Arthur and the Minimoys

Lore & Background

The film follows 10-year-old Arthur, who lives with his grandmother in present-day Connecticut. After his grandfather Archibald goes missing, Arthur discovers clues leading to a hidden treasure of rubies. He is shrunk to Minimoy size and joins Princess Selenia and her brother Betameche to stop the villain Maltazard. The plot incorporates elements from the first two books of Besson's series.

Production began with an idea by Patrice and Céline Garcia, which Besson developed into a book series before writing the script. The live-action cast includes Freddie Highmore as Arthur, Mia Farrow as his grandmother, and Ron Crawford as Archibald. The voice cast features Madonna, David Bowie, Harvey Keitel, and Snoop Dogg. The film was shot in English with French animators using proprietary software.

For its US release, The Weinstein Company edited the film, cutting nine minutes, adding narration, and reducing sexual innuendo. Released as Arthur and the Invisibles, this version received generally negative reviews and grossed about $25 million in the US.

Reader's Guide

Arthur and the Minimoys is significant as a landmark in French cinema, being the most expensive French film ever produced at its release. Its blend of live-action and CGI animation, along with an international cast, represented an ambitious attempt to create a global franchise from a French production. The film's success in France led to two sequels, a spin-off horror film, video games, an animated series, and theme park attractions, demonstrating its cultural impact. The US release's negative reception highlights the challenges of adapting foreign films for American audiences. The film remains notable for its star-studded voice cast and its role in launching a multimedia franchise.

Did You Know?

• The film was based on the first two books of Luc Besson's Arthur children's book series, which he wrote before the script.
• Madonna and David Bowie provided voices for the English version, though their Minimoy characters were animated via keyframe animation, not performance capture.
• The US release, titled Arthur and the Invisibles, was cut by nine minutes and received generally negative reviews.
• The film's budget of approximately €65 million (or $85 million at the time) made it the most expensive French film ever produced at the time.