Monster Trucks (film)
Imagine a concept born from a child's imagination: a friendly creature living inside a truck, powering it like an engine. This whimsical idea became the heart of "Monster Trucks," a film that promised family fun but faced an uphill battle at the box office. Yet, despite its initial struggles, this unique adventure has slowly, surprisingly, found a place in the hearts of a growing audience. The film's quirky premise of subterranean creatures powering monster trucks originated from a four-year-old's imaginative pitch. Despite its unique concept and significant budget, the movie was a considerable box-office flop, leading to substantial financial losses for Paramount Pictures. Years after its release, "Monster Trucks" has steadily developed a cult following, with critics and audiences re-evaluating its charming, family-friendly appeal.
AI Summary
Imagine a concept born from a child's imagination: a friendly creature living inside a truck, powering it like an engine. This whimsical idea became the heart of "Monster Trucks," a film that promised family fun but faced an uphill battle at the box office. Yet, despite its initial struggles, this unique adventure has slowly, surprisingly, found a place in the hearts of a growing audience.
- The film's quirky premise of subterranean creatures powering monster trucks originated from a four-year-old's imaginative pitch.
- Despite its unique concept and significant budget, the movie was a considerable box-office flop, leading to substantial financial losses for Paramount Pictures.
- Years after its release, "Monster Trucks" has steadily developed a cult following, with critics and audiences re-evaluating its charming, family-friendly appeal.
The Unusual Origins of "Monster Trucks"
Released in 2016, "Monster Trucks" burst onto the scene as a live-action animated comedy from Paramount Animation and Nickelodeon Movies. Directed by Chris Wedge, known for his work in animation, this film dared to combine classic monster movie tropes with the high-octane world of monster trucks, creating something truly distinct.
What makes this film's origin story truly fascinating is its spark of inspiration: a simple idea from a four-year-old. Paramount's then-president, Adam Goodman, greenlit the concept after his young son suggested a creature living inside a truck. This childlike wonder laid the foundation for a surprisingly imaginative cinematic adventure.
A Creature's Great Escape
Fracking Unleashes the Unexpected
Our story begins in North Dakota, where Terravex Oil's aggressive fracking operation goes awry. Deep beneath the surface, the drilling inadvertently ruptures a hidden ecosystem, unleashing a trio of mysterious, squid-like creatures. Two are quickly captured by the nefarious Terravex corporation, but one — agile and determined — manages to escape into the night.
Tripp and Creech: An Unlikely Friendship
Meanwhile, high school senior Tripp Coley dreams of escaping his small town, pouring his aspirations into building a pickup truck at the local junkyard. One night, his path crosses with the escaped creature, who he soon names Creech. Tripp discovers that Creech has an insatiable appetite for oil, and has taken refuge right inside the hood of his truck.
An extraordinary bond forms between them. Tripp, recognizing Creech's intelligence and unique abilities, modifies his truck, transforming it into a custom 'exoskeleton' for Creech to inhabit and power. Meanwhile, Terravex CEO Reece Tenneson, determined to cover up the incident, orders his mercenary, Burke, to eliminate the captured creatures — a command that alarms geologist Jim Dowd, who sees their profound intelligence.
On the Run
With Terravex hot on their trail, Tripp and his classmate Meredith seek help from Tripp's estranged father, Wade. But their trust is misplaced, and Wade betrays them to Burke's team. What follows is an exhilarating chase sequence, with Tripp, Meredith, and Creech narrowly escaping Burke and even Tripp's stepfather, the local sheriff Rick, in their unique, creature-powered truck.
Creech, sensing the plight of his parents held captive, instinctively leads Tripp and Meredith back to Terravex headquarters. Their rescue mission takes a perilous turn as they are discovered. Creech is recaptured, and Tripp and Meredith find themselves face-to-face with the ruthless Tenneson.
