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Gnomeo & Juliet facts for kids

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Gnomeo & Juliet
Gnomeo & Juliet Poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Kelly Asbury
Produced by
Screenplay by
  • Andy Riley
  • Kevin Cecil
  • Mark Burton
  • Emily Cook
  • Kathy Greenberg
  • Steve Hamilton Shaw
  • Kelly Asbury
Story by
  • Rob Sprackling
  • John Smith
  • Andy Riley
  • Kevin Cecil
  • Kelly Asbury
  • Steve Hamilton Shaw
Starring
Music by
Editing by Catherine Apple
Studio
Distributed by
Release date(s) January 23, 2011 (2011-01-23) (El Capitan Theatre)
February 11, 2011 (2011-02-11) (United States and United Kingdom)
Running time 84 minutes
Country
  • United Kingdom
  • United States
Language English
Budget $36 million
Money made $193.9 million

Gnomeo & Juliet is a 2011 3D computer-animated fantasy romantic comedy film directed by Kelly Asbury. It is loosely based on the play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare and an original screenplay by Rob Sprackling and John Smith. The film stars the voices of James McAvoy, Emily Blunt, Dolly Parton, Michael Caine, Jason Statham, Maggie Smith, Ashley Jensen, Stephen Merchant, Matt Lucas, Jim Cummings, Julie Walters, Richard Wilson, Patrick Stewart, and Ozzy Osbourne. The animation was provided by Starz Animation.

The film premiered at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood on January 23, 2011. It was theatrically released in the United Kingdom and United States on February 11, 2011 by Walt Disney Pictures (under its Touchstone Pictures banner). The film grossed $193 million on a $36 million budget. The film received nominations for the Annie Award for Directing in a Feature Production, Storyboarding in a Feature Production, Voice Acting in a Feature Production, and Writing in a Feature Production. The song "Hello Hello" by Elton John and Lady Gaga was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, the Satellite Award for Best Original Song, and the Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Song.

A sequel and spin-off, titled Sherlock Gnomes, was released on March 23, 2018, with Paramount Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer distributing and producing the film, respectively.

Plot

In Stratford-upon-Avon, elderly neighbors Miss Montague (Julie Walters) and Mr. Capulet (Richard Wilson) despise each other. When they leave their respective gardens, their garden gnomes and other lawn ornaments come alive. The Montague garden is filled with Blue-hatted gnomes led by Lady Bluebury (Maggie Smith), and the Capulet garden with Red-hatted gnomes led by Lord Redbrick (Michael Caine), who share their owners’ feud. In a back alley lawnmower race, Lady Bluebury's son Gnomeo (James McAvoy) competes against his Red rival Tybalt (Jason Statham), who cheats to win by destroying Gnomeo's lawn mower. That night, Gnomeo and his best friend Benny (Matt Lucas) infiltrate the red garden in disguise to take revenge by spray-painting Tybalt's mower, but Benny accidentally triggers a security light. During their escape, Gnomeo ends up in a nearby garden and bumps into a disguised Juliet (Emily Blunt), daughter of Lord Redbrick, attempting to retrieve a unique Cupid's Arrow orchid. Romantically fighting over the flower, they discover each other's color before fleeing. Juliet tells her frog-sprinkler friend Nanette (Ashley Jensen) about her newfound love, which Nanette declares romantically tragic but agrees to keep their secret.

