Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century (film)

Last updated
Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century
Zenon21.jpg
VHS cover
Based on Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century
by Marilyn Sadler & Roger Bollen
Written byStu Krieger
Directed by Kenneth Johnson
Starring Kirsten Storms
Raven-Symoné
Theme music composerSabelle Breer
Phil Marshall
Kristian Rex
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
ProducerThom Colwell
Cinematography Ron Orieux
EditorTerry Stokes
Running time97 minutes
Production company de Passe Entertainment
Original release
Network Disney Channel
ReleaseJanuary 23, 1999 (1999-01-23)

Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century is a 1999 Disney Channel Original Movie directed by Kenneth Johnson and starring Kirsten Storms as the eponymous heroine. [1] The film was based on the book Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century written by Marilyn Sadler and Roger Bollen. The film was originally conceived as a pilot for a potential television series. [2] The film was the first under the Disney Channel Original Movie banner to produce a sequel, Zenon: The Zequel (2001). A third and final installment was also produced, Zenon: Z3 (2004).

Contents

Synopsis

The year is 2049 and Zenon Kar is a 13-year-old girl who lives with her family on an Earth-orbiting space station. After Zenon gets into trouble with the space station's commander, Edward Plank, her parents punish her by sending her to Earth to live with her Aunt Judy. On Earth, Zenon experiences trouble fitting in with other kids, who consider her name, space-station stories and slang to be weird. Likewise, Zenon considers the children at her school woefully out of touch with pop culture. Eventually, Zenon makes friends on Earth with two boys, Andrew and Greg (with whom she develops a relationship). Along the way, the kids learn to be more accepting of one another and to look past first impressions.

During her time on Earth, Zenon uncovers a plot masterminded by station bigwig Parker Wyndham to use a computer virus to crash the space station and collect the insurance money. When Zenon tries to warn her parents of the danger, Commander Plank, who sees all children as troublemakers, convinces Zenon's parents not to listen to her. Plank believes that her story is only a ploy to get back onto the space station to attend an upcoming concert by her idol Proto Zoa and his pop-rock group Microbe.

Andrew and Greg join in to help Zenon find a way to save the people on the space station. Andrew creates a computer antivirus, but Zenon must get Andrew's disk to the space station. Zenon goes to the launch yard, hoping to sneak onto a rocket to the space station. Proto Zoa, who is about to depart for the concert, recognizes Zenon from a "Dance with Proto Zoa" contest, has her join him on the launch to the station. Wyndham and Lutz enter the rocket to try to stop Zenon, and Aunt Judy follows them. Upon arrival, Commander Plank is shocked to see Zenon, but lets her stay when he becomes smitten with Aunt Judy. Plank still won't believe Zenon's story, especially when Wyndham accuses her of trying to sabotage the station. Zenon manages to load Andrew's antivirus program on the station's computers in time. Wyndham is arrested with his assistant Lutz while everyone else enjoys the Microbe concert.

Cast

Production

Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century was a failed pilot for a proposed television series. [2] It was directed by Kenneth Johnson. The film was produced by de Passe Entertainment for Disney Channel, and executive produced by Suzanne de Passe and Suzanne Coston. [3]

Filming began in August 1998, in Vancouver, British Columbia. [3] The rocket launch yard scenes were filmed at the Plaza of Nations.

Release

Zenon was originally slated to air on the Disney Channel in December 1998, [4] but ultimately premiered on January 23, 1999. [5] Walt Disney Home Video released it on VHS in September 2000. [6]

The film is available on iTunes, Google Play, and Disney+.

The special edition version on VHS has a bonus feature of Disney's Travelers.

Reception

The film and its sequels have since developed somewhat of a cult following.[ citation needed ]

Sequels

The film was followed by Zenon: The Zequel (2001) and Zenon: Z3 (2004).

See also

Related Research Articles

Marilyn Sadler is a children's writer with a deadpan sense of humor. She was born November 17, 1950, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. One of her best known works was made into a television Disney movie, under the title Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century. That book is about a space girl who is sent to Earth and the cultural clashes she finds in her new planet. Subsequently, two additional Zenon films were made, Zenon: The Zequel and Zenon: Z3.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raven-Symoné</span> American actress and singer (born 1985)

Raven-Symoné Christina Pearman-Maday, also known mononymously as Raven, is an American actress, singer, and songwriter. She has received several accolades, including five NAACP Image Awards, two Kids' Choice Awards, three Young Artist Awards, and four Emmy Award nominations. In 2012, she was included on VH1's list of "100 Greatest Child Stars of All Time".

U.S. television science fiction is a popular genre of television in the United States that has produced many of the best-known and most popular science fiction shows in the world. Most famous of all, and one of the most influential science-fiction series in history, is the iconic Star Trek and its various spin-off shows, which comprise the Star Trek franchise. Other hugely influential programs have included the 1960s anthology series The Twilight Zone, the internationally successful The X-Files, and a wide variety of television movies and continuing series for more than half a century.

Suzanna Celeste de Passe(sources differ) is an American businesswoman, television, music and film producer. De Passe serves as the co-chairwoman of de Passe Jones Entertainment Group.

<i>Zenon: Z3</i> American TV series or program

Zenon: Z3 is a 2004 film directed by Steve Rash and starring Kirsten Storms, Raven-Symoné, and Lauren Maltby. It is the third and final installment of the Disney Channel's Zenon television film trilogy, following Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century (1999) and Zenon: The Zequel (2001).

