Trailer Talk: Arthur Christmas

arthur christmas
James McAvoy voices Arthur Christmas | Aardman

The trailer for Arthur Christmas is playing before The Smurfs movie right now. I didn’t know much about the movie, but perked up when I saw it was from Aardman Animation, the UK production company headed by Nick Park, Peter Lord and David Sproxton. 

arthur christmas posterAardman Productions is also the genius behind Flushed Away, Chicken RunThe Pirates! Band of Misfits (coming in 2012) and the Wallace & Gromit films. I loved Wallace & Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit. So inventive and fun.

Arthur Christmas reveals the incredible, never-before-seen answer to every child’s question: How on earth does Santa deliver all those presents in one night? The answer? Santa’s super-high-tech operation hidden beneath the North Pole!

But at the center of the film is a story about a family in a state of comic dysfunction and an unlikely hero, Arthur, with an urgent mission that must be completed before Christmas morning.

Sounds like a fun way to start the holiday season, especially with an all-star voice cast that includes Hugh Laurie, Jim Broadbent, Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, Will Sasso and Ashley Jenson. It’s directed by Sarah Smith, who also wrote the screenplay and is the creative director for Aardman Productions.

Arthur Christmas flies into theaters on Nov. 23, 2011. It’s not yet rated, but I’m guessing G or PG.

Comments

  1. Melanie Haiken Avatar

    I have an inexplicable loathing of all things animated, and have barely been able to make an exception for W&G, even though these films are so clever. I just really want to see real live human actors when I watch something! I will try to set my prejudice aside to enjoy this with my girls, who love stuff like this!

    1. Jane Boursaw Avatar

      I’m not gonna lie – it’s very, very rare to find a good animated movie that appeals to both kids and adults. Extremely rare. We’re talking Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Toy Story… I’m hoping Arthur Christmas is one of those.

  2. Melanie Avatar

    I’ve loved Aardman Animations since, well, Peter Gabriel’s Sledgehammer video, then all the W&G shorts. What’s not to love? Looking forward to it!

  3. MyKidsEatSquid Avatar

    I think I’m still scarred from having sat through the Easter Bunny at my daughter’s request. Whoa, that was a strange movie. The trailer for this one didn’t really draw me in.

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