''Big'' is a 1988 American
fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving Magic (supernatural), magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy ...
comedy-drama
Comedy drama, also known by the portmanteau ''dramedy'', is a genre of dramatic works that combines elements of comedy and drama. The modern, scripted-television examples tend to have more humorous bits than simple comic relief seen in a typical ...
film directed by
Penny Marshall
Carole Penny MarshallBorn Carole Penny Marshall in 1943, as per ''My Mother Was Nuts, a Memoir'', p. 10; . Copyright 2012 (October 15, 1943 – December 17, 2018) was an American actress, director and producer. She is known for her role as ...
and stars
Tom Hanks
Thomas Jeffrey Hanks (born July 9, 1956) is an American actor and filmmaker. Known for both his comedic and dramatic roles, he is one of the most popular and recognizable film stars worldwide, and is regarded as an American cultural icon. Ha ...
as Josh Baskin, a pre-adolescent boy whose wish to be "big" transforms him physically into an adult. The film also stars
Elizabeth Perkins
Elizabeth Ann Perkins (born November 18, 1960) is an American actress. Her film roles have included ''About Last Night'' (1986), '' Big'' (1988), ''Avalon'' (1990), and '' He Said, She Said'' (1991), ''The Flintstones'' (1994), ''Miracle on 34th ...
,
David Moscow
David Raphael Moscow (born November 14, 1974) is an American actor, producer and activist. He is best known for his role as the young Josh Baskin in the 1988 film '' Big'' and as David in the 1992 musical film ''Newsies.''
Career
In 1988, Mosco ...
,
John Heard, and
Robert Loggia
Salvatore "Robert" Loggia ( , ; January 3, 1930 – December 4, 2015) was an American actor. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for '' Jagged Edge'' (1985) and won the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor for ...
, and was written by
Gary Ross
Gary Ross (born November 3, 1956) is an American film director, writer, and producer. He is best known for writing and directing the fantasy comedy-drama film '' Pleasantville'' (1998), the sports drama film '' Seabiscuit'' (2003), the sci-fi act ...
and
Anne Spielberg
Anne Spielberg (born December 25, 1949) is an American screenwriter and producer, she is the younger sister of film director Steven Spielberg.
Career
After working for her brother's production company, Amblin Entertainment, Spielberg and he ...
. It was produced by
Gracie Films
Gracie Films is an American film and television production company founded by James L. Brooks in 1986. The company is primarily responsible for producing its long-running flagship animated series ''The Simpsons'', as well as the films '' Big'', ...
and distributed by
20th Century Fox
20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...
.
Upon release, ''Big'' was met with wide critical acclaim, particularly for Hanks' performance. It was a huge commercial success as well, grossing $151 million worldwide against a production budget of $18 million, and it proved to be pivotal to Hanks' career, establishing him as a major box-office draw as well as a critical favorite.
The film received
Academy Award
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
nominations for
Best Actor (Hanks) and
Best Original Screenplay
The Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay is the Academy Award for the best screenplay not based upon previously published material. It was created in 1940 as a separate writing award from the Academy Award for Best Story. Beginning with the ...
.
Plot
Twelve-year-old Josh Baskin is told that he is too short for a carnival ride called the
Super Loops while attempting to impress a girl. Dejected, he inserts a coin into an antique
fortune-teller machine called Zoltar, and makes a wish to be "big". It dispenses a card stating "Your wish is granted", but Josh discovers the machine has been unplugged the entire time.
The next morning, Josh finds that he has grown into an adult. He tries to locate the Zoltar machine but finds that the carnival has moved on. Returning home, he tries to explain his predicament to his mother, who chases him from the house thinking he is a stranger who has kidnapped her son. He then finds his best friend Billy and convinces him of his identity by reciting a silly song that only they know. With Billy's help, Josh learns that it will take at least six weeks to file an information request and find the Zoltar machine again, so Josh rents a room in a
flophouse
A flophouse (American English) or dosshouse (British English) is a place that offers very low-cost lodging, providing space to sleep and minimal amenities.
Characteristics
Historically, flophouses, or British "doss-houses", have been used for ...
in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
and gets a job as a data entry clerk at the MacMillan Toy Company.
![2004-12-12 - New York (9)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/77/2004-12-12_-_New_York_%289%29.jpg)
Josh meets the company's owner, Mr. MacMillan, at
FAO Schwarz
FAO Schwarz is an American toy brand and store. The company is known for its high-end toys, life-sized stuffed animals, interactive experiences, brand integrations, and games.
FAO Schwarz claims to be the oldest toy store in the United States ...
, and impresses him with his insight into current toys and his childlike enthusiasm. They play duets ("''
Heart and Soul''" and ''Chopsticks'') on the store's
Walking Piano, and MacMillan invites Josh to a massive marketing campaign pitch meeting with senior executives. Unimpressed with the toy being pitched, Josh shocks and challenges the executives with a simple declaration that the toy is not fun, and while his follow-up suggestions invigorate the team for new ideas, he earns the animosity of Paul Davenport, the pitch's leader. Meanwhile, a pleased MacMillan promotes Josh to Vice President of Product Development. He soon attracts the attention of Susan Lawrence, a fellow executive, and a romance begins to develop, much to the dismay of her former boyfriend, Davenport. Josh becomes increasingly entwined in his adult life by spending time with her, mingling with her friends, and entering in a steady relationship. His ideas become valuable assets to MacMillan Toys; however, he begins to forget what it is like to be a child, and his tight schedule rarely allows him to spend time with Billy.
