The Emoji Movie 2017

Movie · 86 min · English · July 23, 2017

Children's animated Children's comedy Science fantasy

Directed by Tony LeondisWritten by Tony Leondis, Eric Siegel, Mike White

Starring T.J. Miller, James Corden, Anna Faris, Maya Rudolph, Steven Wright

A 2017 American animated comedy film, The Emoji Movie uses emojis as its central theme. The voices of T.J. Miller, James Corden, Anna Faris, Maya Rudolph, Steven Wright, Jennifer Coolidge, Jake T. Austin, Christina Aguilera, Sofía Vergara, Sean Hayes, and Patrick Stewart bring the characters to life. The story follows Gene (Miller), a multi-expressional emoji living in a digital city named Textopolis inside a smartphone used by Alex (Austin). Gene seeks to become a normal emoji with only one expression, joined on his quest by his companions Hi-5 (Corden) and Jailbreak (Faris). Their journey takes them through various apps, where they must prevent their world from being destroyed before it gets reset for new functionality.

The film was produced by Sony Pictures Animation and directed by Tony Leondis, who co-wrote the screenplay with Eric Siegel and Mike White. Leondis’ admiration for Toy Story (1995) inspired the project, leading to its quick development in July 2015 after a bidding war. The announcement came in April 2016, followed by hiring most of the main cast later that year. Its production lasted two years, which was quicker than average for animated features. Public reaction during marketing phase was unfavorable, sparking criticism online prior to release.

The Emoji Movie premiered at Regency Village Theatre on July 23, 2017 and opened in the U.S. on July 28 under Sony Pictures Releasing, distributed through its Columbia Pictures label. Despite making $218 million globally against a $50 million budget, it was widely panned by critics and is often cited as one of the worst animated films ever made. At the 38th Golden Raspberry Awards, the film collected four out of five nominations, including Worst Picture, marking the first time an animated movie won in those categories.