Turning the Tables
Witnessing Tenneson's cruelty, the guilt-ridden Jim Dowd has a change of heart. He secretly helps Tripp and Meredith, providing them with two more trucks, which they quickly modify to accommodate Creech's parents. Dowd then masterminds the daring theft of the Terravex truck carrying the captive creatures, setting the stage for a spectacular escape.
The Climax: Mountain Chase
With Creech's parents now powering their own customized vehicles, the group makes a desperate dash for the mountain, aiming for the underground tunnels leading home. Terravex gives relentless chase, but Sheriff Rick, having come to terms with the extraordinary truth, plays a pivotal role, blocking the road and aiding their escape.
The climax sees Tripp and Creech locked in a perilous head-on battle with Burke, who attempts to push them into a drilling hole. In a final, heroic act, they overturn Burke's truck, destroying the poison machine and ensuring the creatures' safety. Creech and his parents reunite and return to their home below, Tenneson is arrested, and a redeemed Tripp and Rick begin to rebuild their relationship, while Tripp and Meredith embark on a new romance.
Bringing the Monsters to Life
Development and Casting
The journey to the big screen began in July 2013, with Paramount Animation announcing the development of this live-action/animated franchise. Director Chris Wedge, known for Ice Age, signed on, and a star-studded cast quickly formed, including Lucas Till, Jane Levy, Amy Ryan, Rob Lowe, Danny Glover, and Barry Pepper. This ensemble promised a blend of youthful energy and seasoned talent.
Filming Across Canada
Principal photography for 'Monster Trucks' kicked off in April 2014, with much of the magic happening in the picturesque landscapes of British Columbia, Canada. Production crews transformed locations like Vancouver Film Studios, Kamloops, and Chilliwack into the film's junkyards, small-town settings, and rugged mountain terrains, bringing the imaginative story to life.
A Troubled Release
Shifting Release Dates
The path to release for 'Monster Trucks' was anything but smooth, marked by numerous delays. Originally slated for May 2015, the film was pushed back multiple times—to December 2015, then March 2016, and finally settling on January 13, 2017. These repeated shifts often signal production challenges or a lack of confidence from the studio.
The studio's apprehension became clear in September 2016, months before its release, when The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Paramount would take a staggering $115 million writedown on the film. This unprecedented move indicated a grim forecast for its box office performance, essentially acknowledging anticipated losses before the movie even hit theaters.
Home Entertainment
Despite its theatrical struggles, 'Monster Trucks' eventually made its way to home audiences. It became available on Digital HD in late March 2017, followed by Blu-ray and DVD releases in April 2017, offering viewers another chance to discover the unique monster-and-machine adventure.
Box Office Bomb
Opening Weekend Performance
Upon its release in North America, 'Monster Trucks' faced a crowded market and struggled to find its footing. It opened to a modest $11 million over its debut weekend, eventually grossing a worldwide total of $64.5 million. This figure, though substantial on its own, barely scratched the surface of its colossal production budget.
With a reported budget of $125 million, plus additional marketing expenses, the film was officially declared a box-office bomb. Analysts calculated Paramount's loss on the film to be an estimated $123.1 million, making it one of the largest financial failures in cinematic history, a stark reminder of the unpredictable nature of Hollywood investments.
Critical Crossroads
Initial Mixed Reviews
Critics were largely divided on 'Monster Trucks.' On Rotten Tomatoes, it earned an approval rating of 32%, with many reviewers noting that while the concept was high, the execution didn't quite deliver a compelling feature film. Metacritic echoed this sentiment, assigning a score of 41 out of 100, indicating 'mixed or average reviews.'
However, amidst the critical lukewarmness, some voices offered genuine praise. Kristy Puchko of IndieWire called it a 'treasure,' evoking a sense of '90s nostalgia. Audiences, too, seemed to appreciate its charm more, awarding the film an encouraging 'A' grade on CinemaScore, suggesting a disconnect between professional critics and the general public's enjoyment.
