Up

Movie Details:

Cast & Characters:

• Ed Asner as Carl Fredricksen, an elderly widower and retired balloon salesman.
• Jordan Nagai as Russell, a thirteen-year-old “Wilderness Explorer”.
• Christopher Plummer as Charles Muntz, an elderly explorer and Carl’s childhood idol.
• Bob Peterson as Dug, a talking Golden Retriever.

Storyline:

As a boy, Carl Fredricksen wanted to explore South America and find the forbidden Paradise Falls. About 64 years later he gets to begin his journey along with Boy Scout Russell by lifting his house with thousands of balloons. On their journey, they make many new friends including a talking dog, and figure out that someone has evil plans. Carl soon realizes that this evildoer is his childhood idol.

About Movie:

Up is an American animated comedy-drama adventure film produced by Pixar Animation Studios for Walt Disney Pictures. Directed by Pete Docter and co-directed by Bob Peterson, the film features a screenplay written by Docter, Peterson, and Tom McCarthy. The voice cast includes Ed Asner as Carl Fredricksen, Christopher Plummer as Charles Muntz, Jordan Nagai as Russell, and Bob Peterson as Dug.

The story follows Carl Fredricksen, an elderly widower who embarks on an adventure to fulfill a promise made to his late wife, Ellie. To honor her dream of visiting Paradise Falls in South America, Carl ties thousands of balloons to his house and flies there. Along the way, he inadvertently takes young scout Russell with him. In the jungle, they encounter an exotic bird named Kevin and face off against the villainous explorer Charles Muntz, who has sinister plans for Kevin.

Originally titled Heliums, the concept for Up was conceived by Docter in 2004, inspired by his own fantasies of escaping life’s irritations. To develop the film’s visuals and characters authentically, Docter and a team of Pixar artists conducted research trips to Venezuela. The animation team faced challenges in creating realistic textures for characters and environments, particularly with cloth simulation. The score was composed by Michael Giacchino.

Up premiered at the 62nd Cannes Film Festival on May 13, 2009, and was released in theaters in the United States on May 29. The film received critical acclaim for its screenplay, animation quality, emotional depth, humor, and particularly its poignant opening sequence. It grossed approximately $735.1 million worldwide, making it the sixth-highest-grossing film of 2009.

At the 82nd Academy Awards, Up was nominated for five awards and won two, including Best Animated Feature. It became only the second animated film ever nominated for Best Picture (after Beauty and the Beast in 1991) but ultimately lost to The Hurt Locker. The film has since been regarded as one of the greatest animated films of the 21st century.

In addition to its theatrical success, Up has continued to resonate with audiences through its themes of adventure, love, loss, and personal growth. A short-form sequel series titled Dug Days, featuring Dug the dog from Up, premiered on Disney+ on September 1, 2021. Overall, Up remains a beloved classic that showcases Pixar’s ability to blend humor with heartfelt storytelling.

Budget & Box Office Collection: