BJ and Wally (film)

BJ and Wally is a 2007 American computer-animated comedy-adventure film produced by DreamWorks Animation in co-production with Glass Ball Productions and based on Geo G's daily comic strip of the same name. The film was released by Paramount Pictures on August 17, 2007. This is DreamWorks Animation's second collaboration with Glass Ball via Geo G., following Niz Chicoloco (2004).

Directed by Geo G. and Conrad Vernon and produced by Bonnie Arnold, Lorne Lanning, and Michael Wildshill, the film features the voices of Zach Braff, Greg Cipes, Elijah Wood, Joan Cusack, Tim Curry, Wayne Knight, Spencer Locke, Richard Kind, Reese Witherspoon, Dana Carvey, and Jon Heder. It focuses on the duo BJ and Wally before, during and after the events of the very first comic strip in 1996. The film, setup as a frame story, starts out playing the very beginning of Niz Chicoloco. BJ and Wally are shown in silhouette commenting on the movie being shown before them, in a style similar to that of Mystery Science Theater 3000 as well as The Lion King 1½.

The film starts as BJ and Wally are shown watching the opening act of Niz Chicoloco in a dark theater when BJ suddenly uses a remote control to fast forward to his favorite scenes in the film. Wally argues that the film shouldn't go out of order and attempts to rewind the film back to the beginning. BJ and Wally start fighting over control of the film until they agree that the film should tell their side of the story. Throughout the rest of the film, it's occasionally interrupted to have BJ and Wally comment on whatever is happening. Mystery Science Theater 3000-like moments occur as the characters comment on the film's proceedings. When the film ends, in a theater, Wally insists on watching it again. BJ protests until all their friends and almost every DreamWorks character come to watch it too (with Wally commenting that he still does not "do so well in crowds").

The film received mixed reviews from critics and was a box office success, grossing $356 million domestically and $425.9 million worldwide based on a $140 million budget. A sequel, titled BJ and Wally: FusionMania, was released on September 5, 2008. This also serves as the pilot for the television series BJ and Wally: The Series, which aired from 2007 to 2008 on Cartoon Network.

Plot
The film is told through the perspective of BJ and Wally through the literary device known as a frame story. The two are shown in silhouette form watching Niz Chicoloco.

BJ interrupts the film to fast-forward to his favorite scenes, but Wally's protest prompts BJ to share his backstory. BJ Wilson lives in a boring life with his mother Janet and his brother Alan in a small town called Tootleville. While unconditionally supported by Janet and embarrassed by Alan, BJ dreams for more in life than his home's bleak existence hiding from dangers. Later BJ and his family learn that Hugo, the CEO of B.E.T. Corps, has announced plans to redevelop Tootleville as a large metropolis city. This becomes the last straw for the Wilson house, prompting BJ to leave to find a better life.

BJ meets a scientist and inventor, Cal, who advises him and explains that some children were taken to B.E.T. Corps for research and development. Willing to rescue someone, BJ agrees and observes B.E.T. Corps in the distance. Along the way, BJ meets an orphan named Wally for the first time and adopts him as his brother. Wally tells BJ his story that he lost his family in a plane crash and was taken away to B.E.T. Corps, but he managed to escape. BJ then follows Wally to B.E.T. Corps. There, the two are attacked by Hugo and his guards. After they escape, BJ takes Wally to his house.

More coming soon!

Cast

 * Zach Braff as BJ Wilson, a sarcastic, wise-cracking, self-absorbed, intelligent, arrogant, and somewhat bossy 11-year-old boy. He wears large, circle-shaped glasses and has a lack of nose (along with his family) but was able to smell.
 * Greg Cipes as Wally Wilson, BJ's adaptive brother and best friend. He is a clumsy, empathetic, but smart, skinny boy who lost his family on a plane crash and is willing to trust and befriend anyone.
 * Elijah Wood as Alan Wilson, BJ's 20-year-old brother.
 * Joan Cusack as Janet Wilson, the caring mother of BJ, Wally, and Alan.
 * Tim Curry as Hugo, a greedy, selfish man and the CEO of B.E.T. Corps who who plans on converting Tootleville into a metropolis city.
 * Wayne Knight as Tony, Hugo's henchman.
 * Spencer Locke as Tina, BJ's girlfriend.
 * Richard Kind and Reese Witherspoon as Jimmy and Jane, a wacky, dim-witted couple who often mess around in their house.
 * Dana Carvey as Cal, a scientist and inventor.
 * Jon Heder as Dr. Pockgins, a doctor.
 * Lorne Lanning as Larry, a lazy guy who doesn't care much about anything.
 * Corey Burton as the auctioneer for the Eggics auction at B.E.T. Corps.
 * Bob Bergen as a guard.

