Kirby (film)

Kirby is a 2018 computer-animated adventure comedy film based on Nintendo and HAL Laboratory's video game series Kirby, produced by Blue Sky Studios for 20th Century Fox. The film was written by Brad Copeland and Sōji Yoshikawa and directed by Karen Disher. Kirby creator Masahiro Sakurai serves as an executive producer along with Chris Wedge and Carlos Saldanha. The film tells the story of Kirby, who seeks to stop a mysterious threat of Planet Popstar from Marx.

The film was released in the United States on December 25, 2018, by 20th Century Fox. The film received mixed reviews from critics, who praised its faithfulness to the source material, voice acting, and animation.

Plot
Kirby is a cheerful pink creature and has been known for being a hero in Dream Land. When he sees most of the food being stolen by King Dedede and the Waddle Dees, Kirby investigates to see if he can bring the food back to Dream Land.

While at Dedede's castle, he was trying to get his food back, but Dedede chases him and kicks him out from his castle. Kirby assumes that Dedede as his arch-nemesis, so he gains his inhale ability to copy any special powers. First, he turns into Fire Kirby to battle Whispy Woods. He quickly defeats it, leading him on his way to battle King Dedede in his castle. Kirby tries to end his battle by smashing Dedede, but Dedede apologizes to Kirby for stealing it and offers to join him in an adventure, to which he agrees. However, the skies in Planet Popstar has gone wrong as the Sun and Moon began to fight. A jester Marx visits the Planet Popstar and tells Kirby that the only way to stop the fight is to gather the power of the stars and use them to stop the fight. Kirby then accepts Marx's request, but King Dedede became suspicious of Marx's tricks.

Suddenly, Kirby and King Dedede both encounter the Halberd landing at Popstar and they were greeted by Meta Knight, who requests a superstar warrior for sword battle in his Halberd by midnight. He choses Kirby as he learns Kirby is the new superstar warrior in Planet Popstar. Before he starts fighting Kirby, he offers Kirby a sword, which Kirby picks up to become Sword Kirby. Meta Knight's mask broke after Kirby defeats Meta Knight in the sword duel, but he tells Kirby "they will meet again" before escaping with his Dimensional Cape. King Dedede then tells Kirby that Meta Knight will join the adventure later. Kirby also received the first power of the star. Meanwhile, Marx makes a plan to trick Kirby with his wish when Kirby reaches the Nova after Kirby gathers all the power stars.

While returning to Dream Land, the crops were being destroyed in Dream Land, King Dedede suspected Dyna Blade is the one that destroys the crops before Kirby goes out to stop her. He reached the Candy Mountain to find Dyna Blade. He sees pieces of crops that leads him the trails to reach Dyna Blade's nest (that was built on top of the Candy Mountain). He then sees Dyna Blade getting crops from Dream Land, and he proceeds to battle her. Dedede also came to help defeat Dyna Blade, but however, Kirby and King Dedede learn that she was trying to feed her chicks. Kirby takes care of the chicks. Dyna Blade thanks Kirby for taking care of her chicks before she flies away. Meta Knight then finally joins the adventure to save Planet Popstar.

After collecting the rest of the power stars, Kirby reaches into space to summon Nova and make a wish to stop Sun and Moon from fighting. However, before he can make a wish, Marx knocks Kirby off and makes his wish to dominate the Planet Popstar. After that, Marx transforms into his monster form that and he reveals to Kirby, Meta Knight, and King Dedede that he tricked the Sun and Moon to fight each other, and Kirby into falling for Marx's master plan to conquer Planet Popstar. This causes Kirby, Meta Knight, and King Dedede to battle Nova and later Marx. Kirby First, the three enter Nova. The three have no choice, but to destroy Nova's core, which led Nova to be injured. This infuriated Marx and he attempts to attack Kirby, Meta Knight, and King Dedede himself in the purple arena. He then captured Meta Knight and King Dedede with his vines. He tries to shoot lasers on all 3 warriors, but Kirby manages to defeat Marx in his Fighting form and sends him flying into Nova, destroying them both. Following the defeat of Marx and Nova, the Sun and Moon stopped fighting each other. Kirby, Meta Knight, and King Dedede went back to the Planet Popstar via Warp Star and they all were honored as heroes of the Planet Popstar.

