| Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie | |
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 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Cal Brunker |
| Screenplay by |
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| Story by |
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| Based on | Paw Patrol byKeith Chapman |
| Produced by |
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| Starring | |
| Edited by | Ed Fuller |
| Music by | Pinar Toprak |
Production company | |
| Distributed by |
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Release date |
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Running time | 87 minutes[2] |
| Country | Canada |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $30 million[3] |
| Box office | $205 million[4][5] |
Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie is a 2023 Canadian animatedaction-adventurecomedy film based on the television seriesPaw Patrol. The sequel toPaw Patrol: The Movie (2021), it was directed byCal Brunker, who co-wrote the screenplay withBob Barlen. The film features anensemble voice cast, includingMckenna Grace,Taraji P. Henson,Marsai Martin,Christian Convery,Lil Rel Howery,Kim Kardashian,Chris Rock,Serena Williams,Alan Kim, Brice Gonzalez,North West, Saint West,James Marsden,Kristen Bell, and Finn Lee-Epp. In the film, the Paw Patrol pups gain superpowers from crystals inside a meteor and must stop Mayor Humdinger and his new accomplice Victoria Vance from wreaking havoc in Adventure City.
In August 2021, following the success of the first film, director Brunker expressed interest in returning for a sequel. It wasgreenlit bySpin Master Entertainment in November 2021, with a planned October 13, 2023 release date, before being pushed forward to a September 2023 release. The film features elements from theMighty Pups sub-theme of the main show.Mikros Image inMontreal returned to provide computer-animation, while the musical score was composed byPinar Toprak. Most of the main voice cast was announced in January 2023, following Henson's casting in May 2022.
Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie was released in Canada byElevation Pictures on September 29, 2023. It received mixed reviews from critics and was a financial success, grossing $205 million against a production budget of $30 million. A further sequel,Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie, is in development.
After the destruction of the Cloud Catcher and Mayor Humdinger's arrest,[a] meteoriticist Victoria Vance steals a giant electromagnet from Hank and Janet'sscrapyard, inadvertently setting a fire that traps the owners. Janet sends Ryder and the Paw Patrol pups to extinguish the fire.
At Adventure City, the citizens gather for ameteor shower, while Ryder introduces the Paw Patrol to Nano, Mini, and Tot, threePomeranians who wish to be part of the team as Junior Patrollers. Meanwhile, Vance travels to an abandoned observatory and creates a Meteor Magnet from what she stole, hoping to attract an incoming magical meteor. The machine malfunctions, causing the meteor to head for Paw Tower. Ryder and the pups evacuate the tower, and help the civilians escape before the meteor damages the tower and the street below it; the Paw Patrol takes the rock to theirAircraft Carrier headquarters for analysis.
That night, Skye awakens as the meteor rock begins to glow. It splits to reveal seven crystals, one of which grants her the powers of flight and super strength. The other pups each take a crystal to gain powers themselves, but as Liberty seems to have no abilities, Ryder assigns her to train the Junior Patrollers.
Vance, having been arrested forpublic endangerment, escapes prison with Humdinger and the Kitten Catastrophe Crew. Inside Humdinger's private airplane, the group plans to trap the Paw Patrol, who have now re-branded as "the Mighty Pups". Vance deliberately destroys one of the plane's engines and calls Ryder, who sends Skye to investigate. Vance steals Skye's crystal and parachutes out of the plane alongside Humdinger and the kittens, except for Skye. Ryder and the other pups clear Main Street so Skye can land the damaged plane.
Back at the Aircraft Carrier, Skye tells Chase that having superpowers was the first time in her life she did not feel like the smallest and weakest; having been born a runt, she was often overlooked, leading her to run off in a blizzard to join the Paw Patrol. Taking the other pups' crystals, Skye attempts to retrieve hers from the villains, but Vance, having acquired superpowers of her own, captures Skye and steals the rest of the crystals. When Skye tries to warn Vance of the consequences of using the Meteor Magnet to attract more meteors, Vance reveals to Skye that she was bullied by her former colleagues in her group for her meteor obsession and called her a mad scientist and Skye realizes that Vance also feels overlooked and unimportant like her, she unsuccessfully attempts to reason with her. After learning of what has happened, the rest of the Paw Patrol and Junior Patrollers fight and subdue Humdinger, who has used one of the crystals from Vance to grow into a giant. Marshall retrieves the crystal, and Humdinger is rearrested.