Additional voices

 * Jack Angel
 * Ken Schretzmann
 * Bill Farmer
 * Grey DeLisle
 * Kevin Michael Richardson
 * Geo G.
 * Rob Paulsen
 * Fred Tatasciore
 * Danny Mann
 * Jess Harnell
 * Mona Marshall
 * Dee Bradley Baker
 * Jan Rabson
 * Tara Strong
 * Debi Derryberry
 * Kari Wahlgren
 * Carlos Alazraqui
 * Jim Ward
 * Jason Marsden
 * Ariel Winter

Production
On November 7, 2000, DreamWorks and Glass Ball Productions announced that they had entered an agreement that would enable Glass Ball to produce four films in per year, with DreamWorks handling the production of the films, including a film adaptation of BJ and Wally. In May 2002, Variety reported that Peter Baynham was hired by DreamWorks to write the screenplay. The film was originally planned to be traditionally animated like Niz Chicoloco. However, due to the box office failure of Niz Chicoloco and DreamWorks Animation's loss of traditional animation, it was changed into a computer-animated film like most all DreamWorks Animation films.

The film's cast was announced in 2003, under the working title The BJ and Wally Movie. Much like Niz Chicoloco, the cast was originally going to be composed of the returning cast from the animated BJ and Wally shorts aired on ABC, with Billy West and Jason Marsden reprising their roles as BJ Wilson and Wally Wilson. In addition, Phil LaMarr, Grey DeLisle, Hynden Walch, and Kevin Michael Richardson were cast in multiple roles. LaMarr was cast as Alan Wilson and Cal, DeLisle was cast as Janet Wilson and Jane, Walch as cast as Tina, and Richardson was cast as Tony and Jimmy. Tim Curry was brought in to play Hugo. The film was originally scheduled to be released during the winter of 2006, particularly around December 1. Eventually, an early promotional teaser trailer of the film was attached to the Niz Chicoloco DVD and VHS release in March 2005, in which it shows various CGI animation tests that Glass Ball created on Maya software.

In September 2005, it was announced that the majority of the cast had been revised. Of the original cast, only Curry retained his role in the film. Zach Braff replaced Billy West as BJ, Greg Cipes replaced Jason Marsden as Wally, and Elijah Wood replaced Phil LaMarr as Alan, thus making it the first time Elijah Wood and Geo G. working together since Geo Animation Studios' Red (2001). The third time was Legend of MYCUN, which was released six months after BJ and Wally. Lorne Lanning of the Oddworld fame served as one of the producers of the film. Despite these recastings, Jason Marsden, Grey DeLisle, and Kevin Michael Richardson retained the three of the additional voices. DreamWorks also delayed the film's release date from 2006 to 2007.

The story for the film is somewhat based on The Lion King 1½ with a combination of Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee, a game in the Oddworld series that producer Lorne Lanning worked on.

Music and soundtrack
The film's score was composed by Heitor Pereira. The soundtrack was released on August 9, 2007 by Interscope.

Release
The film was scheduled to be released on August 10, 2007. However, it was moved forward to August 17, with Paramount Pictures' Stardust taking its place.

Marketing
Upon the film's release, BJ and Wally was accompanied by with a marketing campaign tie-in with McDonald's with six Happy Meal toys including BJ, Wally, Alan, Hugo, Tony and Tina.

Home media
BJ and Wally was released on DVD on January 7, 2008 by Paramount Home Entertainment under the DreamWorks Animation Home Entertainment label. It includes a sneak peek of BJ and Wally: FusionMania.

Reception
Coming soon!

Sequel
A sequel, titled BJ and Wally: FusionMania, was released on September 5, 2008. It was confirmed in July 2006 during the production of the first film. Conrad Vernon directed the film without Geo G. (who serves as executive producer of the sequel). Zach Braff and Greg Cipes reprised their roles as BJ and Wally, and were joined by Wendie Malick as the voice of Garra. The music for the film was again composed by Heitor Pereira.

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

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