Swan Dream Pool

Swan Dream Pool is a 2011 3D computer-animated musical fantasy film, produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer with animation provided by Radium/Reel FX. It was directed by Steve Hickner from a screenplay by Peter Ackerman, John Hamburg and Akiva Goldsman and a story by Goldsman and stars the voice cast of Jonah Bobo, Kiernan Shipka, Matthew Broderick, Alicia Silverstone, Ben Kingsley and Geena Davis. The film tells a story of a boy discovering a girl from the magical pool known as Swan Dream Pool and learns that she was sent by her father and she must connect with a boy she loves and avoid mistakes in order to live peacefully.

The film was released in the United States on August 26, 2011, by Warner Bros. Pictures to positive reviews from critics and grossed $332 million worldwide on a budget of $90 million. It was nominated for the 2011 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, losing to Rango.

Plot
Andy Clark is living with his boring life with his parents Perry and Natalie and all of their advices, especially not talking to strangers out there ("Wish I Can Go"). While his parents are away for their work, he goes out of his house and discovers a pool that is strangely magic (known as "Swan Dream Pool"). He then reads the sign that he has to "wait for the sunset to meet the person he will believe". Surprisingly, he later went back home before evening, trying to convince his parents that he will meet the person from the Swan Dream Pool tonight, but they don't believe him ("How Would We Believe?"). Disappointed, he later went back to his room.

During the sunset, the magical girl came out from the Swan Dream Pool. Andy then sees her from his window and goes back to the pool, finally having his wish coming true. She introduces herself as Wendy and explains that she is sent by her father Kenneth to meet him ("Believe For Peace"). Andy believes in her, but she warns him that she must "connect with a boy she loves and avoid mistakes".

Meanwhile, Ming refuses to believe Wendy's quest so she tracks Wendy to bring her back to the Swan Dream Pool and let her stay forever ("Nightmare"). During night, Andy and Wendy hang out, but Perry and Natalie caught Andy for "meeting a stranger" outside and tries to get rid of Wendy, however she told them that she meant no harm.

With Andy's parents' decision to keep Wendy in the basement instead, she is afraid that if she doesn't head back to the Swan Dream Pool by the time the sun rises, she may disappear forever. Andy comforts her and lets her go as she flees to depart back to the Swan Dream Pool as the sun rises ("Till We Meet Again"). Ming was about to find Wendy in the basement, only realizing she is gone and later found out she is back into the Swan Dream Pool.

Back there, Wendy is thrilled to tell her father Kenneth that she will live peacefully once she fully connects with a boy she loves. Her father, however, tells her that she may not see the boy ever again if she makes a mistake one more time. Promised, she tries to head back to Andy but she was confronted and captured by Ming. At Andy's home, Andy was about to bring flowers to Wendy but she is nowhere here from the Swan Dream Pool during sunset, and her father Kenneth tells him that she got captured. Feared, Andy jumps into the Swan Dream Pool where he is ambushed by Ming. He fights with Ming and rescues Wendy. Before Ming could kill Andy, Wendy uses her magical powers and lets Ming fall down to her death. Andy thanks Wendy for saving his life while Kenneth allows both of them to be back to Andy's parents when they were worried about him after he jumped into the Swan Dream Pool. Happily to live peacefully, Andy waves goodbye to his parents as he returns to the Swan Dream Pool with Wendy ("Believe For Peace (Reprise)").

Voice cast

 * Jonah Bobo as Andy Clark, Perry and Natalie's son who believes in a girl from the Swan Dream Pool
 * Kiernan Shipka as Wendy, a magical girl who came out from the Swan Dream Pool
 * Matthew Broderick as Perry Clark, Andy's father
 * Alicia Silverstone as Natalie Clark, Andy's mother
 * Ben Kingsley as Kenneth, Wendy's father
 * Geena Davis as Ming

Production
In 2007, Akiva Goldsman pitched his idea to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer for his computer-animated concept about "a boy discovering a girl from the magical pool". MGM later announced that the film was in production with its scheduled release in 2011 with Jane Hartwell producing.

In January 2009, Steve Hickner was hired to direct the film with Peter Ackerman co-writing the screenplay with John Hamburg and Goldsman. Later that month, it was reported that Jonah Bobo and Kiernan Shipka were in talks to voice their lead characters which were confirmed next month. In November 2009, Matthew Broderick, Alicia Silverstone, Ben Kingsley and Geena Davis joined the voice cast. Following MGM's emergence from bankruptcy, it was announced that Warner Bros. Pictures would co-distribute the film with MGM after winning a bidding competition against Columbia Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Universal Pictures, and Paramount Pictures for the distribution rights. Unlike most other MGM computer-animation movies from Starz Animation, the film was animated by Radium/Reel FX (now known as Reel FX Creative Studios).

In November 2010, Marc Shaiman was announced to score and write songs for the film's soundtrack. He would collaborate with lyricist Scott Wittman, who previously worked together in Hairspray.

Release
The film was theatrically released in standard and RealD 3D on August 26, 2011, by Warner Bros. Pictures.

Marketing
The film's teaser trailer was released on February 9, 2011, and was attached into Gnomeo & Juliet in theaters. The film's official trailer was released on April 13, 2011, and was attached into Rio in theaters, followed by the final trailer on June 21, 2011 and was attached into Cars 2 in theaters.

Video game
A video game based on the film was released on August 23, 2011 for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, Nintendo DS and Nintendo 3DS. It was developed by WayForward and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.

Home media
Swan Dream Pool was released on DVD and Blu-ray on November 29, 2011, by Warner Home Video.

Soundtrack
The soundtrack was released on August 19, 2011, by WaterTower Music. The song lyrics were written by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman while the music and score was composed by Shaiman:
 * Wish I Can Go - Jonah Bobo
 * How Would We Believe? - Matthew Broderick, Alicia Silverstone, and Jonah Bobo
 * Believe For Peace - Kiernan Shipka
 * Nightmare - Geena Davis
 * Till We Meet Again - Kiernan Shipka and Jonah Bobo
 * Believe For Peace (Reprise) - Jonah Bobo, Kiernan Shipka, Matthew Broderick, and Alicia Silverstone

Box office
In the United States and Canada, Swan Dream Pool opened alongside Colombiana, Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, and Our Idiot Brother and is expected to gross $45-50 million in its opening weekend from its 4,142 theaters. The film made $18 million in its opening day and later grossed $49.2 million from its opening weekend. The film fell 43% in its second weekend while still remaining in first place, grossing $28 million. In its third weekend, it was dethroned by Contagion, falling to second and grossing $17.3 million.

The film grossed $152.1 million in the United States and Canada and $180 million in other territories for a worldwide gross of $332.1 million.

Critical response
On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 84%, based on 200 reviews. The site's critical consensus reads: "Beautifully stunning, Swan Dream Pool dazzles its animated musical within its emotional concept." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 67 out of 100, based on 30 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A–" on an A+ to F scale.

Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly gives the film a B+, stating that "With its beautiful animation, Swan Dream Pool gives entertainingly magic to its high musical depth."

Television series
An animated television show based on the film, titled Swan Dream Pool: Magical Stories, premiered on November 17, 2014 on Cartoon Network. Kiernan Shipka and Ben Kingsley reprise their roles while Jonah Bobo was replaced by Asa Butterfield for Andy Clark. Steve Hickner and Jane Hartwell served as executive producers of the show.