Beijing (2019 film)

Beijing is an upcoming Kuboian traditionally animated Kantasy film directed by Casey James, produced by Lake Caters and written by Ashley Maverick and Marty Rockfield. It is the second cinematic film based on the 1997 Kantasy television series Magma Eye, after the 2014 film Rocket Reloaded.

Produced by GeneBox Animation and distributed by, Beijing focuses mostly on the titular character, who flees from her home after feeling unwelcome by her family and friends. The film is scheduled to be released in Kuboian cinemas on 4th October, 2019.

Plot
Taking place a year after the events of Rocket Reloaded, Beijing is now fourteen years old, and just away to leave school with no qualifications at all due to falling behind badly in school. Worrying about her future, Beijing begins pestering Magma Eye for advice, angering the creature, who insists that he cannot help her with everything, and that he has other people to assist too. However, after secretly talking to Rocket in a phone booth, he informs Beijing that Magma will "get over it" within 24 hours.

The following day, Beijing walks to school with her friends Lorianne and Tyo, who unaware of the previous day's events and the fact that Beijing is failing in school. The trio walk to school so they can sit a Communications exam, but miss the exam due to Beijing getting distracted on their way there - all three get marked down with a 0% result, but don't hear a conversation between the examiners to give them a resit. Lorianne and Tyo both blame Beijing, and storm out of the room after an argument.

Once Beijing gets home, her father, Feng, grounds her and sends her to her room after realising that she is failing school, and has been lying about studying. After having a few minutes of sitting on her bed feeling that her life is going nowhere, Beijing quietly packs her rucksack, climbs out her room's window, and runs away.

When Beijing's brother, Xiam, realises that she is missing, he and Feng contact everybody they may believe Beijing may be with, including Lorianne, Tyo, Magma and his group of friends, and even Beijing's mother, Lijiang. After realising that she is not with any of them, Feng reluctantly agrees to work with Magma and his friends in order to find Beijing.

Beijing, meanwhile, heads off to a fast food restaurant, and bonds with a woman called Valerie, who appears to feel sorry when Beijing tells her everything that happened earlier. Valerie tells Beijing that she is the leader of a social group for people who have suffered bullying or abuse, and leads her to their place. Beijing begins to feel sympathy for Valerie when she discovers that Gunner, the corrupt leader of the Kuboia Defence Unit, is after her.

Cast

 * Charlie Karma as Beijing, a Chinese fourteen year-old girl, who is the victim of bullying and ridicule.
 * Den Fortwhile as Tyo, an effeminate boy and one of Beijing's best friends.
 * Ashley Maverick as Lorianne, Beijing and Tyo's other best friend.
 * Harlow Maynard as Magma Eye, an alien creature who visits Beijing regularly.
 * Ashley Maverick as Webbie, a bully at Beijing's school.
 * Den Fortwhile as Nitasha, one of Webbie's triplet sisters.
 * Ashley Maverick as Katrina, Webbie and Nitasha's other triplet sister.
 * TBA as Gunner, the arrogant military leader of the Kuboia Defence Unit.
 * TBA as Feng, Beijing's control freak father.
 * TBA as Xiam, Beijing's eighteen year-old half-brother.
 * Ashley Maverick as Taiyuan, Beijing's eight year-old half-sister.
 * TBA as Lijiang, Beijing's single mother.
 * TBA as David "Ramp" Risket, a low-class young man.
 * TBA as Rocket, a robot with an amoral attitude.
 * TBA as Mark "Munch", an obese man.

Production
In 2008, Ashley Maverick showed interest in making a film series based on the show, with three of the show's characters, Beijing, Munch and Rocket, each getting their own film. She had previously wanted to make one singular film based on the whole Magma Eye cast, but thought the plot would be too confusing and hard to follow with too many characters, so chose to give some characters their own films.

During production, Ashley Maverick feared competition of Cindi, another animated film with a somewhat similar premise, which will also release in 2019. She also mentioned that she didn't want the film to be "a mindless nostalgia-fest", but instead wanted to make something that would "continue the story of a timeless classic".

Casting
On 16th October, 2015, Den Fortwhile mentioned how he was considering turning down his role as Nitasha and Tyo, as he was finding it difficult to voice them due to his voice becoming deeper since the mid nineties. However, he later decided to reprise his role as both of them, stating that he would likely regret not doing so.

On 8th August, 2019, it was confirmed online that all voice actors and actresses from both the Magma Eye television series and Rocket Reloaded would reprise their respective character roles.

Release
Beijing will be released in Kuboian cinemas on 4th October, 2019. Ashley Maverick originally wanted the film to be released sometime in 2017, but delayed its release for over two years in order to allow more time for animation and post-production.

Marketing
Very little information regarding Beijing was revealed until a few months before its official release. A teaser trailer for the film was released on 18th December, 2018. The official trailer for the film was released on 24th August, 2019.

Soundtrack
The film's soundtrack comes in two different variations - one featuring popular songs heard throughout the film, and the other featuring the film's original score.

Track listing

 * 1) "Cool Kids" by Charlie Karma
 * 2) "I Wish" by Ashley Maverick
 * 3) "Invincible" by Tinie Tempah featuring Kelly Rowland
 * 4) "What I've Done" by Knowledge Power featuring Melissa Emery
 * 5) "Find U Again" by Mark Ronson featuring Camila Cabello
 * 6) "I Feel It Coming" by The Weeknd featuring Daft Punk
 * 7) "Together" by Ardyn
 * 8) "TBA" by TBA
 * 9) "Signals" by Platnum
 * 10) "I'm Day Dreaming" by Redd featuring Akon and Snoop Dogg
 * 11) "TBA" by TBA
 * 12) "Never Be Your Woman (Shy FX Radio Edit)" by Naughty Boy presents Wiley featuring Emeli Sandé
 * 13) "I Need You Tonight" by Professor Green featuring Ed Drewett
 * 14) "Who I Am" by Charlie Karma

Age ratings
Like Rocket Reloaded, Beijing initially received an 11 rating in Kuboia, a 12 rating in the United Kingdom and a PG-13 rating in the United States. Fans of the show took to many social media websites such as Reddit to discuss whether the higher age ratings were a good idea. People where mixed regarding this - some argued that those who watched Magma Eye back in the late nineties and noughties are now a lot older, and that the increased age rating won't affect them.

However, GeneBox co-founder Harlow Maynard admitted annoyance at the increased age ratings saying "We're interested in pleasing everybody with these films, not just those who watched the show back in the day!" Some writers also argued that the increase in age ratings hurts this film more than Rocket Reloaded, since Beijing and her schoolmates are children, and young children could use the film as a guidance to later life, and are more likely to relate to Beijing's character.

On 11th August, 2019, the BBFC revealed that the age rating in the United Kingdom had been lowered to a PG. Later on 21st August, the LRA announced plans that the 11 rating may be discontinued in favour of introducing a 9 rating - if this becomes the case, Beijing will be rated under the new classification.

Pre-release
As more information about the film began to be revealed in the beginning of 2019, many writers feared that it would rely too much on nostalgia, a trend that had began recurring in Kuboian media in the late 2010s. When the film's soundtrack was revealed, some critics felt that some of the songs were unfitting. Other criticism came from TBA, who, after watching several clips of the film, showed concern that Beijing may promote and/or trivialise depression in young children.