | $3.6 million [2] |
Thomas & Friends: The Great Race is a 2016 British animated musical comedy adventure film and feature-length special of the British television series, Thomas & Friends . The film was produced by HIT Entertainment and animated by Arc Productions.
The film stars the voices of Joseph May and John Hasler as the voice of Thomas in the US and the UK, respectively. It also stars the voices of Rasmus Hardiker, Kerry Shale, Christopher Ragland, Nigel Pilkington, Rob Rackstraw, Teresa Gallagher and Keith Wickham, with Mark Moraghan narrating. [3]
Tina Desai, Rufus Jones and John Schwab join the cast, with Jones taking on the role of the iconic real-life locomotive Flying Scotsman, [4] who appeared only in the Railway Series book Enterprising Engines and was reduced to a brief cameo role when the book was adapted for television. In an effort to expand the preschool franchise, the new engines are from locations around the world and include several female characters. [5] [6] [7] The film borrows concepts from the 1991 book Thomas and the Great Railway Show, but is not a direct adaptation of said book.
This was the last production to be animated by Arc Productions under their original name before they were bought by Jam Filled Toronto in August 2016, as well as the last feature-length production from HiT Entertainment before being renamed to Mattel Creations, (later Mattel Television) in March 2016.
While at Vicarstown Station, Thomas the Tank Engine meets Gordon's younger brother, the Flying Scotsman, who is taking part in the Great Railway Show on the Mainland and encourages Thomas to try and take part as well. Although every engine on Sodor wants to take part, Sir Topham Hatt has not made up his mind yet, and Thomas fears he won't be picked to go to the competition. Thomas tries several attempts to convince Sir Topham Hatt to choose him, such as getting the idea to be streamlined. When he vaguely phrases this idea to Sir Topham Hatt, he accepts his request though chooses Gordon to be streamlined instead for the competition. Thomas then gets the idea to be repainted to enter the contest for “best decorated engine”, though when reveals this to Sir Topham Hatt, seeing him being repainted at the Steamworks, he gives this idea to James and Emily.
At Brendam Docks, Thomas has a run-in with most of the competitors for the Great Railway Show when their rail ferry docks there by mistake, and as a result, one of them is left behind. Ashima, a beautifully-painted tank engine from India, accidentally bumps Thomas in her hurry to try and make the ferry, nearly pushing him over the edge into the water. He quickly retreats from the docks.
Ashima is lost and the other engines are too busy to help her find her way. Meanwhile, Diesel devises a trick that involves disguising his henchmen as trucks, so as to trick Sir Topham Hatt into entering him into the competition instead of Henry. Ashima suggests to Thomas that he partake in the shunting competition.
Diesel's trick goes awry when Thomas tries to shunt his train and crashes, and Thomas’ repairs mean he will not be able to go to the competition. Sir Topham Hatt reveals he was planning to enter Thomas into the shunting challenge the whole time, but because of his repairs, Percy will take his place. However, Thomas rushes to the mainland to deliver Gordon's safety valve upon learning the valve was not reinstalled when Gordon was streamlined.
The Great Railway Show is a disaster; Henry, James, and Emily lose their respective competitions, and Gordon's boiler explodes and he loses the race after refusing to listen to Thomas and Flying Scotsman about his safety valve. With Percy's insistence, Thomas takes his place in the shunting competition, but sacrifices his win to Ashima in order to save her from crashing into a derailed flatbed. However, the judges decide to award Thomas the win alongside Ashima for good sportsmanship. Sir Topham Hatt and the other Sodor engines are very proud of Thomas.
With the Great Railway Show over, everyone is helping Thomas to try and find Ashima so that he can say goodbye when Sir Topham signals for his engines to return to Sodor. Thomas thinks he has missed his chance until he hears her singing as she fills up with coal. Elated, he invites Ashima to come back to Sodor with him, allowing them to spend some more time together before catching her ship back to India from there.
During the credits, the diesels and Cranky the Crane look for Diesel at Brendam Docks. Diesel, stuck in a crate, calls for help as he sails away on a ship leaving Sodor.
