Swan Dream Pool

Swan Dream Pool is a 2011 American computer-animated musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer with animation provided by Reel FX Creative Studios. It was directed by Steve Hickner from a screenplay by Peter Ackerman, John Hamburg and Akiva Goldsman and a story by Goldsman and stars the voices of Josh Hutcher, Janet Varney, Matthew Broderick, Alicia Silverstone, Ben Kingsley and Geena Davis. The film tells a story of a guy discovering a lady from the magical pool known as Swan Dream Pool and learns that she was sent by her father and she must connect with a guy she really likes and avoid mistakes in order to live peacefully.

The film was released in the United States on August 26, 2011, by Warner Bros. Pictures to positive reviews from critics and grossed $332 million worldwide on a budget of $90 million. It was nominated for the 2011 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, losing to Rango. It had launched a franchise including the television special Swan Dream Pool Holiday aired on The CW in 2012, the short film Invisible Magic Wendy released in 2013 with MGM's Saturn, the television series Swan Dream Pool: Magical Stories, which aired on Cartoon Network from 2014 to 2016, and the sequel Swan Dream Pool: The Magic Trails released on January 22, 2021.

Plot
Andy Clark is living his boring life with his parents Perry and Natalie and all of their advice, especially not talking to strangers out there ("Wish I Can Go"). While his parents are away for their work, he goes out of his house and discovers a strange magical pool called the Swan Dream Pool. He then reads the sign that he has to "wait for the sunset to meet the person he will believe". Surprisingly, he later went back home before evening, trying to convince his parents that he will meet the person from the Swan Dream Pool tonight, but they don't believe him ("How Would We Believe?"). Disappointed, he later went back to his room.

During the sunset, the magical lady came out from the Swan Dream Pool. Andy then sees her from his window and goes back to the pool, finally having his wish come true. She introduces herself as Wendy and explains that she was sent by her father Kenneth to meet him ("Believe For Peace"). Andy believes in her, but she warns him that she must "connect with a guy she really likes and avoid mistakes".

Meanwhile, Ming refuses to believe Wendy's quest so she tracks Wendy to bring her back to the Swan Dream Pool and lets her stay forever ("Nightmare"). During the night, Andy and Wendy hang out, but Perry and Natalie caught Andy for "meeting a stranger" outside and tried to get rid of Wendy, however she told them that she meant no harm.

With Andy's parents' decision to keep Wendy in the basement instead, she is afraid that if she doesn't head back to the Swan Dream Pool by the time the sun rises, she may disappear forever. Andy comforts her and lets her go as she flees to depart back to the Swan Dream Pool as the sun rises ("Till We Meet Again"). Ming was about to find Wendy in the basement, only realizing she was gone and later found out she was back in the Swan Dream Pool.

Back there, Wendy is thrilled to tell her father Kenneth that she would live peacefully once she fully connects with the guy she really likes. Her father, however, tells her that she may not see the guy ever again if she makes a mistake one more time. Promised, she tries to head back to Andy but she is confronted and captured by Ming. At Andy's home, Andy was about to bring flowers to Wendy but she is nowhere here from the Swan Dream Pool during sunset, and her father Kenneth tells him that she got captured. Feared, Andy jumps into the Swan Dream Pool where he is ambushed by Ming. He fights with Ming and rescues Wendy. Before Ming could kill Andy, Wendy uses her magical powers and lets Ming fall to her death. Not only Andy thanks Wendy for saving his life but Kenneth also thanks him for rescuing Wendy. He allows Andy to return to his parents after they became worried about him after he jumped into the Swan Dream Pool. While Andy is reunited with his parents, Kenneth now allows him to join the magical pool. Happy to live peacefully, Andy waves goodbye to his parents as he joins in the Swan Dream Pool ("Believe For Peace (Reprise)").

Voice cast

 * Josh Hutcherson as Andy Clark, Perry and Natalie's son who believes in a lady from the Swan Dream Pool
 * Janet Varney as Wendy, a magical lady who came out from the Swan Dream Pool
 * Matthew Broderick as Perry Clark, Andy's father
 * Alicia Silverstone as Natalie Clark, Andy's mother
 * Ben Kingsley as Kenneth, Wendy's father
 * Geena Davis as Ming
 * Scott Mosier as Park Manager

Loop Group

 * G.K. Bowes
 * Ranjani Brow
 * Jeff Gunn
 * Wendy Hoffmann
 * Scott Menville
 * Shane Sweet
 * Claudette Wells

Development
In 2007, Akiva Goldsman pitched his idea to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer for his computer-animated concept about "an guy discovering a magical lady from a magical pool". MGM later announced in 2008 that the film was in production with its scheduled release in 2011 with Jane Hartwell producing.

