Jump to content

Ladybug & Cat Noir: The Movie

From Alfawiki
Ladybug & Cat Noir: The Movie
Company typeAnimated film
IndustryFilm
Founded2023; 3 years ago (2023)
FounderJeremy Zag
Headquarters
Paris
,
France
ProductsAnimated film
ParentZAG, Inc., Mediawan (The Awakening Production)

Ladybug & Cat Noir: The Movie is a 2023 French animated film blending musical, romantic, and superhero genres, directed and co-written by Jeremy Zag. Based on the animated series Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir, the story centers on Parisian teens Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Adrien Agreste, who transform into the superheroes Ladybug and Cat Noir to defend Paris from supervillains commanded by Hawk Moth.

The project was announced in 2018, with production commencing in 2019, delving into the origins of the franchise. Jeremy Zag took on directing duties and collaborated with Bettina Lopez Mendoza on the screenplay. Zag also produced the film through ZAG, Inc., alongside Mediawan, both operating under The Awakening Production label, with distribution handled by SND. Financial backing came from Fantawild Animation and Cross Creek Pictures. The animation work was completed by Mediawan’s ON Animation Studios located in Montreal. With a budget of €80 million ($86 million), it stands as the second priciest French film ever produced.

The movie debuted at the Grand Rex on 11 June 2023 and was released in France on 5 July 2023 via SND. It later saw theatrical releases in select international markets, while Netflix streamed it in other regions starting 28 July 2023. Critics gave mixed assessments—praising the animation quality, soundtrack, and action sequences but critiquing the script and comedic elements. Earning $40.1 million worldwide, it achieved success in some European territories but underperformed at the French box office despite the franchise’s strong fanbase.

Plot

Marinette Dupain-Cheng, an awkward and clumsy teenager from Paris, prefers to stay unnoticed at school. She forms a friendship with Alya Césaire but faces hostility from the affluent classmate Chloé Bourgeois. Marinette harbors feelings for Adrien Agreste, a reserved boy mourning his mother Emilie’s recent passing. Meanwhile, Adrien’s father Gabriel Agreste secretly wields the Butterfly Miraculous to become Hawk Moth, orchestrating chaos to capture the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculouses. His goal is to harness their combined "power stronger than death" to bring his wife back to life.

Wang Fu, keeper of the Miracle Box, releases both Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculouses, which escape. While pursuing the Ladybug Miraculous, Fu is rescued by Marinette, who inadvertently inherits it. She encounters Tikki, the Kwami of Creation; concurrently, Plagg—the Kwami of Destruction—finds Adrien.

Tikki informs Marinette about her newfound responsibilities as Ladybug. Despite initial doubts fueled by her lack of confidence and clumsiness, Marinette transforms and partners with Adrien as Cat Noir. Together they confront The Gargoyle, an akumatized villain Hawk Moth conjures from Parisian negativity. After a narrow escape during their battle, Cat Noir begins developing feelings for Ladybug. Wang Fu stresses the importance of their cooperation.

Though initially reluctant, Marinette gradually accepts her role as Ladybug while Hawk Moth intensifies his attacks by unleashing additional villains. Alongside Cat Noir, she successfully counters these threats.

Following their victories over Hawk Moth’s minions, both heroes gain courage to express their affections: Marinette toward Adrien and Cat Noir toward Ladybug. However, unaware of each other’s true identities, their admissions strain their partnership. Feeling rejected, Adrien confronts his emotionally distant father.

Hawk Moth then akumatizes himself and wreaks havoc across Paris. Ladybug and Cat Noir fight separately but become overwhelmed; Ladybug loses her earrings yet manages to rescue Cat Noir. When Cat Noir’s mask is damaged, Hawk Moth discovers Adrien’s secret identity and relinquishes his powers. Gabriel repents after revealing that love—the "power stronger than death"—was his genuine aim all along. Adrien forgives him; Marinette recovers her earrings and returns the Butterfly Miraculous to Wang Fu. Using her full creative power fueled by love, Ladybug restores Paris. Gabriel is unmasked as Hawk Moth and arrested; Marinette returns home.

Weeks later at the Winter Ball, Marinette reveals she knows Adrien’s secret identity and discloses her own; they share a kiss.

At the Agreste Mansion, assistant Nathalie Sancoeur enters a concealed chamber containing Emilie’s body adorned with the Peacock Miraculous as Gabriel’s voice commands secrecy.

