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Me and My Shadow was a cancelled American hand-drawn/computer-animated fantasy comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation. The film was supposed to be a blend of both CGI and hand-drawn animation. It would have been the first DreamWorks Animation film (aside from the 2D scenes in The Croods and the Kung Fu Panda movies) to feature traditional animation since Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas in 2003. It was originally scheduled for release on March 14, 2014, but in February 2013, the film returned to development with Mr. Peabody & Sherman taking its release date. The soundtrack list has been released on IMDBpro.

On one of the animators' Twitter, it was announced that the film was in negotiations to be released in March 2016 or late 2015, switching places with Kung Fu Panda 3. In an interview in late 2013, Jeffrey Katzenberg stated that the film was not cancelled but put back on its development tracks and would start up production when they get a new re-write.

Josh Gad, the one who plays Daniel Grubb, recorded his first line of dialogue on February 16, 2012 and posted it on his Instagram. He also posted a picture of a page of the script and one of the lines of direction were, "Stanley in Stan's control, waves at Heidi as she advances closer to him". The film would had started production on August or September. At a Comic Con, it was said that half of the movie is in 2D.

The film was officially cancelled by DreamWorks supposedly halfway through production.

Synopsis[]

Me and My Shadow releases the once secret world of shadows and their human counterparts. A shadow named Dan yearns for a more exiting life, but happens to be stuck with Daniel Grubb, a timid man with an extreme aversion to adventure. When a crime in the shadow world puts both of their lives in danger, Shadow Dan is forced to take control of Daniel, and they go on a life changing adventure to investigate the crime and stop an evil shadow from leading a rebellion where shadows take over their human counterparts and the human world. During this adventure, Shadow Dan empowers Daniel to let go of his fears and embrace life. And through their perils, they both learn that one cannot be whole without a true friend.[1]

Voice Cast[]

Development[]

On December 10, 2010, DreamWorks Animation announced a project titled "Me and My Shadow" was scheduled for a March 2013 release date. The plot involved Shadow Dan who serves as a shadow to Daniel Grubb, a boring and timid man who has trouble opening up to new possibilities. Wanting to live a more exciting life, he escapes the "Shadow World" and takes control of Stanley. With Mark Dindal slated as the film's director (who also developed the film's concept and story), the film was meant to combine traditional and CGI animation. Bill Damaschke, DWA co-prexy of production stated, “The way ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’ combined hand-drawn and live-action, this does the same, but with CG and hand-drawn. The creative team behind the film are all ambidextrous, in a way. Everybody has a significant 2D movie and a significant 3D movie under their belt. Shadow will combine the time-honored tradition of hand-drawn animation with the magical sophistication of CG characters and worlds in ways that have never been experienced by audiences before. It will be super-challenging but very cool!”[2]

Pre-Production[]

In January 2012, Bill Hader, Kate Hudson, Josh Gad, and Tom Hiddleston had joined the voice cast. Additionally, Alessandro Carloni had replaced Dindal as director and the release date was pushed back to November 2013.

Production[]

In February 2012, the film entered production. However, in June 2012, its release date was pushed back to March 14, 2014 with Mr. Peabody & Sherman taking its November 2013 release.

Re-Development[]

In February 2013, Me and My Shadow went back into development with Mr. Peabody & Sherman re-assuming its original March 2014 release. On November 19, 2015, Edgar Wright had signed to direct and co-write an animated feature for DreamWorks, in which the story was described as a "new take on a previously developed concept about shadows." Bonnie Arnold and Mireille Soria, DreamWorks Animation’s co-presidents of feature animation said, "Edgar will spearhead a new approach to this fascinating concept and we’re ecstatic to have him on board as director along with David as co-writer. We’ve always been intrigued by a film concept involving shadows, and now with Edgar’s signature comedic style and abilities as a natural storyteller, audiences will be treated to a truly captivating and energetic tale.” In an interview with Collider published in June 2017, Wright explained that he and David Walliams had wrote three drafts, but the project is in limbo due to management changes at DreamWorks Animation. Wright said, “Well I wrote three drafts of that, but because of the whole regime change there, most of the people that hired me and David Walliams to do it don’t work there anymore. So at the moment that’s not something that I’m necessarily attached to I think. It’s something that’s TBD.”[3]

Trivia[]

  • At the time, most of the Dreamworks Animation crew was working on How to Train Your Dragon 2. There were not too many people working on Me and My Shadow compared to other Dreamworks films.[4]
  • In 2012, there was a press screening of Me and My Shadow where Jeffrey Katzenberg fell asleep. The entire crew knew he wasn’t into it. After the screening he said it wasn’t a $200 million movie, which is what he wanted.[5]
  • There was little to no changes with the story and style of the movie between the two directors, Mark Dindal and Alessandro Carloni.[6]
  • Josh Gad and Bill Hader later played together as Chuck and Leonard in 2016's The Angry Birds Movie.
  • Owl City composed the entire soundtrack for the movie, and the names of each track were revealed, but the music was never released.[1]

Gallery[]

Since the writing of this article more clips, concept art and behind the scenes pictures have been found.

