Tom & Jerry (2021 film)

Tom & Jerry  (released internationally in some markets as Tom & Jerry: The Movie) is a live-action/animated slapstick comedy film based on the characters of the same name created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. The film is directed by Tim Story and written by Kevin Costello. It stars the famous cat and mouse duo of the film, Tom and Jerry, both of whom will be voiced by Hanna, the pair's long-time voice actor, as well as four other voice actors of theirs; Mel Blanc and June Foray via archival recordings, and Frank Welker reprising his role as a vocal effects artist from the 1990s TV series Tom and Jerry Kids Show and the 2002 film Tom and Jerry: The Magic Ring. It will also star Chloë Grace Moretz, Michael Peña, Rob Delaney, Colin Jost, and Ken Jeong.

Originally intended as a live-action/computer-animated film in 2009, the film languished in development hell, with plans going to an all-animated film promising to capture the same veins as the classic cartoons from the 1940s and 1950s in 2015. In 2018, the film was confirmed to keep these veins while officially being a live-action/animated film, which would begin filming in 2019.

Tom & Jerry is set to be released in the United States on March 5, 2021, by Warner Bros. Pictures, delayed from an initial December 2020 release date due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Upon release, it will be the first theatrically released film to feature the Tom and Jerry characters in 16 years, after The Karate Guard in 2005.

Premise
Tom gets disowned by his owners and kicked out of their house after failing of doing his job as a house cat and destroying their home for the final time with his longtime rival, frenemy, best friend and arch-rival Jerry, a mischievous mouse, who has now been left without a source of food. Now homeless, the cat and mouse duo were left wandered in the streets then came at a crossroads, they decided call a truce to their rivalry and go their separate ways to have a fresh start in their lives.

The two later cross paths in Manhattan, NYC, where Jerry has taken up residence in the city's largest exquisite and finest hotel, causing all sorts of trouble, while the staff is preparing for the "wedding of the century." Kayla, a young, newly employed staff member, is tasked by the hotel manager, Mr. DuBros, with planning the event, and getting rid of Jerry. Kayla soon finds Tom and hires him to deal with his lifelong enemy, thus ending their truce and reigniting their never-ending fight. However, chaos ensues when the cat-and-mouse slapstick battle threatens to destroy Kayla's career, the wedding, and possibly even the hotel itself, as the chase causes widespread mayhem. But soon, an even bigger problem arises and the three may have to put their differences aside when they uncover a diabolical conspiracy that involves Kayla's boss, Terrence.

Live-action cast

 * Chloë Grace Moretz as Kayla, a young hotel employee and a wedding planner who hires Tom to get rid of Jerry before the wedding.
 * Michael Peña as Terrance, the deputy general manager of the hotel and Kayla's boss.
 * Rob Delaney as Mr. DuBros, the wealthy hotel manager.
 * Colin Jost as Dwayne, the groom of the wedding that the hotel is planning and hosting.
 * Ken Jeong as Jackie, a chef at the hotel.
 * Pallavi Sharda as Preeta, the bride of the wedding and Dwayne's wife-to-be.
 * Jordan Bolger as Cameron, the hotel bartender.
 * Camilla Arfwedson as Linda Perrybottom
 * Ozuna as Wedding Staff Member
 * Paolo Bonolis as Wedding Guest

Voice cast

 * William Hanna, Mel Blanc, June Foray (all through archival voice recordings), and Frank Welker as:
 * Tom, an alley cat hired by Kayla to get rid of Jerry.
 * Jerry, a mouse who has taken up residence at the hotel.
 * Nicky Jam
 * Lil Rel Howery
 * Bobby Cannavale

Development
Plans for a live-action Tom and Jerry film were announced in 2009 following the success of Alvin and the Chipmunks, and was to follow Tom and Jerry's origins over a Chicago backdrop. The film was to be produced by Dan Lin, from a script written by Eric Gravning.

On April 6, 2015, plans shifted from a live-action film to a full on animated film, and was to stay "in the same vein as the source material".

In October 2018, it was announced that Tim Story would direct a live-action/animated Tom and Jerry film for Warner Bros., which would begin filming in 2019. It was reported that Story was in discussions with Warner Bros. executives about what he was interested in directing, even before directing the new Shaft film. When the Tom and Jerry film was brought up, Story immediately "mentioned his admiration for the characters and how he’d love tackling that property."

Animation
Animation services will be provided by Framestore, who hired 3D animators with a passion for 2D animation for the project. The strategy the animators used was to base the animation off a stylized 3D/CGI VFX modeling medium through a vintage 2D finish by creating innovative rigging, animation techniques used to create 2D animation, and custom tools such as lighting and rendering, resulting in the film's 3D/CGI animation maintaining the look, feel, and spirit of 2D animation, in the veins of the original classic shorts in the 1940s and 1950s. Producer Christopher DeFaria has completed the live-action filming before the industry's shutdown amid the COVID-19 pandemic and is being set to conceiving animated scenes, doing creative exploration on certain shots, and finalizing material through production groups. Production was done remotely during the pandemic.

Casting
In March 2019, it was reported that Zoey Deutch and Olivia Cooke were frontrunners for the lead live-action role of Kayla, “who teams up with Tom to stop the pesky Jerry from ruining an important event for herself.” Additionally, Sofia Carson, Elle Fanning, Ariel Winter, Naomi Scott, Meg Donnelly, Hailee Steinfeld, Yara Shahidi, Kelly Marie Tran, Becky G and Isabela Moner were all in consideration for the role. Later that month, it was reported that Peter Dinklage was being considered for the role of Terrance, Kayla's boss and the human antagonist of the film. In April, Chloë Grace Moretz was in final negotiations to star in the film. In May 2019, Michael Peña joined the cast in the role Dinklage was eyed for. Colin Jost, Ken Jeong, Rob Delaney, Jordan Bolger and Pallavi Sharda were added to the cast in July. Patsy Ferran was revealed to be part of the cast in September 2019.

Filming
Principal photography began in July 2019 at Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden in Hertfordshire, England.

Music
On July 22, 2020, it was announced that Tim Story's recurring collaborator and composer Christopher Lennertz is set to compose the score of the film.

Merchandise
On September 1, 2020, it was announced that Australian toy company Moose Toys made a deal with Warner Bros. to make merchandise for the film along with the upcoming sequel to Space Jam.

Release
Tom & Jerry was originally scheduled to be released on April 16, 2021, but was pushed up to December 23, 2020. The film was then pushed back due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this time to March 5, 2021, where it will be theatrically released in RealD 3D, Dolby Cinema, and IMAX.

Marketing
A float based on the movie is set to appear in the 94th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade to promote the film.