Over the Hedgewas a fairly successful animated family film from the 2000s and, in a time when even the oddest kids' movies end up getting a sequel, it’s a wonder there was never anOver the Hedge 2. Based on the comic strip by Michael Fry and T. Lewis,Over the Hedgeis a 2006 animated movie that follows a crafty raccoon who finds himself owing a winter’s worth of food to a mafia-like bear. To procure the food and avoid getting eaten, RJ (Bruce Willis), convinces a gang of woodland critters to help him.
Gary Shandling, Steve Carell, Allison Janney, Thomas Haden Church, Wanda Sykes, William Shatner, Nick Nolte, and Eugene Levy round out the all-star voice cast of forest animals and humans. Fun, zany, and with a sharp sense of humor,Over the Hedgeis in thehigher tier of animated kid’s moviesthat had more care and thought put into it than those movies sometimes receive. With a 75% onRotten Tomatoesand a major studio behind it (DreamWorks),it’s curious as to why there’s never been anOver the Hedge 2.
Over The Hedge 2 Never Happened Because The First One Didn’t Make Enough Money
There Were Other DreamWorks Animation Movies With Bigger Box Offices
Along with its high critical acclaim,Over the Hedgealso earned a huge amount at the box office, nearly $340 million(viaBoxOfficeMojo). Well, at least it is a huge amount before everything is factored in (viaOverTheHedgeBlog). The film cost around $100 million to make, and then another $70 million to advertise and market. Additionally, most studios only end up getting around half the theater receipts, which comes out to $170 million. At this point, the movie is only at break-even.
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Subtract another 15% distributor’s fee to Paramount, and DreamWorks is in a $25 million hole. Even the $75 million in DVD sales only brings the movie back to $50 million.Over the Hedgeis in the green at this point, but if DreamWorks Animation is only making 2–3 movies a year, and something likeShrek 2earns nearly a billion at the box office two years earlier (viaBoxOfficeMojo),it’s not hard to guess which movie DreamWorks would rather take the risk on backing if they intend start or continue a franchise.
Why Over The Hedge Didn’t Perform Better At The Box Office
Other Major Kids Movies Came Out The Same Summer
With such a stacked cast, excellent animation, cute characters, and a story good for adults and kids, it’s a wonder whyOver the Hedgedidn’t earn more at the box office, and push itself into sequel contention. As with most movies (at least in the past), the other films opening at the same time could very easily encroach on another’s box office, as parents and viewers have to decide which film to see.
Over the Hedgehad a lot of competition in the family and kids genre, including the massively successfulCarswhich opened just a month later.
Over the Hedgehad a lot of competition in the family and kids genre, including the massively successfulCarswhich opened just a month later. Other popular kids films that opened the same spring and summer includeHoot,Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties,Nacho Libre,Leroy & Stitch,Monster House,The Ant Bully, andBarnyard, all of which had successful box offices.
Could Over The Hedge 2 Come Out Over Streaming?
Over The Hedge Does Not Have Much Of A Legacy
While some fans ofOver the Hedgemay have liked to see asequel to the 2006 animated movie, they’re likely in the minority.Over the Hedgeis undeniably a lot of fun, and is a unique take on a heist film, with a lot of exciting and creative scenes of animals dealing with the human world for the first time. However, it has little, if no, cultural impact.IfOver the Hedge 2dropped on to a streaming app, there would be few people who would even recognize that they were watching a sequelif not for the 2 in the title.
Over The Hedge
Cast
Over the Hedge follows a scheming raccoon who manipulates a group of forest animals to help him repay a food debt by infiltrating a new suburban neighborhood. Throughout their comedic adventure, the raccoon gains insights into the importance of family and community.
