Sherlock Gnomes
Sherlock Gnomes is a 2018 animated mystery comedy film directed by John Stevenson.[2] Based on the character Sherlock Holmes created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, it is a sequel to Gnomeo & Juliet (2011). The main cast all reprise their roles from the first film including James McAvoy, Emily Blunt, Maggie Smith, Michael Caine, Ashley Jensen, Matt Lucas, Stephen Merchant, Ozzy Osbourne, Kelly Asbury, Julio Bonet, Julie Walters, and Richard Wilson, alongside new voice cast members including Chiwetel Ejiofor, Mary J. Blige, Jamie Demetriou, Eve Webster, James Hong, Dan Starkey, Dexter Fletcher, Javone Prince, and Johnny Depp. The animation is provided by Mikros Image and Reel FX Creative Studios.[3]
Sherlock Gnomes
Ben Zazove
- Andy Riley
- Kevin Cecil
- Emily Cook
- Kathy Greenberg
- Sherlock Holmes
by Arthur Conan Doyle - Characters
by- Rob Sprackling
- John Smith
- Andy Riley
- Kevin Cecil
- Kelly Asbury
- Steve Hamilton Shaw
- Steve Hamilton Shaw
- David Furnish
- Carolyn Soper
- Prakash Patel
- Mark Solomon
- March 23, 2018 (United States)
- May 11, 2018 (United Kingdom)
86 minutes
- United Kingdom
- United States
English
$59 million[1]
$90.5 million[1]
The film was released in the United States and the United Kingdom on March 23, 2018, and May 11, 2018, respectively, by Paramount Animation Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Rocket Pictures, which replaced the previous film's distributor, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures (through Touchstone Pictures). It was notable for being Paramount's first animated film to be entirely animated since Rango, Paramount Animation's first film to be entirely animated, and MGM's first animated film since Igor. It received generally negative reviews from critics and was a box office failure, only grossing $90.5 million worldwide against a $59 million budget.[4]
Plot[edit]
Sherlock Gnomes the detective and his trusty assistant, Dr. Gnome Watson, storm London's Natural History Museum where their nemesis, a pie mascot named Moriarty, is holding gnomes hostage. After a brief battle, Moriarty is seemingly crushed by a dinosaur skeleton.
Meanwhile, now happily in love, Miss Montague, Mr Capulet and their garden gnomes move from Stratford-upon-Avon to London, into a run down, unkempt new garden. Lady Bluebury and Lord Redbrick announce their retirement and appoint Gnomeo & Juliet as new leaders. Meanwhile, Sherlock Gnomes and Watson started fighting in the house. After Mrs Udderson tells them to fight outside, Sherlock Gnomes and Watson are informed of missing gnomes, The couples's relationship starts to shake when Juliet becomes stressed and determined with fixing the garden up, unintentionally ignoring Gnomeo. In a bid to get her attention, Gnomeo decides to get a Cupid's Arrow orchid for the new garden so Benny shows Gnomeo the closest flower shop in town from an old computer. When Gnomeo gets the orchid in the shop, the burglar alarm goes off after a falling stall, forcing Juliet to rescue him. Once out, the couple have a heated row and Juliet angrily tells Gnomeo: "The garden can't wait and you can!". A signal on the walkie-talkie comes through of Benny saying that there is a monster in their garden. when Sherlock Gnomes holds Watson's map he has to find every single garden gnome in London, The two race back only to find everyone gone. Suddenly, Sherlock Gnomes and Watson arrive and find a clue card. Juliet and Gnomeo urge the duo to tell them what's going on and Sherlock Gnomes reluctantly agrees to let them tag along.
A clue from Moriarty, whom Sherlock Gnomes believes survived their last encounter, leads them to Chinatown. They find the next clue at Curly Fu's Emporium, and they meet up with the Salt Shaker and the giant cat PomPom until they escape a group of guards like black cats whom Sherlock Gnomes had previously offended. They arrive back at the Natural History Museum, where Gnomeo suggests they look inside but Sherlock Gnomes decides to visit an art gallery instead, as it helps him think. Gnomeo tries to convince him otherwise, but is shocked and hurt when Juliet sides with Sherlock Gnomes. The couple argue and Gnomeo storms off to the museum with Watson in pursuit. Once inside the museum, Gnomeo realises he shouldn't have left Juliet after talking with Watson, but before he can get back to her, he is kidnapped by a stone gargoyle who seemingly smashes Watson (off screen). When Juliet and Sherlock Gnomes arrive at the art gallery, they learn that Gnomeo has been kidnapped by the gargoyles and Watson has been smashed. Gnomeo is brought to the rest of the garden gnomes and informed they will be smashed during a fireworks celebration the following evening. Meanwhile, Sherlock Gnomes figures out the next clue is at the royal park. He and Juliet disguise themselves as a squirrel to get the clue from a dog, and manage to evade the dog on a lawnmower.
