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Peter Rabbit (film)

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Peter Rabbit (film)
Company typeFilm
IndustryEntertainment
Founded2018; 8 years ago (2018)
FounderWill Gluck, Zareh Nalbandian (producers)
Headquarters
United States, Australia, United Kingdom
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Will Gluck (director, producer), Zareh Nalbandian (producer), Rob Lieber (screenwriter)
ProductsFilm
ParentColumbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Olive Bridge Entertainment, Animal Logic, 2.0 Entertainment, Screen Australia

Peter Rabbit is a 2018 hybrid live-action and animated comedy film inspired by the beloved character created by Beatrix Potter. This production was a collaboration between Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Olive Bridge Entertainment, Animal Logic, 2.0 Entertainment, and Screen Australia, with distribution handled by Sony Pictures Releasing. The film was directed and produced by Will Gluck alongside Zareh Nalbandian, while the screenplay and story were crafted by Gluck and Rob Lieber. The cast features James Corden voicing Peter Rabbit, complemented by live-action performances from Rose Byrne, Domhnall Gleeson, Sam Neill, and Marianne Jean-Baptiste, as well as voice contributions from Daisy Ridley, Elizabeth Debicki, and Margot Robbie. The narrative follows Peter Rabbit as he encounters new obstacles when Mr. McGregor's great-nephew arrives and discovers the trouble caused by Peter’s family.

The film debuted at The Grove on February 3, 2018, before its release in the United States on February 9, 2018. It later opened in the United Kingdom on March 16 and in Australia on March 22. Although the movie received mixed reviews, mainly due to its divergence from the original source material, it achieved notable box office success, grossing $351 million globally against a $50 million budget. A follow-up titled Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway was released in 2021 without involvement from Sony Pictures Animation but did not match the financial success of its predecessor.

Plot

Set in England's scenic Lake District, the story follows Peter Rabbit, his cousin Benjamin Bunny, and his three sisters—Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail—as they spend their time pilfering vegetables from the garden of the late Mr. McGregor, who passed away from a heart attack linked to his unhealthy habits. After inheriting McGregor’s estate, Peter welcomes local wildlife to reside there. They are looked after by Bea, a compassionate local artist who paints portraits of them along with the surrounding landscape.

Meanwhile, in London, Thomas McGregor, Mr. McGregor’s great-nephew and a strict workaholic at the toy department of Harrods, loses out on a promotion and is subsequently dismissed from his job. Upon learning he has inherited the manor, Thomas intends to sell it to finance his own toy store near Harrods. He evicts Peter and the other animals and enhances security measures around the property. When Peter and Benjamin attempt to return secretly, Thomas tries unsuccessfully to drown Benjamin. After losing his valuable binoculars in a river incident, Thomas installs an electric fence and acquires dynamite to keep the rabbits away.

A romantic connection develops between Thomas and Bea, which stirs jealousy in Peter. This leads to escalating conflicts involving traps and sabotage; Peter rewires the electric fence to deliver shocks to Thomas, who retaliates with explosives. Following an allergic reaction to blackberries triggered by Peter’s family, Thomas responds aggressively with dynamite, causing damage that breaks Bea’s trust in him and ends their relationship. Distraught, Thomas returns to London.

Feeling guilty over recent events, Peter and Benjamin travel to London in an effort to mend the relationship between Thomas and Bea. Peter persuades Thomas of the rabbits’ cleverness and encourages him to pursue what truly matters to him. Back at the countryside estate, Peter validates Thomas’ account of the explosion damage, prompting Bea to forgive both men and decide to stay.

Peter’s family then employs strategic methods to oust an unwelcome wealthy couple who had purchased the manor, ensuring Thomas remains on the property. Thomas rekindles his romance with Bea and agrees to allow limited access for wildlife into the garden. Together with Peter’s family, they restore both the burrow and surrounding grounds. Thomas eventually opens his own toy shop in the village where Bea continues showcasing her rabbit-themed artwork.

Live-action

  • Domhnall Gleeson portrays Thomas McGregor, the great nephew of Mr. McGregor.
  • Rose Byrne plays Bea, the rabbits' caretaker and Thomas' romantic interest, inspired by Beatrix Potter.
  • Sam Neill appears as Mr. McGregor, Thomas' great uncle.
  • Marianne Jean-Baptiste takes on the role of the General Manager at Harrods.
  • Felix Williamson acts as Derek.
  • Gareth Davies features as Nigel Bannerman, the indolent nephew of the Harrods General Manager.

Voice

Production

The project first emerged in April 2015 when Sony Pictures’ emails were leaked, with a formal announcement made in December 2015.

By August 2016, director Will Gluck was confirmed to helm the film and co-write the screenplay alongside Rob Lieber. James Corden was selected to voice Peter Rabbit, while Rose Byrne was cast in a live-action role reimagined from Beatrix Potter. In September 2016, Daisy Ridley and Elizabeth Debicki joined the ensemble, with principal photography planned for January 2017 in Sydney.