A Developing Cult Following
Years later, 'Monster Trucks' has experienced a quiet but noticeable renaissance. By 2021, a cult following began to emerge, with some critics like Chris Evangelista arguing for its merits, praising its unique premise and earnest, family-friendly spirit. This re-evaluation highlights how certain films, initially dismissed, can find appreciation over time.
The Future of Monster Trucks
Sequel Possibilities
Despite its initial financial performance, the enduring appeal and growing cult status of 'Monster Trucks' might yet lead to more adventures. Actor Thomas Lennon, who played Dr. Bill Dowd in the film, hinted on Twitter in 2022 that he remains under contract for two potential sequels. Could this mean we haven't seen the last of Creech and his truck-powered friends?
Article
Monster Trucks (film)
Monster Trucks is a 2016 American monster comedy film produced by Paramount Animation, Nickelodeon Movies and Disruption Entertainment for Paramount Pictures. It was directed by Chris Wedge, in both his live-action directorial debut and first directorial effort outside of his own company Blue Sky Studios, and written by Derek Connolly, from a story by Matthew Robinson, Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger. The film stars Lucas Till, Jane Levy, Amy Ryan, Rob Lowe, Danny Glover, Barry Pepper, Thomas Lennon, and Holt McCallany, and follows Tripp Coley, a young junkyard employee who finds a subterranean creature living in his truck.
The film was first released on December 21, 2016, in France, then on January 13, 2017, in the United States. It received mixed reviews from critics and was considered by analysts to be a box-office bomb, grossing $64.5 million worldwide against a $125 million budget.
Plot
Monster Trucks (film)
Terravex Oil is in the midst of a fracking operation in North Dakota, overseen by CEO Reece Tenneson and geologist Jim Dowd. The operation releases a trio of squid-like creatures from underground and destroys the drilling rig. Two are captured by Terravex, but one of them escapes. Meanwhile, high school senior Tripp Coley has taken up a job at a junkyard, where he builds a pickup truck in hopes of being able to leave his town, but the truck lacks a working drivetrain. One night, Tripp encounters the escaped creature in the junkyard and captures it, but the creature escapes before he can seek authorities.
The next day, Tripp discovers that the creature feeds on oil and has taken shelter in the hood of his truck. He befriends him, names him Creech, and promises to help him get home. Tripp modifies the truck to give Creech more control as a makeshift engine. The truck acts as a 'wheelchair' for Creech to operate. Meanwhile, Tenneson is still concerned about the incident at the drilling rig, since similar experiments have revealed the existence of other creatures. He decides to protect the company's image by drilling poison into a hole leading to the underwater tunnels, and by sending hired mercenary Burke to kill their captured creatures, to the objection of Dowd, as he finds the monsters have significant intelligence and emotions as well as a hive mind intelligence that allows both of the captured specimens to learn what was taught to one.
Tripp and his classmate Meredith, whom he has told about Creech, seek help from his estranged father Wade, but Wade sells Tripp out to Burke. Tripp and Meredith escape in the truck with Creech and are chased by Burke and his team along with Rick, the local sheriff and Tripp's stepfather. They escape by jumping over a MRL local with an EMD MP15DC lead train, and camping at a hunting cabin.
When Creech gets the sense something bad will happen to the other creatures, he heads to Terravex headquarters where they are being held captive. Tripp and Meredith follow Creech. When they arrive, they find Creech's parents, but are attacked by Terravex workers. Creech is captured, and Tripp and Meredith are taken to Tenneson.
Dowd decides to help Tripp and Meredith rescue the creatures. They acquire two more trucks and modify the trucks for Creech's parents to control. Dowd helps the group by stealing the Terravex truck on which Creech's parents are loaded. At the dealership, the creatures take control of the modified trucks, and the group make their escape up the mountain leading to the tunnels.
