The Magician's Elephant (film)
| Company type | Animated film |
|---|---|
| Industry | Film |
| Founded | 2023 |
| Founder | Julia Pistor (producer), Wendy Rogers (director), Martin Hynes (screenwriter) |
| Headquarters | United States, Australia |
Key people | Wendy Rogers (director), Martin Hynes (screenplay), Julia Pistor (producer) |
| Products | Animated fantasy film |
| Parent | Netflix, Animal Logic |
The Magician's Elephant is a 2023 animated fantasy film helmed by director Wendy Rogers, with a screenplay by Martin Hynes and production led by Julia Pistor. Adapted from Kate DiCamillo's 2009 novel, the movie features voice performances from Noah Jupe, Mandy Patinkin, Natasia Demetriou, Benedict Wong, Miranda Richardson, and Aasif Mandvi. The animation was crafted by Animal Logic, while distribution was managed by Netflix, with the film debuting on March 17, 2023.
Plot
Following a devastating war that left the city of Baltese in despair, the orphan Peter (voiced by Noah Jupe), who was raised by the soldier Vilna Lutz, embarks on a journey to uncover the fate of his missing sister Adele. Vilna, who rescued Peter but presumed Adele perished during a bombing, had discouraged Peter from holding onto hope as a means of preparing him for survival. Intrigued by a fortune teller’s assertion that Adele is still alive, Peter pursues a mysterious elephant that appears during an opera, summoned by a magician intent on rekindling hope.
Adele was sheltered and cared for by Sister Marie after the destruction of the army camp. Meanwhile, Peter teams up with his neighbor Leo Matiennel to locate the elephant, which remains locked away due to the Countess’s fear of potential dangers it might pose. The King sets Peter three challenges: to overcome Romain De Smedt, to glide using a parachute, and to make the Countess laugh. Peter manages to inspire Romain and impress the King; however, he only provokes a forced laugh from the Countess until an elephant’s sneeze finally elicits genuine amusement.
Although initially determined to use the elephant to find Adele, Peter ultimately decides to assist the creature in returning to its natural environment, symbolizing a renewed sense of trust within the town. The Countess’s laughter marks her emotional healing. The magician restores faith among the townsfolk and sends the elephant back home.
When Adele reunites with Peter, he explains his decision to free the elephant. Its departure lifts Baltese’s curse and revives hope throughout the city. Vilna regains his ability to walk with a cane and joins Sister Marie and Peter in ending years of war-related suffering. The narrative concludes with the family sharing a celebratory meal, signaling Baltese’s return to joy.
Voice cast
- Noah Jupe as Peter, an orphan under the care of his veteran guardian Vilna
- Mandy Patinkin as Vilna Lutz, former soldier and protector of Peter
- Brian Tyree Henry as Leo Matienne, Peter’s downstairs neighbor and captain of guards
- Natasia Demetriou as The Fortune Teller, serving as narrator
- Sian Clifford as Gloria Matienne, Leo’s wife and neighbor
- Benedict Wong as The Magician
- Miranda Richardson as Madam LaVaughn
- Kirby Howell-Baptiste as The Countess
- Aasif Mandvi as The King
- Pixie Davies as Adele, Peter’s long-lost sister
- Dawn French as Sister Marie
Production
On August 17, 2009, 20th Century Fox revealed plans for Martin Hynes to adapt the then-unpublished novel The Magician's Elephant into a feature film, with Julia Pistor—formerly of Nickelodeon Movies—set as producer. After an extended period in development limbo, Netflix acquired production rights on December 15, 2020, taking over development of the animated project in collaboration with Sydney-based Animal Logic. Alongside this announcement came confirmation of an acclaimed voice cast including Noah Jupe, Benedict Wong, Pixie Davies, Sian Clifford, Brian Tyree Henry, Mandy Patinkin, Natasia Demetriou, Aasif Mandvi, Miranda Richardson, and Kirby Howell-Baptiste.
Release
The Magician's Elephant premiered on March 17, 2023.
Reception
On Rotten Tomatoes, the movie has earned a 67% approval rating, characterized as a heartfelt adaptation that conveys a theme of confidence through charm rather than enchantment. Meanwhile, Metacritic assigns it a score of 53, reflecting mixed or average critical feedback.
External links
- Articles with short description
- 2023 American animated films
- 2023 computer-animated films
- 2023 films
- 2020s children's animated films
- Films based on American novels
- 2020s English-language films
- Netflix original films
- Netflix Animation films
- American children's animated adventure films
- American children's animated fantasy films
- Animated films based on American novels
- Australian animated feature films
- Australian computer-animated films
- Australian children's animated films
- Animated films about orphans
- Films about magic and magicians
- Films scored by Mark Mothersbaugh
- Animated films about elephants
- Animated films about magic
- Animal Logic films
- 2020s Australian films
- Films with screenplays by Martin Hynes