The Paw Patrol follows the crystal's signature to the observatory, where the Junior Patrollers distract Vance so Zuma can rescue Skye. The pups each take turns using Humdinger's crystal as they fight Vance. During the battle, Chase falls off a cliff, but Liberty rescues him, discovering her superpower is elasticity in the process. The pups retrieve the other crystals, subdue and rearrest Vance, and destroy the meteor Magnet; however, Vance has already attracted more meteors, which are now heading for Adventure City. The pups give their crystals to Skye, who flies into the air and destroys each meteor individually. A giant meteor enters the Earth's atmosphere, and Skye destroys it as well; she is subsequently rendered unconscious, but the crystals resuscitate her. She and the Paw Patrol celebrate together, and resume protecting the city.
In an August 2021 interview, director Cal Brunker stated that he was interested in making a sequel after the success ofPaw Patrol: The Movie. He said, "We've certainly thought about it. There are other stories that we would be excited about telling. But for us, it's really about seeing if people love this one, and then taking it from there."[11] On November 3, 2021, Spin Master announced that a sequel, titledPaw Patrol: The Mighty Movie, had begun development, with Brunker confirmed to be returning in the sequel as director and Jennifer Dodge set to return as producer with the addition of Laura Clunie and Toni Stevens.[12]
The sequel features elements from theMighty Pups sub-theme of the series, where a magical meteor crash lands in Adventure Bay and the pups transform into Mighty Pups with superpowers. It focuses on the story of Skye who is the smallest member of the team, exploring her new "powers" in Adventure City and featuring supervillains where they steal the superpowers from the Mighty Pups, determined to make the biggest difference.[12]
Jennifer Dodge, who produced the film sequel, said that she wanted to tell a deeper story that could resonate even stronger with kids and families worldwide. She added, "Judging by the exit polls, audience scores, and positive critical reception, everyone had as much fun watching it, and rewatching it, as we did making it. We’re looking forward to taking kids on a new adventure in the second film with our partners and can't wait to further expand our storytelling with one of the fan-favorite pups in our spin-off."[12]
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In May 2022, it was announced thatTaraji P. Henson would join the cast in a new role. After joining the sequel, she made the following statement: "I am so excited to be a part of the nextPaw Patrol theatrical adventure. While I don't want to give too much away, my character in the film throws the pups some new challenges that they must unite to overcome. I think the film has a powerful message for kids that no matter how small they might be, they can still make a difference in their community."[6]
On January 25, 2023,Kristen Bell,Christian Convery,Mckenna Grace,Lil Rel Howery,James Marsden,Serena Williams,Kim Kardashian (reprising her role as Delores),Marsai Martin (reprising her role as Liberty),Ron Pardo (reprising his roles as both Mayor Humdinger and Cap'n Turbot), Callum Shoniker (reprising his role as Rocky),Alan Kim, Brice Gonzalez, North West, Saint West, Luxton Handspiker (reprising his role as Rubble fromRubble & Crew replacing Keegan Hedley from the first movie), Christian Corrao (reprising his role as Marshall from the show replacing Kingsley Marshall from the first movie), and Nylan Parthipan were added to the cast. Grace and Martin had previously worked together inSpirit Untamed.[13] During Paramount's presentation atCinemaCon in April,Ramsey Naito, president ofParamount Animation andNickelodeon Animation, previewed a trailer forPaw Patrol: The Mighty Movie and revealed thatChris Rock will have a cameo in the film.[14]
On June 7, 2022, it was announced thatMikros Animation in Montreal, who animated the first film, would return to handle the animation.[15]
Pinar Toprak composed the film's musical score, replacingHeitor Pereira from the first film.[16] The soundtrack album was released on September 29, 2023, the same day as the film's theatrical release.[17] Additionally, three original songs were announced to be made for the film: "Down Like That", "Bark to the Beat", and "Learning To Fly", performed byBryson Tiller,Mckenna Grace withblackbear, andChristina Aguilera and released as singles on September 8, 15, and 22, respectively.[18]
Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie was theatrically released earlier in various European countries, including Portugal, on September 23, 2023.[19] It was released in the United States and Canada on September 29.[20] Unlike the first film, which was simultaneously released onParamount+ in addition to a traditional theatrical release due to theCOVID-19 pandemic,[21] the film was released exclusively in theaters.[22] It was accompanied by the short animated filmDora and the Fantastical Creatures from the upcoming preschool showDora.[23] Upon the film's announcement, it was given a release date of October 13, 2023, in November 2021,[24] but in February 2023, it was pushed forward by two weeks to its current date.[20] However other territories released the film in October 2023; the United Kingdom, for example, showed a special charity preview in aid ofMedicinema on September 24, 2023, and had two weekends of advance preview screenings from September 30, 2023, before its wide release on October 13.[25]
