Stuart Little (franchise)

Stuart Little
Logo used in the first film
Directed byRob Minkoff (1 and 2)
Audu Paden (3)
Produced byDouglas Wick
Lucy Fisher
StarringMichael J. Fox
Geena Davis
Hugh Laurie
(More)
Music byAlan Silvestri (1 and 2)
Atli Örvarsson (3)
Production
companies
Distributed byColumbia Pictures (1 and 2)
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (3)
Release dates
1: December 17, 1999 (1999-12-17)
2: July 19, 2002
3: October 11, 2005
Running time
237 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Stuart Little is a mixed live-action and animated American film franchise based on the 1945 children's book Stuart Little by E. B. White. The films are produced by Franklin / Waterman Productions and released by Columbia Pictures.

The franchise follows the adventures of Stuart Little, a young white mouse who is adopted by a human couple and embarks on life-changing adventures.

Films

Stuart Little (1999)

Stuart (voiced by Michael J. Fox) is an anthropomorphic teenage white mouse who is adopted into a human family. His new parents, Eleanor and Frederick (Geena Davis, Hugh Laurie) are thrilled with him, but everyone else is not. Through a series of adventures he eventually gains the love of his big brother George, (Jonathan Lipnicki), acceptance by the extended Little family, and even the grudging tolerance of the family cat Snowbell (voiced by Nathan Lane), who is a member of an alley cat Mafia-like gang that wants to eliminate Stuart.

Stuart Little 2 (2002)

In the sequel, Stuart (voiced by Michael J. Fox) and his brother George (Jonathan Lipnicki) are attending school together, but his mother (Geena Davis) doesn't seem to think Stuart is capable of taking care of himself. Later, Stuart meets a yellow canary named Margalo (voiced by Melanie Griffith) who he unintentionally saves from an evil Falcon (voiced by James Woods) and eventually becomes smitten with her. But one day, when Margalo is nowhere to be found, Stuart and Snowbell (voiced by Nathan Lane) team up to go and find her.

Stuart Little 3: Call of the Wild (2005)

In the third film, Stuart (voiced by Michael J. Fox) and his family are spending their summer vacation in a cabin near the fictional Lake Garland. Stuart signs up to be a lake-scout in an attempt to prove to his mother (voiced by Geena Davis) that he doesn't need to be watched over all the time. Soon, Stuart meets a new friend: a skunk named Reeko (voiced by Wayne Brady) whom he quickly befriends. But when a ferocious puma named the Beast (voiced by Virginia Madsen) hatches a plot to make a rug out of Snowbell's fur (voiced by Kevin Schon), Stuart must gather up all his courage to save him.

Possible reboot

It was reported by the Tracking Board and Zimbio that a new Stuart Little film was in development by Sony Pictures Animation and Red Wagon Productions with Douglas Wick and Lucy Fisher returning as the producers. Similar to the first two films, it will feature a combination of live-action and computer animation. The reboot will not be a sequel to the previous films and is said to be in the vein of a John Hughes film.[1][2]

It has been stated that the film will be a more faithful adaptation of the E. B. White novel than the previous films, and was originally set to be released in either 2018 or 2019.[3] As of 2024, the film's status remains unknown.

On October 3, 2023, it was announced an animated series reboot of Stuart Little is currently in the works at Sony Pictures Television Kids, it will be similar to the 1999 film and its sequels from 2002 and 2005. David Kaufman will reprise his role as Stuart in the reboot.[4]

Television

Stuart Little (2003)

An animated series taking place during the events of the second and third films premiered on HBO Family on March 1, 2003. It ran for a single season consisting of 13 episodes. While the series was traditionally animated, every episode included a segment in which a CGI-esque Stuart would recount an event that would open and end each episode. Hugh Laurie, Jeffrey Jones, and Marc John Jefferies reprised their roles as Fredrick, Uncle Crenshaw and Will respectively, while the rest of the characters were voiced by veteran voice actors.

Video games

Various video games based on Stuart Little were produced, but were mostly based on the films. Stuart Little: Big City Adventures based on the 1999 film, was released for Microsoft Windows in 1999. Stuart Little: The Journey Home based on the 1999 film, was released exclusively for the Game Boy Color in 2001. A game based on Stuart Little 2 was released for the PlayStation, Game Boy Advance, and Microsoft Windows in 2002. A third game, entitled Stuart Little 3: Big Photo Adventure was released exclusively for the PlayStation 2 in 2005, although it is not related to the film Stuart Little 3: Call of the Wild.