Actor/Actress | Region | Role(s) | Uncredited |
---|---|---|---|
Mark Moraghan | UK/US | The Narrator | Yes |
John Hasler | Rheneas | US only | |
UK | Thomas | Yes | |
Joseph May | US | ||
Nigel Pilkington | UK | Percy | |
Christopher Ragland | US speaking voice UK singing voice | UK only | |
Jules de Jongh | Emily | ||
Teresa Gallagher | UK | Yes | |
UK/US | Belle, Gina, Frieda, Daisy, Marion, Annie and Clarabel | ||
Keith Wickham | UK | Edward, Henry, Gordon and James | |
UK/US | Salty, Den, Norman, Stafford, Skarloey, Sir Handel, Arlesdale Bert, Sir Topham Hatt and some workmen | ||
Rob Rackstraw | Axel, Raul, Étienne, Flynn and the Great Railway Show Announcer | ||
US | James and Stanley | ||
Kerry Shale | Henry, Gordon and Kevin | ||
UK/US | Diesel and Scruff | ||
David Bedella | Victor and Carlos | ||
Matt Wilkinson | UK | Spencer, Stanley, Cranky, Kevin and the Dock Manager | |
William Hope | US | Edward and the Dock Manager | |
Glenn Wrage | Spencer and Cranky | ||
David Menkin | Porter | ||
Steven Kynman | UK | ||
UK/US | Duck, Charlie, Dart, Paxton and Peter Sam | ||
Jonathan Broadbent | Bill and Ben | Yes | |
Bob Golding | Stephen, Sidney and Ivan | No | |
Jonathan Forbes | Connor | ||
Rebecca O'Mara | Caitlin | ||
Joe Mills | Oliver, Donald and Douglas | ||
Tim Whitnall | Timothy and Mike | ||
Robert Wilfort | Samson and a Great Railway Show Judge | ||
Tom Stourton | Rex | Yes | |
Rasmus Hardiker | Philip | No | |
Tina Desai | Ashima | ||
Rufus Jones | The Flying Scotsman | ||
John Schwab | Vinnie |
The film was originally theatrically released on 21 May 2016, in the United Kingdom. The film ranked tenth in its opening weekend, grossing $214,133 from 292 theaters with an average of $733 per theater. The film decreased 77.1% and fell to 19th in its sophomore weekend, grossing $48,944 from 205 theaters with an average of $238 per theater. The film ranked in 18th, 26th, and 27th place in its third, fourth, and fifth weekends. [8]
The film was re-released in China on 22 September 2017 and in South Korea on 30 November 2017. The film had a strong debut in China, ranking fifth in its first weekend and grossing $1.6 million. In its sophomore weekend, the film dropped 86.5% to 13th place, grossing $227,528. The film was less successful in South Korea, ranking 12th in its first weekend with $68,820 from 249 theaters, with an average of $276 per theater. [8]
Renee Schonfeld of Common Sense Media awarded the film 3 out of 5 stars, writing, "Entertaining train tale with mild peril, positive messages". [9]
Thomas and the Magic Railroad is a 2000 children's fantasy adventure film written and directed by Britt Allcroft and produced by Allcroft and Phil Fehrle. It is the only theatrical live-action/animated Thomas & Friends film in the franchise. The film stars Alec Baldwin as Mr. Conductor, Peter Fonda, Mara Wilson, Didi Conn, Russell Means, Cody McMains, Michael E. Rodgers, and the voices of Eddie Glen and Neil Crone. The film is based on the British children's book series The Railway Series by the Reverend W. Awdry, its televised adaptation Thomas & Friends by Allcroft, and the American television series Shining Time Station by Allcroft and Rick Siggelkow. The film tells the story of Lily Stone (Wilson), the granddaughter of the caretaker (Fonda) of an enchanted steam engine who is lacking an appropriate supply of coal, and Mr. Conductor (Baldwin) of Shining Time Station, whose provisions of magical gold dust are at a critical low. Lily and Mr. Conductor enlist the help of Thomas the Tank Engine (Glen), who confronts the ruthless, steam engine-hating Diesel 10 (Crone) along the way.
The Fat Controller, whose real name is Sir Topham Hatt, is a fictional character in The Railway Series books written by Reverend W. Awdry and his son, Christopher Awdry. In the first two books in the series he is known as The Fat Director, and as of the third book he becomes The Fat Controller, as the railway has been nationalised. Sir Topham Hatt's full name is revealed in the foreword to the 1951 book Henry the Green Engine.