The film's trailer was released on June 12, 2023. A line of action figures and toys by Spin Master was released in August 2023.[26]
Paramount Home Entertainment releasedPaw Patrol: The Mighty Movie ondigital on October 31, 2023. The movie was streamed on November 14, 2023, onParamount+ and released on DVD andBlu-ray on December 12, 2023.[27]
Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie made its TV debut onNickelodeon on July 19, 2024.[28]
Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie grossed $65.2 million in the United States and Canada, and $139.8 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $205 million.[5][4]Deadline Hollywood calculated the net profit of the film to be $114 million, when factoring together all expenses and revenues, placing it tenth on their list of 2023's "Most Valuable Blockbusters".[29]
In the United States and Canada,Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie was released alongsideThe Creator,Saw X, and the wide expansion ofDumb Money, and was projected to gross $18–20 million from 3,989 theaters in its opening weekend.[3] It made $6.8 million on its first day, and went on to debut to $22.8 million, topping the box office.[30] It fell 48% to $11.2 million in its second weekend, finishing second behind newcomerThe Exorcist: Believer,[31] and then made $7 million in its third weekend.[32]
On thereview aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes, 72% of 50 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6/10. The website's consensus reads: "Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie will be best enjoyed by its youthful target audience, but it's sweet, thoughtful, and funny enough to entertain the entire family."[33]Metacritic, which uses aweighted average, assigned the film a score of 49 out of 100, based on 11 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[34] Audiences surveyed byCinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale, while those polled atPostTrak gave it an 83% overall positive score, with 68% saying they would definitely recommend the film.[30]
Courtney Howard ofVariety gave the film a positive review, writing, "With much humor and charm, this second chapter reads fairly well for all ages. It may not reinvent the wheel, but it certainly knows how to cleverly repackage and resell the goods."[35] Sandie Angulo Chen ofCommon Sense Media gave the film 4 out of 5 stars, writing: "Skye's subplot will particularly resonate with young audiences, since she initially feels like her small size makes her the team's weakest link."[36]Nell Minow ofRogerEbert.com gave the film three stars out of four, saying "Is it a worthwhile transition object to get children used to the thrill of seeing stories they love on a giant screen in a dark room? Of course, it is."[37]
Jesse Hassenger ofIGN gave the film a 5 out of 10, stating: "PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie feels more like a legitimate feature film than its predecessor, but it's still well within the realm of distractor cinema rather than something parents would want to watch with their kids."[38] Frank Scheck ofThe Hollywood Reporter gave the film a mixed review, writing, "Unfortunately, much of the film's running time is taken up [with]... the sort of typically mind-numbing action sequences stuffing adult live-action superhero franchises."[39] Jake Wilson ofThe Age criticized the film for its rehashed plot.[40]
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hollywood Music in Media Awards | November 15, 2023 | Best Original Song – Animated Film | "Down Like That" –Bryson Tiller, Chantry Johnson, Michelle Zarlenga, and Charlie Heath | Nominated | [41] |
| Canadian Screen Awards | May 26–31, 2024 | Best Sound Editing | J. R. Fountain | Nominated | [42][43] |
| Best Sound Mixing | Bernard Gariépy Strobl and J.R. Fountain | Nominated | |||
| Golden Screen Award | Spin Master Entertainment | Won | |||
| Leo Awards | July 7, 2024 | Best Voice Performance Animation Program | Christian Convery | Nominated | [44] |
| Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards | July 13, 2024 | Favorite Animated Movie | Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie | Nominated | [45] |
| Favourite Female Voice From an Animated Movie | Kristen Bell | Nominated | |||
| Mckenna Grace | Nominated |
On September 26, 2023, Spin Master announced that a third film is in development. On February 28, 2024, it was announced thata third movie will be released in theaters on July 31, 2026.[46][47] In September 2024, it was announced thatJennifer Hudson andFortune Feimster had joined the cast, with Mckenna Grace returning as Skye.[48] On February 27, 2025, it was announced that the title of the movie isPaw Patrol: The Dino Movie.[49] In May 2025, it was announced that the movie had been moved forward to July 24, 2026.[50][51]
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