In January 2009, Steve Hickner was hired to direct the film with Peter Ackerman co-writing the screenplay with John Hamburg and Goldsman. Following MGM's emergence from bankruptcy, it was announced that Warner Bros. Pictures would co-distribute the film with MGM after winning a bidding competition against Columbia Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Universal Pictures, and Paramount Pictures for the distribution rights. Unlike most other MGM computer-animation movies from Starz Animation, the film was entirely animated by Reel FX Creative Studios.

Casting
By late May 2009, it was reported that Josh Hutcherson and Janet Varney were in talks to voice their lead characters which were confirmed next month. In November 2009, Matthew Broderick, Alicia Silverstone, Ben Kingsley and Geena Davis joined the voice cast.

Music
In November 2010, Marc Shaiman was announced to score and write songs for the film's soundtrack. He would collaborate with lyricist Scott Wittman, who previously worked together in Hairspray. The soundtrack was released on August 19, 2011, by WaterTower Music. The song lyrics were written by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman while the music and score were composed by Shaiman:
 * Wish I Can Go - Josh Hutcherson
 * How Would We Believe? - Matthew Broderick, Alicia Silverstone, and Josh Hutcherson
 * Believe For Peace - Janet Varney
 * Nightmare - Geena Davis
 * Till We Meet Again - Janet Varney and Josh Hutcherson
 * Believe For Peace (Reprise) - Josh Hutcherson, Janet Varney, Matthew Broderick, and Alicia Silverstone

Theatrical
The film was theatrically released in standard and RealD 3D on August 26, 2011, by Warner Bros. Pictures.

Marketing
The film's teaser trailer was released on February 9, 2011, and was attached into Gnomeo & Juliet in theaters. The film's official trailer was released on April 13, 2011, and was attached into Rio in theaters, followed by the final trailer on June 21, 2011 which was attached into Cars 2 in theaters.

Video game
A video game based on the film was released on August 23, 2011 for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, Nintendo DS and Nintendo 3DS. It was developed by WayForward and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.

Home media
Swan Dream Pool was released on DVD and Blu-ray on November 29, 2011, by Warner Home Video. It was later released on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray on September 29, 2020, by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.

Box office
In the United States and Canada, Swan Dream Pool opened alongside Colombiana, Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, and Our Idiot Brother and is expected to gross $45-50 million in its opening weekend from its 4,142 theaters. The film made $18 million in its opening day and later grossed $49.2 million from its opening weekend. The film fell 43% in its second weekend while still remaining in first place, grossing $28 million. In its third weekend, it was dethroned by Contagion, falling to second place and grossing $17.3 million.

The film grossed $152.1 million in the United States and Canada and $180 million in other territories for a worldwide gross of $332.1 million.

Critical response
On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 84%, based on 200 reviews. The site's critical consensus reads: "Beautifully stunning, Swan Dream Pool dazzles its animated musical within its emotional concept." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 67 out of 100, based on 30 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A–" on an A+ to F scale.

Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly gives the film a B+, stating that "With its beautiful animation, Swan Dream Pool gives entertainingly magic to its high musical depth."

Television special
A television special, titled Swan Dream Pool Holiday, aired on The CW on November 30, 2012. In the special, Wendy is preparing for a special holiday surprise for her father Kenneth. However, Andy Clark is worried that his parents would not celebrate Christmas. So Wendy is trying to help giving his parents a chance to celebrate the holiday.

Short film
A short film featuring the characters from the film, titled Invisible Magic Wendy, was attached to the theatrical release of MGM's Saturn on October 4, 2013. In the short film, Wendy tries her magic powers after learning it in the events of the original film, but accidentally made herself invisible, which makes it impossible to turn herself back to normal.

Television series
An animated television show based on the film, titled Swan Dream Pool: Magical Stories, premiered on November 17, 2014 on Cartoon Network. Janet Varney and Ben Kingsley reprise their roles while Josh Hutcherson was replaced by Skylar Astin for Andy Clark. Steve Hickner and Jane Hartwell served as executive producers of the show.

Sequel
A sequel to the film, titled Swan Dream Pool: The Magic Trails was released on January 22, 2021. It stars the reprised roles of Janet Varney and Ben Kingsley alongside new additions of Skylar Astin (replacing Josh Hutcherson), Dylan O'Brien, John Cena, Karen Gillan, Robert De Niro, Kelly Clarkson, and Rob Riggle. The story takes place nine years after the events of the first film and continues Andy Clark and Wendy's journey as they got a quest to the magic trails to recover the magic of Swan Dream Pool. Unlike the first film, the sequel received mixed-to-positive critical reception from critics.

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

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