Navigation[]

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Cinema
Feature Films: Antz (1998) • The Prince of Egypt (1998) • The Road to El Dorado (2000) • Shrek (2001) • Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (2002) • Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas (2003) • Shrek 2 (2004) • Shark Tale (2004) • Madagascar (2005) • Over the Hedge (2006) • Shrek the Third (2007) • Bee Movie (2007) • Kung Fu Panda (2008) • Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (2008) • Monsters vs. Aliens (2009) • How to Train Your Dragon (2010) • Shrek Forever After (2010) • Megamind (2010) • Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011) • Puss in Boots (2011) • Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (2012) • Rise of the Guardians (2012) • The Croods (2013) • Turbo (2013) • Mr. Peabody & Sherman (2014) • How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014) • Penguins of Madagascar (2014) • Home (2015) • Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016) • Trolls (2016) • The Boss Baby (2017) • Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie (2017) • How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019) • Abominable (2019) • Trolls World Tour (2020) • The Croods: A New Age (2020) • Spirit Untamed (2021) • The Boss Baby: Family Business (2021) • The Bad Guys (2022) • Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022) • Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken (2023) • Trolls Band Together (2023) • Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024)

Co-produced Films: Chicken Run (2000) • Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005) • Flushed Away (2006)
Upcoming Films: The Wild Robot (2024) • Dog Man (2025)
Feature Films in Development: Mice & MysticsShrek 5
Direct-to-Video Films: Joseph: King of Dreams (2000)
Digital films: Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans (2021) • Orion and the Dark (2024) • Megamind vs. The Doom Syndicate (2024)
Canceled Films: TuskerThe WandererTortoise vs. HareTruckersMe & My ShadowMonkeys of MumbaiRumblewickB.O.O.: Bureau of Otherworldly OperationsGiants: Forces of NatureLarrikinsZodiacSpooky Jack

Television
TV Specials: Shrek the Halls (2007) • Monsters vs. Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins from Outer Space (2009) • Merry Madagascar (2009) • Scared Shrekless (2010) • Kung Fu Panda Holiday (2010) • Gift of the Night Fury (2011) • Madly Madagascar (2013) • Trolls Holiday (2017) • How to Train Your Dragon: Homecoming (2019) • Trolls: Holiday in Harmony (2021)

Shorts: Shrek in the Swamp Karaoke Dance Party! (2001) • Shrek 4-D (2003) • Sinbad and the Cyclops Island (2003) • Far Far Away Idol (2004) • Club Oscar (2005) • The Madagascar Penguins in a Christmas Caper (2005) • First Flight (2006) • Hammy's Boomerang Adventure (2006) • Secrets of the Furious Five (2008) • B.O.B.'s Big Break (2009) • Legend of the Boneknapper Dragon (2010) • Donkey's Caroling Christmas-tacular (2010) • Megamind: The Button of Doom (2011) • Thriller Night (2011) • The Pig Who Cried Werewolf (2011) • Night of the Living Carrots (2011) Book of Dragons (2011) • Gift of the Night Fury (2011) • Secrets of the Masters (2011) • Puss in Boots: The Three Diablos (2012) • Almost Home (2014) • Rocky and Bullwinkle (2014) • Dawn of the Dragon Racers (2014) • Kung Fu Panda: Secrets of the Scroll (2016) • Bird Karma (2018) • Bilby (2018) • Marooned (2019) • To: Gerard (2020)
TV Series: Toonsylvania (1998) • Invasion America (1998) • Alienators: Evolution Continues (2001–2002) • Father of the Pride (2004–2005) • The Penguins of Madagascar (2008–15) • Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness (2011–2016) • DreamWorks Dragons (2012-2018) • Monsters vs. Aliens (2013-2014) • Turbo FAST (2013–2016) • VeggieTales in the House (2014-2016) • All Hail King Julien (2014-2017) • The Adventures of Puss in Boots (2015-2018) • Dinotrux (2015-2018) • The Mr. Peabody & Sherman Show (2015-2017) • Dawn of the Croods (2015-2017) • Noddy, Toyland Detective (2016-present) • Voltron: Legendary Defender (2016-2018) • Home: Adventures with Tip and Oh (2016-2018) • Trollhunters (2016-2018) • VeggieTales in the City (2017) • Spirit Riding Free (2017-2020) • Trolls: The Beat Goes On! (2018-2019) • The Boss Baby: Back in Business (2018-2020) • The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle (TV series) (2018-2019) • Harvey Street Kids (2018-2020) • The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants (2018-2020) • She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018-2020) • Kung Fu Panda: The Paws of Destiny (2018-2019) • 3Below (2018-2019) • Where's Waldo? (2019-2020) • Archibald's Next Big Thing (2019-present) • Dragons: Rescue Riders (2019-2022) • Fast & Furious: Spy Racers (2019-2021) • Cleopatra in Space (2020-present) • Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts (2020) • Rhyme Time Town (2020-2021) • Madagascar: A Little Wild (2020-2022) • Wizards (2020) • Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous (2020-2022) • The Mighty Ones (2020-2022) • Doug Unplugs (2020-2022) • Trolls: TrollsTopia (2020-2022) • Gabby’s Dollhouse (2021-present) • Go, Dog. Go! (2021-2022) • The Croods: Family Tree (2021-2023) • Dragons: The Nine Realms (2021-2023) • The Boss Baby: Back in the Crib (2022-2023) • Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight (2022-2023) • Abominable and the Invisible City (2022-2023) • Megamind Rules! (2024-present) • Jurassic World: Chaos Theory (2024-present)
Upcoming TV Series: Felix the Cat (TBA) • Bearbrick (TBA)

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