Domhnall Gleeson was announced in October 2016 to play Thomas McGregor, and Margot Robbie was added to voice Flopsy Rabbit. The following month, singer Sia joined the voice cast as Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle.

December 2016 saw the release of the first image featuring Peter Rabbit along with the film’s logo, marking the commencement of production. Gluck produced alongside Zareh Nalbandian from Animal Logic, which managed animation and visual effects using a peak team of 80 animators divided into six primary units.

Live-action sequences were filmed at Centennial Park in Sydney and Ambleside in Cumbria, UK. Sydney’s Central railway station doubled for London Paddington station, while Mortuary railway station stood in for Windermere station. Additionally, an Endeavour railcar from New South Wales was featured.

The soundtrack contains a customized rendition of Len's "Steal My Sunshine," adapted to fit Peter Rabbit’s theme.

Release

Peter Rabbit was initially slated for release in the United States on March 23, 2018, but this date was advanced to February 9, 2018. The film premiered later in the United Kingdom on March 16 and in Australia on March 22.

Box office

The movie earned $115.3 million across the U.S. and Canada and amassed $235.9 million internationally, culminating in a global total of $351.2 million against a production budget of $50 million.

In North America, it debuted alongside Fifty Shades Freed and The 15:17 to Paris, with initial projections near $16 million but ultimately grossed $25 million, securing second place behind Fifty Shades Freed ($38.8 million). Its second weekend saw a 30% drop to $17.5 million ($23.4 million over the four-day President's Day weekend), still ranking second behind Black Panther.

In the United Kingdom, Peter Rabbit became 2018's leading family film at the box office, surpassing Pixar’s Coco with earnings of $56.3 million. Other significant markets included China ($26.5 million), Australia ($20.2 million), France ($12.3 million), and Germany ($12.1 million).

Home media

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment made the film available on digital platforms starting April 20, 2018, with physical formats such as Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD following on May 1, 2018. The Blu-ray edition offers special features including the seven-minute behind-the-scenes segment "Peter Rabbit: Mischief in the Making," the short film "Flopsy Turvy" centered on Peter’s triplet sisters, and the musical feature "Shake Your Cotton-Tail Dance Along." In the United States, a Special Garden Edition Blu-ray and DVD set was released exclusively at Target, which included an additional disc containing a seventeen-minute featurette titled "Make Your Own Garden."

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes, the movie holds a 64% approval rating derived from 148 critic reviews, with an average score of . The critical consensus reads, "Peter Rabbit modernizes Beatrix Potter’s timeless characters with vibrant and enjoyable results likely to please younger audiences while potentially alienating purists." Metacritic assigned the film a score of 51 out of 100 based on 26 reviews, indicating mixed or average opinions. Audience feedback via CinemaScore yielded an average grade of "A−."

Olly Richards from Empire magazine awarded it three out of five stars, commending both the animation quality and Gleeson’s portrayal but suggesting that Corden was not ideally cast. Chris Nashawaty of Entertainment Weekly gave the film a 'B', describing it as "clever, humorous, and briskly paced," while noting its significant divergence from the original source. Robbie Collin of The Daily Telegraph rated it two out of five stars; he praised the chemistry between Gleeson and Byrne but criticized character development and unfavorably compared it to Paddington. Susan Wloszczyna at RogerEbert.com also rated it two out of four stars, observing that Peter’s character shifted from mischievous to antagonistic.

Film critic Mark Kermode expressed strong disapproval regarding the adaptation's connection to the original books, stating, "If you have read the books, you will be appalled." In response, James Corden’s father Malcolm publicly challenged Kermode’s critique and his characterization of James as "appallingly irritating."

Controversy

Following its release, the movie faced criticism from various international groups for depicting what they termed "allergy bullying." This centered on a scene where Thomas McGregor, who is allergic to blackberries, is repeatedly hit with them until one triggers an allergic reaction necessitating use of his Epipen. Sony issued a statement expressing regret and apologizing for any insensitivity caused. Critic Robbie Collin described this sequence as "horrible," emphasizing its detrimental effect on how the character was perceived.

Accolades

Award Date Category Recipients Result
Teen Choice Awards August 12, 2018 Choice Fantasy Movie Peter Rabbit Template:Nominated
Choice Fantasy Movie Actor James Corden Template:Nominated
AACTA Awards December 3, 2018 Best Production Design Roger Ford, Lisa Thompson Template:Won
Best Original Music Score Dominic Lewis Template:Nominated

Sequel

Sony Pictures launched the follow-up, Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway, initially debuting in Australia on March 25, 2021. This was succeeded by releases in the United Kingdom on May 21 and the United States on June 11. The movie faced several postponements from its originally planned early 2020 release dates due to the COVID-19 pandemic before finalizing its distribution timeline. Will Gluck reprised his roles as both writer and director for this installment.

External links

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