The Star (2017 film) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Star |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Timothy Reckart |
| Produced by | Jenni Magee Cook |
| Screenplay by | Carlos Kotkin |
| Story by |
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| Starring | |
| Music by | John Paesano |
| Editing by | Pam Ziegenhagen |
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| Distributed by | Sony Pictures Releasing |
| Release date(s) | November 12, 2017 (Regency Village Theater) November 17, 2017 (United States) |
| Running time | 86 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $20 million |
| Money made | $62.8 million |
The Star is a 2017 American computer-animated Christian comedy film directed by Timothy Reckart. Inspired by the Nativity of Jesus, the film's screenplay was written by Carlos Kotkin and Simon Moore, based on an original idea by Tom Sheridan. It is produced by Sony Pictures Animation, with partnership from Walden Media, Affirm Films and The Jim Henson Company. It stars the voices of Steven Yeun, Gina Rodriguez, Zachary Levi, Keegan-Michael Key, Kelly Clarkson, Patricia Heaton, Kristin Chenoweth, Tracy Morgan, Tyler Perry, and Oprah Winfrey.
The film was released by Columbia Pictures through its parental label Sony Pictures Entertainment on November 17, 2017 in the United States. The film received mixed reviews from critics and grossed $62 million worldwide. It received a nomination for Best Original Song ("The Star" by Mariah Carey) at the 75th Golden Globe Awards but lost to "This Is Me".
Plot
In "9 months B.C.", Mary is visited by an angel telling her she will bear the Messiah. A pygmy jerboa named Abby overhears and tells the other animals as a star begins glowing brightly in the night.
Six months later, a young donkey is tired of milling wheat and wishes to join a traveling royal caravan so that he may feel important. An older donkey helps him escape the miller who owns them, and the young donkey ends up with an injured ankle at the house of Joseph and Mary who have just celebrated their wedding. Mary takes the donkey in and names him Bo, and reveals to Joseph that she is pregnant, with Joseph accepting Mary's situation after praying to God. During this time, Bo and his dove friend, Dave plot to escape despite Mary's kindness, but end up staying three more months.
Meanwhile, the three wise men and their camels, Felix, Cyrus, and Deborah, arrive at the home of King Herod. The wise men reveal their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, but when they reveal that it is actually for the "new King", he sends them on their way to meet him, but secretly sends his royal hunter and his two dogs, Thaddeus and Rufus, to find and kill the new King.
As Joseph and Mary leave Nazareth in order to head to Bethlehem, Bo and Dave try another escape, but are confronted by the dogs, who knew of the home by interrogating Abby. After learning that Joseph and Mary are not home, the hunter and his dogs leave to look for them. Feeling guilty, Bo decides to warn them with Dave joining him. Along the way, they meet a friendly sheep named Ruth who left her flock when she saw the star. They catch up to Joseph and Mary in time to warn them and hide them in a market place where the hunter ties up his dogs. Bo releases the cart Joseph and Mary were using to roll down and cause a chain reaction that knocks the hunter down a well. However, he creates severe damage to the market in the process, and Joseph, unaware of the danger, berates Bo for his actions.
Upset with being rejected, Bo leaves and Dave follows until they arrive at the royal caravan. While happy to have found it, Bo realizes that he liked being with Mary and tells Dave, who admits that he isn't upset and that he just wants Bo to be happy with his decision. Together, the two return and make up with Ruth, and then convince a frustrated Joseph to talk to Mary. Mary admits that it has been difficult for her and that she is scared of the importance of the baby, and they make up when Mary begins having contractions. They arrive at Bethlehem where Joseph can't find an inn for Mary. The miller, who just so happened to be there, kidnaps Bo with Dave and Ruth leaving to rescue him. The wise men arrive as well, but the camels, who are aware of Herod's plot, are left tied to a post.
Bo ends up in a stable where he meets a horse named Leah, a cow named Edith, and a goat named Zach. They reveal that they haven't been able to sleep because the star's bright light has been shining through on their manger for 9 months. Realizing that this is where the baby is supposed to be, the animals help Bo escape and he catches up with Dave and Ruth while spotting the hunter and his dogs. Bo finds Joseph and Mary and gets them back to the stable while Dave runs into Cyrus, Felix, and Deborah and helps them escape their bonds. Ruth finds her flock, who had previously refused to follow her, and tries to convince them to help, but gets unexpected help from the angel who informs the shepherds and the sheep that the Savior is coming. Bo manages to fight off Thaddeus and Rufus, but is outdone by the hunter. Suddenly, Ruth and her flock, the camels, and Dave arrive and dispatch with them by having them hang from a cliff. The hunter lets his dogs fall, but they are saved by Bo while the hunter himself falls to his death.
