The Tale of Despereaux

The Tale of Despereaux is a 2008 animated adventure fantasy film directed by Sam Fell and Rob Stevenhagen (in his feature directorial debut). It is based on the 2003 novel of the same name by Kate DiCamillo. The film is narrated by Sigourney Weaver and stars Matthew Broderick, Robbie Coltrane, Dustin Hoffman, Richard Jenkins, Kevin Kline, Frank Langella, William H. Macy, Tracey Ullman, Emma Watson, and Ciarán Hinds. Animation was provided by Framestore Animation. The film was released in the United States by Universal Pictures on December 19, 2008. It is the second theatrically-released computer-animated film distributed by Universal Pictures, following The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: A VeggieTales Movie. The Tale of Desperaux grossed $86.9 million against a $60 million budget and received generally mixed reviews: many critics praised the film for its animation, voice acting, and the title character, but disparaged its story. Plot Sailor Pietro and his rat-companion Roscuro dock in the French kingdom of Dor — famous around the world for its delicious soups — during the "Royal Soup Day." The kingdom’s cook, Andre, makes good soup with the aid of Boldo, a genie made of food who lives in his pot. Roscuro sneaks into the royal banquet-hall and falls into Queen Rosemary's soup, scaring her so much that she has a heart attack and dies. Roscuro discovers that Pietro flees and falls into the castle dungeons. Discovering that Pietro was forced to leave without him on their ship, he is taken in by Botticelli Remorso — leader of the large rat population — but struggles to accustom to their bellicose culture. Devastated over his wife's death, King Philip forbids the consumption all things related to soup and declares rats "illegal". This also bans Andre from making soup and Boldo stops appearing. Without its soup, Dor gradually becomes impoverished and dreary and the king's daughter, Princess Pea, laments over the sad state of the kingdom and how her father's grief-based reclusive behavior shuts her and the world out. In a mouse village within an abandoned kitchen storage room, Despereaux is born into the Tilling family. The newborn Despereaux is immediately noted by his family for his large ears, as well as having been born neither blind nor crying. As he grows up, it is clear he is different from other mice: he is brave and curious rather than timid, unnerving other mice around him.