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Return to Darktown is a 2022 3D American computer-animated supernatural dark fantasy action-adventure film based on the animated series Tales in the Darktown and serves as the sequel to Darktown: Rise of the Witches. The film was directed and written by Jessica Newman and Brad Bird, who both also created the series and returning to direct after directing the previous film while also being the first film in the franchise to be fully animated in stylized CGI rather than traditional 2D animation. The ensemble cast features the reprised TV series voices of as well as the new voices of Jennifer Hale (replacing Desirée Goyette), Fred Tatasciore (replacing Tony Jay following his death in 2005), Ian McShane, Daniel Radcliffe, Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele, Zendaya, Finn Wolfhard, Elizabeth Olsen, and Glen Powell.

Following the success of Rise of the Witches, Bird postponed development on a sequel to work on other films at Pixar, while Newman was working on other projects. After various videogames based on the franchise, Warner Bros. announced a revival/continuation as well as a sequel to the 2002 film with both Newman and Bird returning to write and direct. They wrote it like a more modern fantasy film with more anime-like elements and opted to make a more darker story while comparing the movie to popular animes such as Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba and Dragon Ball. Bird also decided to use computer-animation in a mix of 3D and 2.5D style to give the characters an enhanced look and utilized newer animation styles and systems as well as borrowing animators from fellow sequel Incredibles 2 with the focus on sibling bonding and urban legends.

The film premiered at the Regency Village Theatre in Los Angeles, California on October 31, 2023, and was theatrically released by Warner Bros. Pictures on October 7, 2022 in IMAX and 3D. It received universal acclaim, praising the darker tone, performances, animation, story and humor, with most critics calling the film superior to the original film, and has grossed over $1.7 billion worldwide, becoming Warner Animation Group's, Amblin's and Warner Bros.’ highest grossing film of all time as well as the highest grossing film of the year and the highest grossing animated film of all time

Plot[]

Coming soon!

Cast[]

  • Candi Milo
  • E.G. Daily
  • Tress MacNeille
  • Scott Menville
  • Jennifer Hale
  • Charlie Adler
  • B.J. Ward
  • Frank Welker
  • Fred Tatasciore
  • Willem Dafoe
  • Ian McShane
  • Daniel Radcliffe
  • Keegan-Michael Key
  • Jordan Peele
  • Zendaya
  • Finn Wolfhard
  • Elizabeth Olsen
  • Glen Powell

Production[]

Development[]

Coming soon!

Casting[]

Coming soon!

Animation[]

Coming soon!

Music[]

On September 18, 2022, it was announced that Michael Giacchino, who composed the scores for The Incredibles (2004) and Incredibles 2 (2018), both also directed by Bird, will compose the score for the film after the death of Ennio Morricone in 2020, the composer for the original film although it was stated that some pieces from the original film will be used via archive recordings as well as unused pieces from Morricone too.

Release[]

The film was theatrically released by Warner Bros. Pictures on October 7, 2023 in IMAX theaters and 3D formats. It was accompanied by the Zack TV short Don't Seek into the Diary in its theatrical release.

Marketing[]

Coming soon!

Home media[]

Return to Darktown was released for digital download on December 13, 2022, and on Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray, and DVD by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on January 17, 2023. The film was later stream on HBO Max on February 15, 2023.

Reception[]

Coming soon!

Future[]

Sequels[]

Newman and Brad later revealed in October 2021 that this film could possibly be the start of a revival franchise. On December 4, 2022, Brad Bird confirmed that a sequel to Return to Darktown would be in development, following the film's success with Return to Darktown being the first film in a trilogy.

Spin-off[]

Coming soon!

Transcripts[]

Main[]

To see the main transcript of the film, click here.

Trailers[]

To see the transcript for the trailers of the film, click here.

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