Happy Feet Two

Happy Feet Two
Company type	Animated film
Industry	Film
Founded	2011; 15 years ago
Founder	George Miller
Headquarters	Sydney, Australia, United States
Products	Animated feature film

Happy Feet Two is a 2011 animated musical comedy directed, produced, and co-written by George Miller. Serving as the follow-up to the 2006 film Happy Feet, it features the return of voice talents such as Elijah Wood, Robin Williams, Hugo Weaving, Magda Szubanski, and Anthony LaPaglia. New additions to the cast include Common and Alecia Moore (P!nk), who replace Fat Joe and the late Brittany Murphy, alongside Hank Azaria, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Sofia Vergara, and Richard Carter. The narrative centers on Erik (voiced by Ava Acres), the son of Mumble and Gloria (Wood and Pink), who struggles with dancing and encounters the tufted puffin known as the Mighty Sven (Azaria). When a massive ice barrier traps the penguins, they must unite to save Antarctica.

Produced through a collaboration between American and Australian studios Kennedy Miller Mitchell and Dr. D Studios in Sydney, the film debuted in North America on November 18, 2011, followed by an Australian release on December 26, 2011. While critics lauded its animation quality, musical elements, and voice performances, they found fault with the storyline. Financially, the movie fell short at the box office, earning $159.2 million worldwide against a production budget of $135 million. This commercial disappointment resulted in the closure of Miller’s Dr. D Studios, leaving Happy Feet Two as their only animated feature.

Plot

Following the events of the first film, Erik—son of Mumble and Gloria—is unable to dance like other Emperor penguins. Alongside his friends Bo and Atticus, he follows Ramón, leader of the Amigos group, to Adélie-Land. There they encounter Sven, a flying penguin con artist who has lost his fishing territory and now collaborates with Lovelace, Mumble’s former Guru. Sven introduces moss to the local penguins and employs his "Sven Think" technique to assist Ramón in finding his mate Carmen, who initially shows little interest. Mumble discovers the youngsters’ whereabouts and encourages them to return to Emperor-Land, motivated by Sven’s influence.

In a parallel storyline, Will—a curious krill—yearns for experiences beyond his swarm along with his companion Bill. After becoming separated from their group, they come to understand their vulnerable position in the food chain but remain determined to improve their circumstances. Mumble reassures Erik that he is special and destined to find his own purpose; however, Erik remains captivated by Sven. When crossing an ice bridge blocked by Bryan the elephant seal, a confrontation ensues that ends with Bryan gaining Mumble’s respect after a leopard seal rescue. Erik mistakenly attributes his rescue to "Sven Think," much to Mumble’s frustration.

Back at Emperor-Land, a colossal iceberg traps the penguin colony in a pit surrounded by towering ice walls. While Mumble, Erik, and Atticus deliver fish to those stranded inside, Bo returns to Adélie-Land seeking assistance. The following day brings an attack from skuas on the trapped penguins; Noah the Elder calls for resistance but hope wanes until Bo returns accompanied by Sven. Together they organize efforts to hunt fish and feed the emperor penguins.

Humans who had previously rescued Sven and Lovelace appear but are forced to retreat due to an incoming blizzard. Erik presses Sven to teach him how to fly; Sven then reveals he is actually a tufted puffin rather than a penguin. Mumble begins tap dancing which inspires other penguins to join in; their collective dance weakens the ice but causes some individuals to fall into a crevice. Ramón bravely leaps down to save Carmen, winning her affection in the process. Sven showcases his dancing prowess leading the Adélie penguins while Erik and Mumble seek Bryan’s aid. Meanwhile, Will reunites with Bill and their krill swarm who have become legends for their adventurous journey.

At Elephant Seal Beach, Bryan is engaged in a dominance battle. Mumble appeals for assistance but Bryan declines due to responsibilities within his group. Erik commends Mumble’s courage while criticizing Bryan’s refusal after having been rescued himself. Ultimately, the elephant seals travel en masse to Emperor-Land where Mumble, Gloria, Erik, emperor penguins, elephant seals, Will and Bill with their krill swarm alongside Sven collaborate in breaking apart the iceberg. The story concludes with Mumble and Erik reuniting with Gloria.

Voice cast

Ava Acres voices Erik, the son of Gloria and Mumble, with singing performed by E. G. Daily, who also provided Baby Mumble's singing in the original movie.
Elijah Wood returns as Mumble, Erik's father.
Robin Williams portrays Ramón and Lovelace, two of Mumble's companions; Ramón is a relaxed Adélie penguin with a Spanish accent, while Lovelace is a mystical rockhopper penguin and Sven's partner. Williams also serves as the narrator. This marks his final animated role before his passing in 2014.
Alecia Moore (P!nk) takes on the role of Gloria, Mumble’s wife and Erik’s mother, succeeding the late Brittany Murphy.
Meibh Campbell plays Bodicea "Bo," a friend of Erik; her singing voice is also provided by E. G. Daily.
Benjamin "Lil' P-Nut" Flores Jr. lends his voice to Atticus, the son of Seymour and friend to Erik.
Common replaces Fat Joe as Seymour, Atticus’s father.
Magda Szubanski voices Miss Viola, Bo’s mother.
Hugo Weaving returns as Noah the Elder, the mayor and council leader of Emperor-Land.
Brad Pitt and Matt Damon voice krill characters Will and Bill respectively.
Sofia Vergara appears as Carmen, Ramón’s romantic interest.
Richard Carter provides the voice for Bryan the Beach Master.
Anthony LaPaglia voices Alpha Skua.
Hank Azaria portrays The Mighty Sven, a cunning tufted puffin with a Scandinavian accent who rules Adélie-Land.
Jai Sloper and Oscar Beard voice Weaner Pups.
Danny Mann voices Brokebeak.
The group "The Amigos," consisting of Nestor, Raul, Lombardo, and Rinaldo—Adélie penguins with pronounced Spanish accents—are voiced by Carlos Alazraqui, Johnny A. Sanchez, Lombardo Boyar, and Jeffrey Garcia respectively.
Lee Perry provides voices for Francesco, Wayne the Challenger, Eggbert, and a Leopard seal.
Roger Narayan voices an Indian penguin.

