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Tusker is a cancelled Dreamworks Animation film that was to be the studio's third computer animated feature, following Antz and Shrek.

Plot[]

Tusker would have followed a herd of elephants as they set out on a Great Escape-inspired impossible mission, making a trek across Southeast Asia while encountering poachers and other dangers. The protagonist would have been a young elephant whose journey of discovery, heroism and redemption intersected with and renewed the life of a reclusive old elephant who had always been an outsider[1].

Cast[]

  • Morgan Freeman as Tusker, the herd leader
  • Jodie Foster as Tarra, a young female elephant
  • Don Knotts as an unnamed elephant
  • Dana Carvey as an unknown character
  • Garry Shandling as an unknown character
  • Bruno Kirby as an unknown character

Development[]

Tusker was announced in December 1998, with Katzenberg describing the movie as an action-comedy: "It is very much an homage to the classic World War II films such as The Dirty Dozen or The Guns of Navarone, in which a band of screw-ups have to go on an impossible mission in order to save the rest of the herd.[2]" In March 1999, animators and the directors spent time at an elephant preserve in Nashville, TN, to study the physical mannerisms as well as the personalities of elephants. A year later, in May 2000, Jeffrey Katzenberg travelled to Asia for work related to this project. Jodie Foster and Morgan Freeman's involvement in Tusker was made official in late March 2000.

Cancellation[]

In Spring 2001, rumours flew that DreamWorks abandoned Tusker. This was denied by Katzenberg during an interview with USA Today in early June. Nevertheless, it was announced unofficially in late July 2001 that the movie, which was originally set for December 2002, has been postponed to 2003, after the release of Shrek 2. PDI gave the official word on this project to Animated Movies in February 2002: "Tusker is currently on-hold since the stories for both Shrek 2 and Madagascar are more developed and ready for production. Tusker's date is TBD." It was confirmed in March 2002 that Jodie Foster had begun work on the animated movie, which was at the time "still in its early stages" and had no release date scheduled.

Aborted Revival[]

In August 2008, it was reported that DreamWorks Animation's former co-head of production Cecil Kramer, who shepherded Tusker at the studio for six years, brought the project to Hong Kong and Los Angeles-based animation company Imagi Animation Studios. Brooke Breton was to produce this new version of the film from a screenplay by Ted Tally. An early 2011 release was scheduled that same month[1]. However, following the box office failure of Imagi's Astro Boy, Tusker was again cancelled February 5, 2010 as the animation studio shut down[3].

Gallery[]

Wiki
DreamWorks Wiki has a collection of images and media related to Tusker.

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Ball, Ryan. "Imagi Picks Up DreamWorks' Tusker", Animation Magazine, Jean Thorin, August 11, 2008. Retrieved on May 10, 2020. 
  2. Amidi, Amid. PDI and Dreamworks announce their third film, "Tusker". Animation World Network. Retrieved on May 10, 2020.
  3. Goldberg, Matt (February 9, 2010). Imagi Animation Studios Shut Down; Is the Adaptation of GATCHAMAN Dead?. Collider. Retrieved on May 10, 2020.

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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)
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Feature Films in Development: Mice & MysticsShrek 5
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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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