Thomas & Friends: The Great Race | |
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Directed by | David Stoten [1] |
Written by | Andrew Brenner |
Produced by |
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Starring | |
Narrated by | Mark Moraghan [1] |
Music by |
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Production company | |
Distributed by | HIT Entertainment National Amusements |
Release date |
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Running time | 60 minutes [1] |
Country | United Kingdom |
Language | English |
Box office | $3.6 million [2] |
Thomas & Friends: The Great Race is a 2016 British animated musical comedy adventure film that functions as the eleventh feature-length special based on the British television series Thomas & Friends . The film was produced and distributed by HIT Entertainment with animation production by Canadian-based Arc Productions. The movie centres on Thomas wanting to represent Sodor in the Great Railway Show on the mainland and proving that he doesn't need to be big, strong, or fast to go. [3]
The film stars John Hasler (UK) and Joseph May (US) as the voice of Thomas, alongside special guest stars Tina Desai as Indian engine Ashima, Rufus Jones as a depiction of the iconic real-life locomotive Flying Scotsman [4] [lower-alpha 1] and John Schwab as Vinnie, an American engine. These new additions were made by Mattel to add more international and female characters to the cast. [5] [6] [7]
The movie was given a limited theatrical release on 21 May 2016 in the United Kingdom through National Amusements before being released on DVD. The movie was released theatrically or straight-to-video depending on the country. [8]
Thomas the Tank Engine meets Gordon's 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 to fool 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 is disqualified from 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 for Ashima 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 |
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Mark Moraghan | UK/US | Narrator | Yes |
John Hasler | Rheneas | US only | |
UK | Thomas | Yes | |
Joseph May | US | ||
Nigel Pilkington | UK | Percy | |
Christopher Ragland | US | 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, 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 | Donald, Douglas and Oliver | ||
Tim Whitnall | Timothy and Mike | ||
Robert Wilfort | Samson and the Great Railway Show Judge | ||
Tom Stourton | Rex | Yes | |
Rasmus Hardiker | Philip | No | |
Tina Desai | Ashima | ||
Rufus Jones | 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 3rd, 4th, and 5th weekends. [9]
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. [9]
Renee Schonfeld of Common Sense Media awarded the film 3 out of 5 stars, writing, "Entertaining train tale with mild peril, positive messages". [10]
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; the cast includes Alec Baldwin, 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; it is the only theatrical live-action/animated film in the Thomas & Friends franchise. The plot is centered on 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 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. In the foreword to the 1951 book Henry the Green Engine, his real name is revealed to be Sir Topham Hatt.
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 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 tenth series was first broadcast in 2006, narrated by Michael Angelis for the UK audiences and by Michael Brandon in the US. Most episodes in this series had different titles in UK and the US.
Merchandise for the Thomas & Friends 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 that functions as the third feature-length special based on the British television series Thomas & Friends. The film was produced and distributed by HIT Entertainment with animation production by Canadian-based Nitrogen Studios. The movie centres on Thomas finding a long-lost engine from Japan named Hiro and attempts to repair him in secret; although Spencer is on the verge of discovering Thomas' secret and getting Hiro scrapped.
Thomas & Friends: Misty Island Rescue is a 2010 British computer-animated fantasy adventure film and the fourth feature-length special based on the British television series Thomas & Friends. The film was produced and distributed by HIT Entertainment with animation production by Canadian-based Nitrogen Studios. The movie centres on Thomas being whisked away to an island near Sodor called "Misty Island" in search of Joby Wood and his verge to get back home to prepare for the opening of the Sodor Search & Rescue Centre.
Thomas & Friends: Day of the Diesels is a 2011 British animated adventure film that functions as the fifth feature-length special based on the British television series Thomas & Friends. The film was produced and distributed by HIT Entertainment with animation production by Canadian-based Nitrogen Studios. The film centres on Percy, who is tricked by Diesel 10 into helping him take over the Sodor Steamworks.
Thomas & Friends: King of the Railway is a 2013 British computer-animated fantasy comedy adventure film that functions as the seventh feature-length special based on the British television series Thomas & Friends. The film was produced and distributed by HIT Entertainment with animation production by Canadian-based Arc Productions, who took over animation from Nitrogen Studios for the series and following specials from then on. It marks the debut of Mark Moraghan as the narrator for both English versions of the series. The movie centres on Thomas in the search for his new friend Stephen, who goes missing during the restoration of Ulfstead Castle.
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, 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 British animated adventure comedy film and the eighth feature-length special based on the British television series Thomas & Friends. The film was produced and distributed by HIT Entertainment with animation production by Canadian-based Arc Productions. The film functions as a prequel to the show and a retelling of the two books of The Railway Series: The Three Railway Engines and Thomas the Tank Engine, as well as the first seven episodes of the first TV season. It was made to commemorate the 70th anniversary of The Railway Series, and was the first installment to officially adapt a story from The Railway Series since series 4. The film also saw John Hasler and Joseph May take over the voice role of Thomas the Tank Engine in the United Kingdom and the United States, respectively.
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 television series, Thomas & Friends. The film is produced by HIT Entertainment and animated by Arc Productions. The film centres on Thomas unwillingly getting caught in a conspiracy to steal recently-discovered pirate treasure.
Thomas & Friends: Journey Beyond Sodor is a 2017 British animated musical adventure film and the twelth feature-length special based on the British television series Thomas & Friends. The film was produced and distributed by Mattel Creations with animation production by Canadian-based Jam Filled Toronto. The movie centres on Thomas being held captive in a Steelworks within the mainland after taking a load meant for his friend James.
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.