Terravex gives chase up the mountain and the group escapes. On the way, Rick helps Tripp and the group escape from Burke, preventing Burke from ramming them off the road and later stealing a large truck to block the road to prevent further pursuit. After realizing the poison has been inserted, Tripp gets into a head-on battle with Burke, who attempts to push him into the drilling hole, but it ends when Tripp and Creech overturn Burke's truck, destroying the poison machine and apparently killing Burke when his truck is thrown into the equipment. Creech saves Tripp from drowning before he and his parents return underground, while Terravex is exposed for the experimentation that was harming the creatures' habitat. Tenneson is arrested for his crimes, Tripp and Rick grow closer and rebuild a V8 engine for the truck, and Tripp and Meredith begin a relationship.
Production
Monster Trucks (film)
On July 31, 2013, Paramount Animation announced that they were developing a new live-action/animated franchise, with an entry film titled Monster Trucks, and Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger set to write the film's script. The pitch was created by Paramount's president Adam Goodman alongside his four-year-old son. Chris Wedge was set to direct the film, with Mary Parent producing and an initial release date set for May 29, 2015. Production took place in Vancouver Film Studios in Vancouver, British Columbia. On February 19, 2014, Jane Levy and Lucas Till joined the cast of the film. On March 24, Amy Ryan was cast in a role, and later that week, Holt McCallany joined the cast as a villain. On April 1, Frank Whaley and Danny Glover joined the cast of the film. Later that month, Thomas Lennon joined as well, and on April 14, Barry Pepper joined the cast. On April 24, Tucker Albrizzi, who starred in Nickelodeon's TV show Big Time Rush, joined the cast, with Rob Lowe added five days later.
In December 2013, it was announced that the film's production would begin in early April 2014 in Vancouver, with filming wrapping up in mid-July, and the studio Vancouver Film Studios was booked for the production. Principal photography began on April 4, 2014, in Kamloops. Filming was spotted on May 13, 2014, in downtown Chilliwack.
Release
Monster Trucks (film)
The release date was shifted several times. It was initially set for May 29, 2015, but on January 26, 2015, the film was pushed back to December 25, 2015, a date first assigned for Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation. On May 5, 2015, the film was pushed back again, to March 18, 2016. On November 10, 2015, the film's release date was pushed back one final time, to January 13, 2017.
On September 21, 2016, The Hollywood Reporter stated Paramount would take a $115 million writedown on the film because of its expected poor performance at the box office.
Home media
Monster Trucks was released on Digital HD on March 28, 2017 and on Blu-ray and DVD on April 11, 2017.
Reception
Box office
Monster Trucks grossed $33.4 million in the United States and Canada and $31.1 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $64.5 million.
In North America, Monster Trucks was released alongside the openings of The Bye Bye Man and Sleepless, as well as the wide releases of Silence, Patriots Day and Live by Night, and was expected to gross $8–10 million from 3,119 theaters in its opening weekend. It ended up making $11 million ($14.2 million over the four-day MLK weekend), finishing 7th at the box office.
Due to its $125 million budget, as well as additional amounts spent on promotion, the film was considered by analysts to be a box-office bomb. Deadline Hollywood calculated the film lost Paramount $123.1 million, when factoring together all expenses and revenues.
Critical response
On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 32% based on 98 reviews and an average rating of 4.6/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Despite flashes of inspiration, the singularly high-concept Monster Trucks shows that it takes more than monsters and trucks to create a compelling feature film." On Metacritic, the film has a score of 41 out of 100 based on 23 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".
Some contemporary reviews were more complimentary, however. Kristy Puchko cited it as a "treasure that feels like a heady relic from the '90s" in IndieWire's 2017 critic's survey of the Craziest Hollywood Movies of the 21st Century, while Sean Egan called it a "live-action cartoon that recalls the goofy, good-hearted Amblin family films of yore" in AM New York Metro's Best Films of 2017 list. Further, audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.
By 2021, the film's reputation had improved slightly, with Lisa Laman of Looper observing that a cult following had developed for the film, while Chris Evangelista penned an essay for The Guardian arguing for the film's merits.
Possible sequel
Monster Trucks (film)
Lennon mentioned on his Twitter in 2022 that he is still under contract for two sequels.