Original French cast

  • Anouck Hautbois voices Marinette Dupain-Cheng / Ladybug
    • Marinette's singing voice is performed by Lou.
  • Benjamin Bollen portrays Adrien Agreste / Cat Noir
    • The singing voice for Adrien is provided by Elliott.
  • Antoine Tomé plays Gabriel Agreste / Papillon
  • Marie Nonnenmacher lends her voice to Tikki, Sabrina Raincomprix, Juleka Couffaine, and Alix Kubdel
    • Tikki's singing parts are delivered by Cerise Calixte
  • Thierry Kazazian acts as Plagg and the Monster
  • Fanny Bloc performs as Alya Césaire
  • Alexandre Nguyen voices Nino Lahiffe and Lê Chiến Kim
  • Marie Chevalot gives voice to Chloé Bourgeois and Nathalie Sancoeur
  • Martial Le Minoux portrays Tom Dupain, Max Kanté, and Nooroo
  • Gilbert Lévy voices Master Wang Fu and Denis Damoclès
  • Jessie Lambotte plays Sabine Cheng
  • Flora Kaprielian is the Magician
  • Franck Tordjman acts as Nathaniel Kurtzberg and Ivan Bruel
  • Jeanne Chartier voices Émilie Agreste

English cast

Development

Jeremy Zag announced the film during the Miraculous panel at ComiKon İstanbul on 29 September 2018. Initially planned for release in 2021, Zag confirmed on 5 December 2018 that the storyline would combine an origin narrative with events from the series, with seasons four and five prioritized for completion before proceeding with the movie. The following day at Comic Con Experience 2018, he revealed that the film would be a musical featuring his own original songs.

At the Cannes Film Festival on 16 May 2019, the project was officially titled Ladybug & Cat Noir Awakening and production was already in progress. A brief animated teaser was posted on Zag’s Instagram account on 5 October 2019. In February 2020, it was announced that Fantawild would collaborate on animation efforts. Editing work was finalized by March 2022.

By April 2022, the film’s budget was revealed to be €80 million, ranking it as the second most costly French production after Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017).

Animation

The animation work for the film is carried out by Mediawan’s affiliate, ON Animation Studios, located in Montreal, Canada. Additional contributions in animation, lighting, and compositing are provided by Dwarf Animation Studio based in France.

Music

At the 2018 Comic Con Experience, Jeremy Zag revealed that the film would be a musical incorporating his original songs. Australian director Michael Gracey joined as executive producer to oversee the musical development, while British lyricist Chris Read collaborated on the songwriting.

The official soundtrack was launched on 30 June 2023 through Muzeek One under the TF1 Musique label. The lead track, "Plus forts ensemble" ("Stronger Together"), performed by Lou and Elliott, premiered on 9 June 2023, with its music video released on 21 June. A follow-up single titled "Courage en moi" ("Courage in Me") by Lou was issued on 21 July, accompanied by a video on 23 July. A separate album featuring the film’s score became available on 5 July 2023.

Promotional events showcasing performances by Lou and Elliott were held at the Salon Gustave Eiffel inside the Eiffel Tower on 28 June 2023 and later at the 2023 Japan Expo on 14 July.

On 5 July, versions of both the soundtrack and score were released in multiple languages. In the English adaptation, Lou returns as Marinette’s singing voice, with Drew Ryan Scott voicing Cat Noir, Mela Lee as Tikki, and Keith Silverstein portraying Gabriel Agreste. The English single "If I Believed in Me" was released on 28 July to coincide with the film’s Netflix launch in English-speaking regions. Lakeshore Records handled distribution of the English soundtrack.

The film also features Wham!’s "Careless Whisper" twice within its soundtrack.

Marketing

The promotional campaign for Ladybug & Cat Noir: The Movie kicked off on 5 December 2022 when SND unveiled a teaser trailer alongside a poster. The full trailer and official theatrical poster were released on 4 April 2023 across France and other international territories. For regions where Netflix managed distribution, the trailer was posted on Netflix’s social media channels on 17 May 2023.

On 12 June 2023, a collaboration with Volkswagen was announced, highlighting vehicles from their ID. series featured within the film. An animated commercial starring the characters promoting Volkswagen ran in cinemas alongside the movie’s release. Additionally, products from The Swatch Group’s children’s brand Flik Flak appeared in the film, supported by a launch of a themed watch collection.

To further promote both the movie and its soundtrack, a musical event took place on 28 June 2023 at the Salon Gustave Eiffel inside the Eiffel Tower, featuring live performances by Ladybug and Cat Noir’s vocalists, Lou and Elliott. Another showcase occurred at the 2023 Japan Expo on 14 July. Coinciding with these events, Playmates Toys introduced a doll line inspired by the film.

