Fantastic Mr. Fox

Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) is a stop-motion animated comedy film directed by Wes Anderson, based on the 1970 children's novel by Roald Dahl. The story follows Mr. Fox, a clever and rebellious wild animal who gives up stealing from farmers to settle into a quiet domestic life with his wife and son. But he can’t resist one last heist against the cruel trio of farmers—Boggis, Bunce, and Bean. His actions spark a war between the animals and the humans, forcing Mr. Fox to face the consequences of his pride while uniting the underground animal community in clever resistance. Told with dry wit and quirky style, the film is as much about identity and community as it is about mischief. The film was produced using traditional stop-motion animation with painstaking detail, giving it a tactile, handcrafted aesthetic that sharply contrasted with the slickness of mainstream CGI animations at the time. It starred George Clooney as Mr. Fox and Meryl Streep as Mrs. Fox, with voice roles also by Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Willem Dafoe, and Owen Wilson. At the box office, Fantastic Mr. Fox earned $46.5 million worldwide on a budget of $40 million. While it wasn’t a blockbuster hit, it performed respectably and became a steady earner through home media, critical acclaim, and long-term fan appreciation. Its modest earnings were more than offset by its enormous cultural impact and awards recognition. Critics overwhelmingly praised the film for its unique visual style, smart writing, and sharp humor. It holds a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a Metacritic score of 83, with many calling it one of the most inventive animated films of the decade. Anderson’s meticulous aesthetic, combined with Roald Dahl’s dark charm, created a hybrid that felt both nostalgic and modern. The film marked Anderson’s first foray into animation and set the tone for later projects like Isle of Dogs. Fantastic Mr. Fox was nominated for two Academy Awards in 2010—Best Animated Feature and Best Original Score—though it lost both (to Up and Up, respectively). It also received nominations at the BAFTA Awards, Annie Awards, and Golden Globes, and won several critics’ group awards for Best Animated Film. Over time, the film has gained a cult following and is frequently studied in animation and film design circles for its innovative use of texture, color, and framing. It helped elevate the reputation of stop-motion in the 21st century and is now considered one of the most distinctive animated features ever made.