Cast

 * Makiko Ohmoto as Kirby.
 * Antonio Banderas as Meta Knight.
 * Ben Mendelsohn as King Dedede.
 * Brian Dobson as Marx.
 * Karen Disher as Dyna Blade.
 * James M. Palumbo as Waddle Dee and Waddle Doo.
 * Jason Fricchione as Bronto Burt.
 * Casey M. Roberts as Blade Knight.
 * Frank Welker as Whispy Woods.
 * Randall Thom provided various voices.

Additional Voices

 * Isabella Acres
 * Steve Apostolina
 * Robin Atkin
 * Maggie Baird
 * Ryan Bartley
 * David Berón
 * Daniel Booko
 * Jen Cain
 * Vic Chao
 * David Chen
 * Vicki Davis
 * Karen Disher
 * Jason Fricchione
 * Johnny Gidcomb
 * Danielle Hartnett
 * Hideo Kimura
 * Jim Lau
 * Ava Mae Leslie
 * Susan Leslie
 * Terence Mathews
 * Matt Nolan
 * Arthur Ortiz
 * Ashley Peldon
 * Chrystee Pharris
 * Moira Quirk
 * Michelle Ruff
 * Erica Schroeder
 * Ethan Simono
 * Shane Sweet
 * Vanessa Waters
 * Kerry Williams
 * Matthew Wolf
 * Dave Zyler

Development
In 2012, it was reported that 20th Century Fox Animation was adapting the Kirby video game series to a computer-animated feature film with Blue Sky Studios producing and Karen Disher attached to direct it. It marks Disher's third directorial work, after previously directing the Ice Age short films Surviving Sid and Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas. In April 2014, it was revealed that Brad Copeland and Sōji Yoshikawa will be screenwriters for the film and Nintendo and HAL Laboratory's joint venture company Warpstar, Inc. would also be co-producing the film with Fox Animation and Blue Sky. Masahiro Sakurai was also hired to serve as an executive producer and creative consultant for the film.

In March 2018, it was announced that John Paesano will be composing the film's score, after previously composing for Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas.

Casting
In April 2014, Makiko Ohmoto was confirmed to be reprising her role as Kirby for the film. In November 2016, Antonio Banderas, Ben Mendelsohn, and Brian Dobson joined the voice cast.

Theatrical
Kirby was released in the United States on December 25, 2018 by 20th Century Fox in 3D, RealD 3D, and Dolby Cinema. The film was originally scheduled to be released on September 21, 2018, before moving into its current date in May 2017.

Home media
The film was released on digital HD and Movies Anywhere on March 26, 2019, and on DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray on April 9, 2019, by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.

The film was made available for streaming on Disney+ on January 8, 2021, following The Walt Disney Company's acquisition of both 20th Century Fox and Blue Sky Studios in 2019.

Box office
Kirby has grossed $99.5 million in the United States and Canada and $201.9 million internationally for a worldwide gross of $301.4 million.

In the United States and Canada, the film was released alongside Holmes & Watson and Vice on Christmas Day and was projected to gross $25 million over its first six days. It made $8.1 million on its first day and $4.3 million on its second. It went on to debut to $30.3 million over its first six days, finishing fifth.

In Japan (where Kirby was originally created), the film was released on December 29, alongside the other 2018 animated film The Grinch. It grossed $6 million in its opening weekend.

Critical response
On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 58%, based on 123 reviews and an average rating of 6.2/10. On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 47 out of 100, based on 24 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews." Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale.

Future
Following the film's release, producers told The Hollywood Reporter that there were no plans for a sequel to Kirby, amid the then-pending acquisition of 21st Century Fox by The Walt Disney Company (which was later completed in March 2019). In April 2019, director Karen Disher later confirmed on Twitter that 20th Century Fox (now 20th Century Studios) would not move forward for a Kirby sequel, allowing Fox's film rights of Kirby to expire. Nintendo would later collaborate with Illumination to make films based on their properties, meaning that if a sequel to Kirby is made, it'll be under Universal Pictures and Illumination.

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

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