All of the animals, who are now joined by Abby who assumed the danger to be ongoing, and the redeemed Thaddeus & Rufus, shepherds, and three wise men arrive to see baby Jesus. Bo realizes that he has been carrying the new King the whole time. Deborah predicts that this event will be remembered around the world for years to come. After that, Joseph buys Bo from the miller, and both Bo and Dave help him and Mary raise Jesus.
Cast
- Main Animal Characters
- Boaz or Bo (Steven Yeun) - A young mill donkey who is loyal yet worrisome. He sees the star one night thinking it's a sign that his life is soon to change. When he hears of the Royal Caravan marching into Nazareth, he feels this is his purpose and escapes to try to join it. But when he encounters Mary, he feels more dedicated to be with her and keep her out of danger.
- Dave (Keegan-Michael Key) - A sarcastic and egotistical dove who is Bo's best friend. He joins Bo on his quest to join the Royal Caravan but is more set on that than he is at helping others.
- Ruth (Aidy Bryant) - A light-hearted, bubbly and naïve sheep who left her flock to follow the star. She later joins Bo and Dave on their journey to Bethlehem with Mary and Joseph. At first, she's a nuisance to them, but Bo later grows a soft spot for her and soon becomes friends with her.
- Thaddeus (Ving Rhames) - A sinister purebred wolf who is determined to find the Son of God for his master.
- Rufus (Gabriel Iglesias) - An alaunt who is a dimwitted sidekick to Thaddeus.
- Cyrus (Tyler Perry) - The leader of the three camels. He is smart and calm.
- Felix (Tracy Morgan) - The youngest of the three camels. He is the loudmouth comic relief of the trio, and he often gets into arguments with Cyrus.
- Deborah (Oprah Winfrey) - The only female of the three camels. She is the most down-to-earth of the trio, but the other two often think she's crazy despite her attempts at being the voice of reason and keeping her cohorts in check.
- Edith (Patricia Heaton) - A cow who lives at the stable where Mary and Joseph eventually end up at. She is the most level-headed of the animals who reside at the stable and is mostly unamused and pessimistic.
- Leah (Kelly Clarkson) - A horse who lives at the stable where Mary and Joseph eventually end up. She loves to sing, but more often than not, her singing is obnoxiously loud, which is most likely caused by her lack of sleep she got since the star began to shine over the stable.
- Zach (Anthony Anderson) - A goat who lives at the stable where Mary and Joseph eventually end up at. He has deformed eyes and is very hyper and paranoid due to the lack of sleep he got since the star began to shine over the stable.
- Abby (Kristin Chenoweth) - A pygmy jerboa who first witnesses the Angel coming to Mary. She tells her friends about it and tries to warn the others about the hunter.
- Main Human Characters
- Mary (Gina Rodriguez) - A young woman soon to be the Mother of Jesus, the Son of God. She is loving and caring.
- Joseph (Zachary Levi) - A young carpenter whom Mary weds soon to be the personal legal guardian of Jesus. He is usually pessimistic and paranoid.
- King Herod (Christopher Plummer) - The selfish, treacherous and greedy, sinister king of Judea who hears about the new King who is arriving and sends the three wise men out to find Him in Bethlehem while secretly sending his hunter to find and kill Him.
- The Hunter (Lex Lang) - A large, sinister, yet silent hunter whom King Herod sends out to kill the new King.
- Other Characters
- The Miller (Phil Morris) - Bo's former owner who is determined to get him back after he escaped from his mill.
- The Angel (Joel McCrary) - The Holy Spirit who tells Mary that she will soon be carrying the Son of God.
- Old Donkey (Kris Kristofferson) - Bo's fellow elderly mill donkey.
- Caspar (Joel Osteen) - One of the three wise men wearing blue and Felix's owner.
- Balthazar (Phil Morris) - One of the three wise men wearing purple and Cyrus' owner.
- Melchior (Fred Tatasciore) - One of the three wise men wearing red and Deborah's owner.
- Rebecca (Mariah Carey) - A chicken at a coop.
- Elizabeth (Delilah) - Zachariah's wife and John's mother.
- Zachariah (Joel McCrary) - Elizabeth's husband and John's father.
- Pottery Vendor (Fred Tatasciore)
- Chamberlain (Roger Craig Smith)
- Scribe (Joe Whyte)
- Horse (William Townsend)
- Goat (William Townsend)
- Innkeeper voices provided by Gregg Berger, Roger Craig Smith, Melissa Sturm, Fred Tatasciore, and Joe Whyte.
See also
In Spanish: The Star (película de 2017) para niños