Reception

Critical response

Film Rotten Tomatoes Metacritic
Stuart Little 67% (97 reviews)[5] 61 (32 reviews)[6]
Stuart Little 2 81% (123 reviews)[7] 66 (29 reviews)[8]
Stuart Little 3: Call of the Wild N/A (1 review)[9] N/A

Box office performance

Film Release date Revenue Budget Ref.
U.S. and Canada Other territories Worldwide
Stuart Little December 17, 1999 (1999-12-17) $140,035,367 $160,100,000 $300,135,367 $133,000,000 -
Stuart Little 2 July 19, 2002 (2002-07-19) $64,956,806 $105,000,000 $169,956,806 $120,000,000 -
Stuart Little 3: Call of the Wild October 11, 2005 (2005-10-11) $11,776,585 (DVD sales) N/A $11,776,585 (DVD sales) N/A -
Total $216,768,758 $265,100,000 $481,868,758 $253,000,000 -

Cast and crew

Principal cast

List indicator(s)
  • A dark gray cell indicates the character was not featured in that installment.
  • A V indicates a performance through voice-over work.
Characters Films Animated series
Stuart Little Stuart Little 2 Stuart Little 3: Call of the Wild Stuart Little
1999 2002 2005 2003
Stuart Little Michael J. FoxV David KaufmanV
Mrs. Eleanor Little Geena Davis Geena DavisV Jennifer HaleV
Mr. Frederick Little Hugh Laurie Hugh LaurieV
George Little Jonathan Lipnicki Corey PadnosV Myles JeffreyV
Martha Little Anna and Ashley Hoelck Uncredited voice Jennifer HaleV
Snowbell Nathan LaneV Kevin SchonV Quinton FlynnV
Kevin SchonV
Monty Steve ZahnV Rino RomanoV André SogliuzzoV
Smokey Chazz PalminteriV
Reginald Stout Bruno KirbyV
Camille Stout Jennifer TillyV
Uncle Crenshaw Little Jeffrey Jones Jeffrey JonesV
Lucky Jim DoughanV
Red David Alan GrierV
Mrs. Keeper Julia Sweeney
Aunt Tina Little Connie Ray
Aunt Beatrice Little Allyce Beasley
Cousin Edgar Little Brian Doyle-Murray
Grandma Estelle Little Estelle Getty
Grandpa Spencer Little Harold Gould
Uncle Stretch Little Patrick Thomas O'Brien
Anton Miles Marsico
Margalo Melanie GriffithV Kathy NajimyV
The Falcon James WoodsV Pat FraleyV
Will Marc John Jefferies Marc John JefferiesV
Reeko Wayne BradyV
The Beast Virginia MadsenV
Troopmaster Bickle Peter MacNicolV
Brooke Tara StrongV

Additional crew

Role Film
Stuart Little Stuart Little 2 Stuart Little 3: Call of the Wild
1999 2002 2005
Director(s) Rob Minkoff Audu Paden
Producer(s) Douglas Wick Douglas Wick
Lucy Fisher
Douglas Wick
Lucy Fisher
Leslie Hough
Writer(s) Screenplay by:
M. Night Shyamalan
Greg Brooker
Screenplay by:
Bruce Joel Rubin
Story by:
Douglas Wick
Bruce Joel Rubin
Screenplay by:
Bob Shaw
Don McEnery
Story by:
Douglas Wick
Composer(s) Alan Silvestri Atli Örvarsson
Cinematographer(s) Guillermo Navarro Steven Poster
Editor(s) Tom Finan Priscilla Nedd-Friendly Robert Gordon
Bruce King

References

  1. ^ "Stuart Little is Getting A Remake". CinemaBlend.com. August 2, 2015.
  2. ^ "A 'Stuart Little' Live Action Reboot Is In The Works Under Sony Pictures And Red Wagon Ent". kpopstarz.com. August 3, 2015.
  3. ^ "Stuart Little Remake Planned at Sony". MovieWeb.com. August 3, 2015.
  4. ^ "MIPJunior & MIPCOM: New Toons from Sony Kids, Blue Ant, MIAM! & Monster, Plus More 'Fireman Sam' & 'Polly Pocket'". www.animationmagazine.net.
  5. ^ "Stuart Little". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved March 3, 2022.
  6. ^ "Stuart Little". www.metacritic.com. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  7. ^ "Stuart Little 2 - Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. 2002-07-19. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  8. ^ "Stuart Little 2". www.metacritic.com. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  9. ^ "Stuart Little 3: Call of the Wild". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved March 3, 2022.