The One and Only Ivan (film) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The One and Only Ivan |
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Official release poster
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| Directed by | Thea Sharrock |
| Produced by |
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| Screenplay by | Mike White |
| Starring |
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| Music by | Craig Armstrong |
| Cinematography | Florian Ballhaus |
| Editing by | Barney Pilling |
| Distributed by | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
| Release date(s) | August 21, 2020 (United States) |
| Running time | 95 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The One and Only Ivan is a 2020 American fantasy drama film. It was directed by Thea Sharrock. The movie's story comes from a popular children's book by Katherine Applegate. This book was inspired by the true story of Ivan the gorilla.
The film features the voices of many famous actors. These include Sam Rockwell as Ivan, Angelina Jolie, Danny DeVito, and Helen Mirren. Human characters are played by actors like Bryan Cranston. The movie was first planned in 2014. It was released on Disney+ on August 21, 2020. Critics had mixed feelings about the film. It was nominated for awards for its amazing visual effects.
The movie was dedicated to Allison Shearmur. She was one of the producers and sadly passed away in 2018. The film was later removed from Disney+ in 2023. However, it was re-released on other online platforms a few months later.
Contents
The Story of Ivan
For 20 years, Ivan the gorilla has been the main attraction. He lives at the Big Top Mall and Video Arcade. This is a circus inside a shopping mall. Mack, the ringmaster, runs the show. Ivan lives with other animal performers. These include Stella, a wise elephant, and Snickers, a spoiled poodle. There's also Henrietta, a chicken who plays baseball. Murphy is a rabbit who drives a toy fire truck. Frankie is an anxious sea lion, and Thelma is a talkative parrot.
Ivan becomes friends with a stray dog named Bob. Bob lives in Ivan's enclosure. George, the animals' caretaker, often brings his daughter Julia to visit. Julia and Ivan become close friends. She gives Ivan crayons. Julia can understand his drawings. She names the stray dog Bob.
New Arrivals and Promises
Mack starts losing money at the mall. So, he brings in a baby elephant named Ruby. Ruby comes from a circus that went out of business. She attracts big crowds and becomes the new star. Ivan feels a bit jealous at first. Stella, the older elephant, gets weaker. She can no longer perform. Ivan helps a nervous Ruby to perform on her own.
Ivan then shares his past with Ruby. Mack and his wife Helen adopted him as a baby. As Ivan grew, his wild gorilla behavior scared Helen away. Mack then bought the mall and made it a circus. Stella asks Ivan to promise her something. She wants him to make sure Ruby gets to live a free life. Soon after, Stella dies.
A Plan for Freedom
Mack starts training Ruby for the circus. Ivan decides he must free her. Julia shows Ivan's drawings to Mack. Mack decides to use them as a new act. He tells everyone to come see Ivan draw. But Ivan refuses to draw for the crowd.
That night, Ivan and Bob trick the security guard. They free the animals. Snickers the poodle chooses to stay behind. The others escape across the highway. They lose Murphy's fire truck. But they find out the nearby "forest" is just a city intersection. Mack finds the animals and brings them back. He tells Ivan that Ruby would be in danger outside.
Ivan tells Ruby about his life in the jungle. He lived with other gorillas. He loved to draw with mud and play with his sister, Tag. But then, poachers killed his father and captured Ivan.
A New Life
Mack and George get ready for the day's show. Julia gives Ivan finger paint. Ivan paints a huge mural in his enclosure. A TV reporter, Candace Taylor, arrives. She asks Mack about the animals escaping. Mack says it's not true. He gets her to film the show. Everyone is amazed by Ivan's mural. It shows his jungle home. Julia realizes Ivan wants to be free.
With Candace's help, Julia gets public support. People protest outside the mall. They demand the animals be set free. Mack agrees to close the circus. Henrietta, Murphy, Thelma, and Frankie are taken away. Mack says goodbye to Ivan. He thanks Ivan for their time together.
Dr. Maya Wilson moves Ivan to a big gorilla home. It's at Zoo Atlanta. There, Ivan meets other gorillas. He finds out he is right next to the elephant area. Ruby is there, living with other elephants. Ivan tells Stella's spirit that Ruby is finally free.
During the credits, you can see photos and videos of the real Ivan. They show a summary of his life. Later, Ivan is visited by Bob. Julia and George have adopted Bob. Mack also comes to visit the animals.
Meet the Characters
Here are some of the main characters in The One and Only Ivan:
- Bryan Cranston plays Mack. He is the owner and ringmaster of the Big Top Mall.
- Ramón Rodríguez plays George. He is the janitor and animal caregiver at the Big Top Mall.
- Ariana Greenblatt plays Julia. She is George's daughter. She helps Ivan to draw.
- Owain Arthur plays Castello. He is a security guard at the Big Top Mall.
- Eleanor Matsuura plays Candace Taylor. She is a news reporter who covers Ivan's finger-painting.
- Indira Varma plays Dr. Maya Wilson. She is a zoologist from Zoo Atlanta.
Voice Actors
- Sam Rockwell voices Ivan. He is a western lowland gorilla who loves to draw.
- Angelina Jolie voices Stella. She is a wise African bush elephant and Ivan's friend.
- Danny DeVito voices Bob. He is a stray dog and Ivan's best friend.
- Helen Mirren voices Snickers. She is a spoiled white poodle.
- Brooklynn Prince voices Ruby. She is a baby African bush elephant.
- Chaka Khan voices Henrietta. She is a spunky Polish chicken who plays baseball.
- Ron Funches voices Murphy. He is a white European rabbit who drives a toy fire truck.
- Phillipa Soo voices Thelma. She is a talkative blue-and-yellow macaw.
- Mike White voices Frankie. He is a paranoid California sea lion.
Making the Movie
The idea for The One and Only Ivan movie started in 2014. Walt Disney Pictures decided to make it. Allison Shearmur was one of the first producers. In 2017, Thea Sharrock became the director.
Many actors joined the film in 2017 and 2018. Angelina Jolie joined as a producer and the voice of Stella. Brooklynn Prince was cast as the voice of Ruby. Ariana Greenblatt joined for a live-action role. Sadly, producer Allison Shearmur passed away during this time. Sam Rockwell was chosen to voice Ivan. Bryan Cranston was cast as the circus owner, Mack. Danny DeVito and Helen Mirren also joined to voice characters.
Filming began in May 2018 in Lakeland, Florida. They filmed in places like the Southgate Shopping Center. Other parts of Polk County were also used. The amazing visual effects for the animals were created by companies called Moving Picture Company (MPC) and Method Studios.
Release of the Film
The One and Only Ivan was first planned to be shown in movie theaters. It was set for August 14, 2020. But because of the COVID-19 pandemic, plans changed. The movie was instead released only on Disney+ on August 21, 2020.
The film was later removed from Disney+ on May 26, 2023. This was part of a bigger plan by The Walt Disney Company to remove some content. However, many people were upset about this. So, the movie was re-released digitally. You could buy or rent it on platforms like Amazon Prime Video and Google Play starting September 26, 2023.
Images for kids
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In Spanish: The One and Only Ivan para niños