Gnomeo and Juliet continue to meet secretly in the nearby garden, where they encounter a pink plastic flamingo named Featherstone (Jim Cummings) who encourages their love. Lord Redbrick pairs Juliet with a Red Gnome named Paris (Stephen Merchant); uninterested, Juliet distracts him with Nanette, who has feelings for him. Lady Bluebury is distraught after the Reds infiltrate the garden and destroy the plant nurtured by Gnomeo's late father. The Blues urge Gnomeo to take revenge on the Reds, and is about to spray their prized tulips with insecticide when Juliet sees him, and he backs out of the attack. At their next meeting, Gnomeo and Juliet argue until Featherstone stops them, telling them he lost his wife when the couple living in the garden's house broke up and they each took a flamingo. Benny sees them and runs into the alleyway, unbeknownst that Tybalt is waiting with his lawnmower; he attempts to run Benny down, and chops off his hat. Gnomeo intervenes, and he and Tybalt fight until the lawnmower runs into the wall, shattering Tybalt. The Reds attack Gnomeo, believing him responsible for Tybalt's death, and Gnomeo ends up in the road. A blue teapot falls from a truck passing Gnomeo, leading everyone to believe Gnomeo was run over. Juliet expresses her love for Gnomeo and attempts to walk out onto the roadway, but Lord Redbrick, who lost his wife, stops her and has Juliet's feet glued to her tower. Gnomeo's mushroom friend, Shroom, discovers that Gnomeo is still alive, carried off by a dog to a nearby park. He and Featherstone reach the park where Gnomeo climbs onto a statue of William Shakespeare (Patrick Stewart) and tells him his story. Shakespeare declares Gnomeo's tale similar to his own story of Romeo and Juliet, and that it is likely Gnomeo's will have a tragic ending as well.

Benny uses Miss Montague's computer to order a powerful Terrafirminator lawnmower, seeking revenge on the Reds. The Terrafirminator arrives and initially works well, but goes out of control, destroying both gardens, and gets itself stuck while the gnomes wage a full-scale war. Gnomeo returns to Juliet with Featherstone's help, but the Terrafirminator frees itself. Gnomeo is unable to un-glue Juliet, stuck in the mower's path, and they share a passionate kiss as the lawnmower crashes into the tower and self-destructs. Realizing the consequences of their vendetta, Lady Blueberry and Lord Redbrick end the feud. Gnomeo and Juliet emerge from the ruins as the two clans celebrate. Miss Montague and Mr. Capulet come home to find their backyards a mess and scream at the damage. The Blue and Red gnomes create a new garden and celebrate their newfound peace.

Cast

  • James McAvoy as Gnomeo, Lady Bluebury's son, Juliet's love interest (later husband), and a blue gnome counterpart to Romeo Montague.
  • Emily Blunt as Juliet, Lord Redbrick's daughter, Gnomeo's love interest (later wife), and a red gnome counterpart to Juliet Capulet.
  • Michael Caine as Lord Redbrick, the leader of the red gnomes, Juliet's overprotective widower father, and counterpart to Lord Capulet.
  • Jason Statham as Tybalt, Gnomeo and Benny's nemesis, a red gnome counterpart to Tybalt. Statham voices Paris in the original version.
  • Maggie Smith as Lady Bluebury, the leader of the blue gnomes and Gnomeo's widowed mother, and counterpart to Lord Montague.
  • Ashley Jensen as Nanette, a Scottish-accented plastic garden frog, Juliet's best friend, and Paris' love interest counterpart to Nurse.
  • Stephen Merchant as Paris, a nerdy red gnome who was arranged to marry Juliet, and Nanette's love interest; counterpart to Count Paris.
  • Matt Lucas as Benny, Gnomeo's impulsive and tall-hatted best friend, and Call Me Doll's love interest; counterpart to Mercutio and Benvolio.
  • Jim Cummings as Featherstone, a lonely plastic flamingo with a thick Spanish accent; counterpart to Friar Laurence.
  • Julie Walters as Ms. Montague, the elderly owner of the Blue garden whose face is not seen.
  • Richard Wilson as Mr. Capulet, the elderly owner of the Red garden whose face is not seen.
  • Patrick Stewart as William Shakespeare, who wrote Romeo and Juliet.
  • Ozzy Osbourne as Fawn, a garden deer, Tybalt's best friend, counterpart to Peter.
  • Hulk Hogan as Terrafirminator Announcer, an unseen person who promotes the Terrafirminator lawnmower on TV.
  • Kelly Asbury as Red Goon Gnomes; counterparts to Gregory, Sampson, Anthony, and Potpan.
  • Dolly Parton as Dolly Gnome, the lawnmower race announcer, and Mankini Gnome's love interest.
  • Julia Braams as Stone Fish, a stone fish attached to the fishing line of the Fishing Gnome. In the end, it is seen being dragged by Gnomeo and Juliet's purple lawnmower.
  • James Daniel Wilson as Fishing Gnome, a red gnome.
  • Tim Bentinck as Conjoined Gnome Left, a red gnome.
  • Julio Bonet as Mankini Gnome, Dolly Gnome's love interest and a gay red gnome.
  • Neil McCaul as Conjoined Gnome Right, a red gnome.
  • Maurissa Horwitz as an unnamed Porcelain doll, Benny's love interest (who was later absent in the sequel).
  • John Todd as Dancer.