On 4 July 2023, Anouck Hautbois reprised her role as Ladybug during an interview broadcast on French television program Le 19.45 aired by M6, which included an exclusive animated sequence produced by the film’s creative team.

Theatrical

Ladybug & Cat Noir: The Movie had its world premiere at the Grand Rex in Paris on 11 June 2023.

Originally planned for a late 2021 debut in France, the film's release was delayed several times, shifting from late 2021 to early 2022, then rescheduled to 3 August 2022 under SND, before ultimately launching on 5 July 2023.

The international premiere took place concurrently in the Netherlands and the French-speaking areas of Belgium, Switzerland, and Luxembourg. Beginning 6 July 2023, the release widened to include Germany as well as German- and Dutch-speaking regions of Belgium, Switzerland, and Luxembourg.

In the United States, the movie was shown in a limited theatrical engagement at three Stone Theatres venues from 11 to 17 August 2023.

Home media

For markets without a cinema release, the film became available on Netflix starting 28 July 2023. In France, Ladybug & Cat Noir: The Movie was distributed digitally and on Blu-ray and DVD formats on 2 November 2023 through M6 Vidéo, with Warner Bros. Home Entertainment France handling distribution.

Box office

Worldwide, Ladybug & Cat Noir: The Movie earned $12.4 million in France and $27.6 million from other countries, accumulating a total of $40.1 million.

At its world premiere on 11 June 2023 at the Grand Rex, simultaneous screenings occurred in select French cinemas, selling a total of 68,582 tickets. The film opened in France alongside releases such as On the Fringe and Insidious: The Red Door. Its opening day recorded ticket sales of 318,144 (including previews), exceeding the French opening day figures of The Super Mario Bros. Movie and setting a new record for an animated French production.

During its first week, ticket sales reached 660,421, securing the number one spot at the box office and surpassing Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny in its second week. This marked the second-highest opening week for an animated film in France during 2023 and placed it sixth among all-time French animated film openings.

In its second week, attendance declined to 294,174 tickets sold, dropping to fourth place at the box office behind Elemental. This represented a 55.5% decrease attributed to mixed audience reactions.

Within France, the film achieved these rankings:

  • Seventh highest-grossing French movie of 2023
  • Sixth highest-grossing animated feature of the year
  • Twenty-fourth top-grossing film overall in France for that year

Despite a strong start domestically, industry experts viewed its French box office performance as underwhelming. Globally, it found significant success in Germany and Russia—its second and third largest markets respectively. However, financial outcomes remain uncertain due to undisclosed Netflix licensing agreements covering territories without theatrical showings.

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 54% based on fourteen reviews.

Following its French release, AlloCiné documented varied critical opinions. Le Parisien commended the narrative for effectively exploring themes of fear, bravery, and love with musical elements reminiscent of Disney productions. O.D from Le Figaro highlighted the film’s polished animation and engaging action sequences. Isabelle Boudet of Les Fiches du cinéma appreciated the appealing animation style and Parisian backdrop but felt it lost some emotional depth by drawing too closely from Disney formulas.

Philippe Guedj of Le Point described it as a traditional blockbuster likely to satisfy fans while entertaining adults. Thibault Liessi from Le Dauphiné libéré found enjoyment in its energetic action scenes. Cédric Coppola writing for Sud Ouest noted that despite lacking innovation, the film’s vitality and musical segments make it worthwhile viewing. Fabrice Leclerc from Paris Match praised its visual appeal combined with nostalgic touches and references to French culture.

Thibault Liessi at Les Dernières Nouvelles d'Alsace awarded it three out of five stars, observing an unusual pacing characterized by numerous songs conveying characters’ emotions. Xavier Leherpeur from L'Obs gave it two out of four stars, questioning the extended focus on protagonists’ origins given the limited presence of new characters in theaters.

Possible continuation

On 3 July 2023, Jeremy Zag announced that the screenplay for a potential sequel had been finalized, and development had started on a script for a third installment. Nevertheless, neither of these projects had received approval from any production company or SND. Throughout 2024, Zag released multiple pieces of concept artwork related to the envisioned sequel, featuring a new bearer of the Miraculous.

External links

Retrieved from "https://www.alfawiki.org/index.php?title=Ladybug_%26_Cat_Noir:_The_Movie&oldid=39147"