Gnomeo attempts to free the garden gnomes, but only he and the Red Goon Gnomes are able to escape before the gargoyles arrive. The next clue leads Juliet and Sherlock Gnomes to a doll shop where they meet his friends Teddy Gregson and resentful former fiancée, Irene, who kicks them out, but allows Juliet back in after she distances herself from Sherlock Gnomes. Irene gives Juliet the clue, which leads her and Sherlock Gnomes to Traitor's Gate at the Tower of London. Meanwhile. Gnomeo and the Red Goon Gnomes attempt to find the garden gnomes, when Juliet and Sherlock Gnomes discover Watson, apparently the true mastermind, who reveals that he pretended to be Moriarty to get through to Sherlock Gnomes, who never showed respect or appreciation for him, and supposedly has the gnomes in custody, only to find them all missing. The Gargoyles reveal that they never worked for Watson, and dispose of Juliet, Sherlock Gnomes and Watson on a ship.
Sherlock Gnomes realizes the garden gnomes are being held at the bottom of the Tower Bridge with pie filling, and Moriarty appears, revealing that he really was behind everything having manipulated Watson into helping him, and plans to smash the gnomes with the raised bridge. After witnessing Sherlock Gnomes' mistreatment of Watson, he had the Gargoyles feign allegiance with Watson to access his map and identify the location of every gnome in London. Sherlock Gnomes and Watson agree to work together a final time to save the garden gnomes, and they and Juliet head to the bridge on a drone.
Gnomeo manages to stall the bridge opening with the Red Goon Gnomes dancing, reunites with Juliet, and together they defeat the Gargoyles. Although Watson frees the trapped gnomes with soap, Moriarty pursues Sherlock Gnomes and injures his leg. However, just before he can kill the others, Sherlock Gnomes throws himself at Moriarty, knocking them both over the bridge. Watson narrowly saves Sherlock Gnomes with his cane grappling hook, whereupon Moriarty lands in the water and helplessly floats away. Afterwards, the garden gnomes enjoy the fireworks celebration.
The following spring, Gnomeo and Juliet happily reveal their completed garden and the garden gnomes celebrate with Irene Teddy Gregson and the cat guards in attendance. Sherlock Gnomes and Watson leave for another adventure, friends and partners once more. In the post-credits scene, Lots of garden gnomes are falling making a picture of Sherlock Gnomes, when Moriarty blows a raspberry and laughs and Sherlock Gnomes smashes Moriarty.
Production[edit]
Development[edit]
In March 2012, it was reported that the film was in development at Rocket Pictures. Emily Cook, Kathy Greenberg, Andy Riley and Kevin Cecil, four of the nine writers on the first film, were to write the script for the film. Steve Hamilton Shaw and David Furnish produced the film, and Elton John, an executive producer, was again composing new songs for the film. The film would feature Sherlock Gnomes, "the greatest ornamental detective" hired by the characters from the first film, who would try to solve the mystery of disappearing gnomes.[5]
In September 2012, it was reported that John Stevenson, one of the directors of Kung Fu Panda, had been set to direct the film.[2] Kelly Asbury, the director of the first film, was unable to direct the sequel due to being busy on Smurfs: The Lost Village for Sony Pictures Animation. However, he was involved in the sequel as the creative consultant and he reprised his role as the Red Goon Gnomes.[6]
Casting[edit]
In November 2015, it was announced that Johnny Depp would voice Sherlock Gnomes and that the film would be released on January 12, 2018.[7] McAvoy and Blunt reprised their roles as Gnomeo and Juliet, respectively.[8]
Animation[edit]
Unlike the first film, which was animated by Arc Productions (now Jam Filled Toronto), Sherlock Gnomes was animated by Mikros Image in London and Paris with Additional Animation were provided by Reel FX Creative Studios. Like the first film, the movie's animation was created using Maya. Sixty percent of the animation crew was in London, and the rest were in Paris. During peak production, there were between 80 and 100 animators working on the project. Animation director Eric Leighton took inspiration from George Pal’s Puppetoons for the animation of the gnomes in the film.[9] The animation of the human characters were done via motion capture, and the end credits animation was produced by Studio AKA in London.[10]
Music[edit]
Chris Bacon was confirmed to return to score the sequel like in the first film while James Newton Howard did not return to co-compose the score since he was too busy working on the music for Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. However, Howard did return only to be involved as a music consultant. The soundtrack album was released by Virgin EMI Records.
Reception[edit]
Box office[edit]
Sherlock Gnomes has grossed $43.2 million in the United States and Canada, and $47.1 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $90.4 million, against a production budget of $59 million.[1]
In the United States and Canada, Sherlock Gnomes was released alongside Pacific Rim Uprising, Midnight Sun, Unsane and Paul, Apostle of Christ, and was projected to gross $13–18 million from 3,600 theaters in its opening weekend.[15] It ended up debuting to $10.6 million, underperforming but still finishing 4th at the box office.[16]