Silent characters include:

Soundtrack

Gnomeo & Juliet (Original Soundtrack)
Soundtrack album by
Released February 8, 2011 (2011-02-08)
Recorded 2008-2010
Genre Orchestral, pop, rock
Length 60:24
Label Buena Vista
Producer Elton John and David Furnish
Elton John chronology
The Union
(2010)
Gnomeo & Juliet (Original Soundtrack)
(2011)
Good Morning to the Night
(2012)

Gnomeo & Juliet: Original Soundtrack is the soundtrack album and was released by Buena Vista Records on February 8, 2011. It features music by Elton John (who was also the film's executive producer), Nelly Furtado, Kiki Dee, and selections from the score composed by Chris P. Bacon and James Newton Howard (who played keyboards for Elton John and arranged strings on many previous projects).

The duet of John and Lady Gaga for "Hello, Hello" was featured in the film, released on February 11, 2011, but the soundtrack version only features John. Additionally, on May 4, 2011 the duet was leaked online and available for download on most sharing websites.

No. Title Performer Length
1. "Hello Hello" (album version) Elton John 3:45
2. "Crocodile Rock"   Elton John & Nelly Furtado 3:27
3. "Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting"   Elton John 4:53
4. "Don't Go Breaking My Heart"   Elton John & Kiki Dee 4:31
5. "Love Builds a Garden"   Elton John 3:35
6. "Your Song"   Elton John 4:02
7. "Rocket Man"   Elton John 4:42
8. "Tiny Dancer"   Elton John 6:16
9. "Bennie and the Jets"   Elton John 5:23
10. "Gnomeo & Juliet" (score) Chris P. Bacon & James Newton Howard 4:22
11. "Dandelions" (score) Chris P. Bacon & James Newton Howard 4:25
12. "Bennie and the Bunnies" (score) Chris P. Bacon & James Newton Howard 2:52
13. "Terrafirminator" (score) Chris P. Bacon & James Newton Howard 5:34
14. "The Tiki Tiki Tiki Room"   Wally Boag, Thurl Ravenscroft, Fulton Burley & The Mellomen 2:38

Musicians

Elton John & band:

  • Elton John: Piano, vocals
  • Davey Johnstone: Guitars, backing vocals
  • Bob Birch: Bass, backing vocals
  • Nigel Olsson: Drums, backing vocals
  • John Mahon: Percussion, backing vocals
  • James Newton Howard: Keyboards

Sequel

In March 2012, it was reported that a sequel titled Sherlock Gnomes was in development at Rocket Pictures. Andy Riley and Kevin Cecil, two of the nine writers on the first film, were writing the script for the sequel. Steve Hamilton Shaw and David Furnish produced the film, and Elton John, was an executive producer, and again composed songs for the film. The film featured Sherlock Gnomes, "the greatest ornamental detective" hired by the characters from the first film, to solve the mystery of disappearing gnomes. John Stevenson, director of Kung Fu Panda, directed the sequel, and Johnny Depp voiced Sherlock Gnomes. The film was released March 23, 2018.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Gnomeo y Julieta para niños