Production

Returning to their roles are Elijah Wood, Robin Williams, Magda Szubanski, and Hugo Weaving, reprising Mumble, Ramón, Lovelace, Ms. Viola, and Noah respectively. Brief appearances by Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman as Norma Jean and Memphis add to the cast. The ensemble also includes returning voices from Carlos Alazraqui, Johnny A. Sanchez, Lombardo Boyar, and Jeffrey Garcia, who reprise their roles as Nestor, Lombardo, Raul, and Rinaldo. The character Seymour sees a change in voice actor from Fat Joe to Common.

Brittany Murphy, originally set to return as Gloria and scheduled to begin recording in 2010, tragically passed away in December 2009. Her role was subsequently taken over by P!nk (Alecia Moore), who had previously contributed to the first film’s soundtrack. The krill characters Will and Bill are voiced by Brad Pitt and Matt Damon. The Mighty Sven is brought to life by Hank Azaria. Vocals for Erik (Mumble’s son), Boadicea (Miss Viola’s daughter), and other voices are provided by E.G. Daily, who also sang for young Mumble in the original film. New character Carmen is voiced by Sofía Vergara. Consistent with the original film's style, this sequel features a live-action segment. The choreography for the production was overseen by Mitchell Hicks.

Theatrical

The movie premiered accompanied by the Looney Tunes short film I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat.

Home media

Happy Feet Two became available on DVD, Blu-ray, and 3D Blu-ray formats on March 13, 2012, distributed by Warner Home Video.

Box office

The movie earned $64 million in the domestic market and $86 million internationally, accumulating a global total of $150.4 million. Given its $135 million production cost, this translated into an approximate $40 million deficit for the studio.

During its opening weekend, the film generated $21.2 million from 3,606 theaters, which was nearly half the $41.5 million debut achieved by the original Happy Feet in 2006. Approximately half of the box office revenue originated from 3D screenings shown on 2,825 screens. When adjusted for inflation, audience turnout was under 45% compared to its predecessor. Industry experts had forecasted an opening range between $35 million and $45 million, rendering the actual results disappointing. Among animated releases in 2011, it ranked eighth in opening weekend revenue.

The film’s poor financial performance had notable repercussions within the industry; specifically, Sydney-based Dr. D. Studios—tasked with the digital production—reportedly dismissed 600 out of their 700 employees.

Critical response

On Metacritic, the film holds a score of 50 out of 100 based on evaluations from 35 critics, reflecting "mixed or average" reviews. Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore assigned it a "B+" rating.

Richard Corliss of Time commended the film for ambitiously aiming to be "bigger, deeper, higher — happier" than the original installment.

Roger Ebert from the Chicago Sun-Times awarded it two and a half stars out of four, highlighting its vibrant animation and musical components but criticizing the excessive philosophical dialogue.

In contrast, The Telegraph included Happy Feet Two in its list of the ten worst films of 2011, describing it as an "appalling 3D animated sequel" centered on "all‑singin', all-dancin', all-infuriatin' penguins."

Accolades

Award	Category	Nominee	Outcome
Central Ohio Film Critics Association Awards	Performer of the Year	Brad Pitt (also recognized for The Tree of Life and Moneyball)	Template:Nom
Houston Film Critics Society Awards	Outstanding Animated Feature		Template:Nom
San Diego Film Critics Society Awards	Outstanding Animated Feature		Template:Nom
Satellite Awards	Outstanding Original Song	"Bridge of Light" performed by P!nk and Billy Mann	Template:Nom

Video game

Happy Feet Two: The Video Game was launched on November 8, 2011. KMM Games handled development for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Wii platforms, while the versions for Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo DS were created by WayForward Technologies. Warner Bros. served as the publisher.

Soundtrack

Released by WaterTower Music, the soundtrack became available on CD on November 21, 2011, and on iTunes starting November 15, 2011. Unlike the first film’s approach of issuing separate albums, this release integrates both John Powell’s score and various songs. Key tracks include "Happy Feet Two Opening Medley," "Bridge of Light," and "Under Pressure/Rhythm Nation," featuring P!nk, who voices Gloria in this film, succeeding Brittany Murphy from the original.

The deluxe version contains an additional five tracks by Ozomatli, which also appear on the video game soundtrack released via iTunes on November 8, 2011.

Potential continuation

Director George Miller has conveyed ambivalence regarding the production of a third film installment:

External links