Kenneth Culver Johnson is an American screenwriter, producer and director. He is known as the creator of the V science fiction franchise as well as The Bionic Woman (1976–78), The Incredible Hulk series (1977–82), and the TV adaptation (1989) of Alien Nation. His creative efforts are almost entirely concentrated in the area of television science fiction.

Stuart Pankin is an American actor. He is known for his role as anchor Bob Charles in Not Necessarily the News and as the voice of Earl Sinclair in Dinosaurs. Stuart is also known for his portrayal of Commander Edward Plank in the Zenon trilogy films, and Orthodox Jew Ben Heineman in Curb Your Enthusiasm, as well as making many guest appearances in many television shows and for lending his voice to various animated shows and films. Among his approximately three dozen films was Hollywood Knights. He also appeared in Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves and Arachnophobia and as Jimmy in Fatal Attraction.

<i>Zenon: The Zequel</i> American TV series or program

Zenon: The Zequel is a 2001 Disney Channel Original Movie directed by Manny Coto in his last directorial film before his death in 2023. It is the second installment of the Disney Channel's Zenon television film series, following the first installment, Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century (1999), and preceding Zenon: Z3 (2004). The film is also the first sequel to be produced under the Disney Channel Original Movie banner. The Disney Channel Original Series Lizzie McGuire premiered after the film's premiere. This is the only Zenon film where Raven-Symoné doesn't play Nebula. She is replaced by Shadia Simmons.

<i>Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century</i>

Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century is a 1996 children's science fiction picture book written by Marilyn Sadler and illustrated by Roger Bollen. It tells the story of Zenon Kar, a girl in the year 2049 who lives on a space station in the Milky Way. She is sent to her aunt on Earth to keep her out of trouble. She spends the summer on her grandparents' farm, learning their "old-fashioned" chores in their low-tech life. References in the novel are inspired by well-known science fiction characters.

Zenon may refer to

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frederick Coffin</span> American actor

Frederick D. Coffin was an American film actor, singer, songwriter, and musician.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zach Lipovsky</span> Canadian film director

Zach Lipovsky is a Canadian director, former child actor and visual effects specialist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rotating wheel space station</span> Space station concept

A rotating wheel space station, also known as a von Braun wheel, is a concept for a hypothetical wheel-shaped space station. Originally proposed by Konstantin Tsiolkovsky in 1903, the idea was expanded by Herman Potočnik in 1929.

de Passe Jones Entertainment US entertainment content provider

de Passe Jones Entertainment (dJE) is an American entertainment content provider led by Suzanne de Passe and Madison Jones that sources, develops, acquires, and produces a variety of television, motion picture, theater, new media, and print content. The company was founded by Berry Gordy Jr., in 1968, as Motown Productions, the film and television arm of Gordy's Motown Records label. It became de Passe Entertainment in 1992, then in 2008, joining forces with Jones, de Passe Jones Entertainment.

The 21st Young Artist Awards ceremony, presented by the Young Artist Association, honored excellence of young performers under the age of 21 in the fields of film, television and theatre for the year 1999, and took place on March 19, 2000, at the Sportsmen's Lodge in Studio City, California.

The 23rd Young Artist Awards ceremony, presented by the Young Artist Association, honored excellence of young performers under the age of 21 in the fields of film, television, theater and music for the year 2001, and took place on April 7, 2002 at the Sportsmen's Lodge in Studio City, California.

<i>Kim Possible</i> (film) 2019 Disney Channel original movie

Kim Possible is an American made-for-TV action comedy film that premiered as a Disney Channel Original Movie on Disney Channel on February 15, 2019. Based on the animated series of the same name created by Mark McCorkle and Bob Schooley, the film stars Sadie Stanley, Sean Giambrone, and Ciara Riley Wilson.

Carol Rubin was an American film producer and production supervisor, who worked for the ABC television network and was involved in the production of several The Walt Disney Company made-for-television miniseries and films.

<i>Hears Premears, Vol. 1: Music from Disney Channel Original Movies</i> 1999 compilation album by Various artists

Hears Premears, Vol. 1: Music from Disney Channel Original Movies is a compilation album of various songs featured in Disney Channel Original Movies. Released on November 16, 1999 by Hollywood Records, at least one song from a Disney Channel film released at the time is represented on the compilation, with the exception of Halloweentown. Despite the implications of the title, no direct follow-up volumes were released, until a very similar compilation, Disney Channel Hits: Take 2 (2005), was released over five years later.

References

  1. "Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century". Turner Classic Movies . Retrieved March 15, 2016.
  2. 1 2 Lee, Luaine (July 26, 1998). "Dillion, Diaz together on screen". Vero Beach Press Journal . p. C8.
  3. 1 2 "Disney Channel Unveils New Slate of Original Kid and Family Programming for 1998; Lineup Includes Original Narrative Series, Game Shows and Movies". Sinocast. Comtex News Network. June 30, 1998.
  4. Katz, Richard (June 30, 1998). "Disney Channel sets original series, pix". Variety . Reed Business Information. Archived from the original on November 7, 2012. Retrieved November 25, 2010.
  5. Staff (January 22, 1999). "Weekend TV Picks". Newsday . p. B43.
  6. Staff (September 14, 2000). "'East Is East' leads way as batch of comedies hits rental shelves: Family-friendly fare includes 'Snow Day,' 'Flintstones' sequel". Washington Times . p. M24.