The Railway Series is a series of British books about a railway known as the North Western Railway, located on the fictional Island of Sodor. There are 42 books in the series, the first published in May 1945 by the Rev. Wilbert Awdry. Twenty-six books were written by Awdry, the final one being written in October 1972. Sixteen more were written by his son, Christopher Awdry, between September 1983 and July 2011. The series features many anthropomorphic vehicles, including Thomas the Tank Engine. Thomas became the most popular and famous character in the series and the titular character of the television series Thomas & Friends from 1984 to 2021. The children's television series originated as adaptations of these stories.
Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends is a children's television series about the engines and other characters working on the railways of the Island of Sodor, and is based on The Railway Series books written by the Reverend W. Awdry.
Thomas & Friends is a children's television series about the engines and other characters working on the railways of the Island of Sodor, and is based on The Railway Series books written by the Reverend W. Awdry. The 10th Series of this show was first broadcast in 2006. This series was narrated by Michael Angelis for the UK audiences, and Michael Brandon in the US. Most episodes in this series had different titles in UK and the US.
Merchandise for the Thomas & Friends franchise has been produced to capitalize on the success of the television series Thomas & Friends. Whilst merchandise was produced alongside due to the popularity of the first of The Railway Series by the Rev. W. Awdry since 1945, and the original broadcast of the television series in 1984 in the United Kingdom, large numbers of manufacturers have sought to produce Thomas-branded items after the television series was broadcast in the United States and Japan.
Thomas & Friends is a children's television series about the engines and other characters working on the railways of the Island of Sodor, and is based on The Railway Series books written by the Reverend W. Awdry.
Thomas & Friends: Hero of the Rails is a 2009 British animated adventure film and feature-length special of the British television series, Thomas & Friends. The film is produced by HIT Entertainment with animation from Nitrogen Studios. It introduces full CGI animation replacing live-action models, and the addition of a voice cast for the characters alongside the narration to the TV series.
Thomas & Friends: Misty Island Rescue is a 2010 animated fantasy adventure film and feature-length special of the British television series, Thomas & Friends. The film is produced by HIT Entertainment and animated by Nitrogen Studios.
Thomas & Friends: Day of the Diesels is a 2011 animated adventure film and feature-length special of the British television series Thomas & Friends. It is the first special to be a spin-off around a character from the series; so the star is Thomas' best friend Percy. The film is produced by HIT Entertainment and animated by Nitrogen Studios.
Thomas & Friends: King of the Railway is a 2013 British animated fantasy comedy adventure film and feature-length special of the British television series, Thomas & Friends. The film is produced by HIT Entertainment and animated by Arc Productions, replacing Nitrogen Studios. It is the series’ first production to have CGI animation provided by Arc Productions.
Thomas & Friends is a media franchise created by Rev. W. Awdry and Britt Allcroft. The franchise revolves around a railway, called the North Western Railway, located on the fictional Island of Sodor. The current title character of the franchise is Thomas the Tank Engine, an anthropomorphised steam locomotive, who works with other engines, including Edward, Henry, Gordon, James, Percy, Toby and many others. The franchise began with stories told from Wilbert Awdry to his son. In 1984, it was turned into a television series, which spawned a reboot series, titled Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go.
Thomas & Friends: The Adventure Begins is a 2015 animated adventure comedy film produced by HIT Entertainment and animated by Arc Productions. It serves as a prequel to the British television series, Thomas & Friends. It is based on the first two books of The Railway Series: The Three Railway Engines and Thomas the Tank Engine, which were previously adapted into the first seven episodes of the show's first season in 1984. It commemorates the 70th anniversary of The Railway Series, making it the first installment to officially adapt a Railway Series story since Series 4.
Thomas & Friends: Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure is a 2015 British animated fantasy adventure comedy film and the ninth feature-length special movie of the British television series, Thomas & Friends. The film is produced by HIT Entertainment and animated by Arc Productions.
Thomas & Friends: Journey Beyond Sodor is a 2017 animated musical adventure film and feature-length special based on the British television series Thomas & Friends, based on The Railway Series by Wilbert Awdry. This is the first Thomas film to be produced by Mattel Creations and animated by Jam Filled Toronto. It was released on 22 August 2017 in the US and on 16 October 2017 in the UK.
Thomas & Friends is a children's television series about the engines and other characters on the railways of the Island of Sodor, and is based on The Railway Series books written by the Reverend W. Awdry.
Thomas & Friends is a children's television series about the engines and other characters on the railways of the Island of Sodor, and is based on The Railway Series books written by the Reverend W. Awdry.