MacMillan asks Josh to come up with proposals for a new line of toys. He is intimidated by the need to formulate the business aspects of the proposal, but Susan says that she will handle the business end while he comes up with the ideas. Nevertheless, he feels pressured and longs for his old life. When he expresses doubts to Susan and attempts to explain that he is a child, she interprets this as fear of commitment on his part and dismisses his explanation.
Josh learns from Billy that the Zoltar machine is now at
Sea Point Park, and he leaves in the middle of his presentation to MacMillan and the other executives. Susan also leaves and encounters Billy, who tells her where Josh went. At the park, Josh finds the machine, unplugs it, and makes a wish to become a kid again. He is then confronted by Susan for running off, but upon seeing the machine and the fortune, she realizes that he was telling the truth, and becomes despondent at realizing their relationship will end. He tells her that he enjoyed their time together and suggests that she use the machine to wish herself younger, though she declines and offers to take him home.
After sharing an emotional goodbye with Susan, Josh transforms into a child again before reuniting with his family and Billy.
Cast
*
Tom Hanks
Thomas Jeffrey Hanks (born July 9, 1956) is an American actor and filmmaker. Known for both his comedic and dramatic roles, he is one of the most popular and recognizable film stars worldwide, and is regarded as an American cultural icon. Ha ...
as Joshua "Josh" Baskin
**
David Moscow
David Raphael Moscow (born November 14, 1974) is an American actor, producer and activist. He is best known for his role as the young Josh Baskin in the 1988 film '' Big'' and as David in the 1992 musical film ''Newsies.''
Career
In 1988, Mosco ...
as Young Josh Baskin
*
Elizabeth Perkins
Elizabeth Ann Perkins (born November 18, 1960) is an American actress. Her film roles have included ''About Last Night'' (1986), '' Big'' (1988), ''Avalon'' (1990), and '' He Said, She Said'' (1991), ''The Flintstones'' (1994), ''Miracle on 34th ...
as Susan Lawrence
*
Robert Loggia
Salvatore "Robert" Loggia ( , ; January 3, 1930 – December 4, 2015) was an American actor. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for '' Jagged Edge'' (1985) and won the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor for ...
as Mr. MacMillan
*
John Heard as Paul Davenport
*
Jared Rushton
Jared Michael Rushton (born March 3, 1974) is an American former actor. He is best known for his roles in several films from the late 1980s, including ''Honey, I Shrunk the Kids'', ''Big'', and '' Overboard''. He has been nominated for two Saturn ...
as Billy Francis Kopecki
*
Jon Lovitz
Jonathan Michael Lovitz (; born July 21, 1957) is an American actor and comedian. He was a cast member of ''Saturday Night Live'' from 1985 to 1990. Lovitz starred as Jay Sherman in '' The Critic'' and played a baseball scout in '' A League of ...
as Scotty Brennen
*
Mercedes Ruehl as Mrs. Baskin
*
Josh Clark
Josh Clark (born August 16, 1955) is an American stage and screen actor.
Biography
Clark was born in Bethesda, Maryland. He studied acting at the North Carolina School of the Arts.
Acting career
His first screen role was in the 1976 TV movie ...
as Mr. Baskin
* Kimberlee M. Davis as Cynthia Benson
*
Debra Jo Rupp
Debra Jo Rupp (born February 24, 1951) is an American actress best known for her roles as Kitty Forman on the Fox sitcom ''That '70s Show'' and its sequel series ''That '90s Show'', and Alice Knight-Buffay on the third through fifth seasons o ...
as Miss Patterson
*
Paul Herman
Paul Herman (March 29, 1946 – March 29, 2022) was an American actor. He was best known for playing Randy in David O. Russell's dramedy '' Silver Linings Playbook'' (2012) and Whispers DiTullio in Martin Scorsese's crime epic ''The Irishman ...
as Schizo
*
Peter McRobbie
Peter McRobbie (born 31 January 1943) is a Scottish-born American character actor, best known for his roles as John C. Twist in the 2005 romantic drama film '' Brokeback Mountain'', Mike Sheenan in the 2006 action film ''16 Blocks'', Pop Pop ...
as Executive #3
Production
The
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance language
*** Regional Ita ...
film ''
Da grande'' (1987) has been said to be the inspiration for ''Big''.
Anne's brother
Steven Spielberg
Steven Allan Spielberg (; born December 18, 1946) is an American director, writer, and producer. A major figure of the New Hollywood era and pioneer of the modern blockbuster, he is the most commercially successful director of all time. Spie ...
was attached to direct the film and wanting to cast
Harrison Ford
Harrison Ford (born July 13, 1942) is an American actor. His films have grossed more than $5.4billion in North America and more than $9.3billion worldwide, making him the seventh-highest-grossing actor in North America. He is the recipient o ...
as Josh but Spielberg dropped out when his son Max was born and also due to scheduling conflicts with ''
Empire of the Sun
''Empire of the Sun'' is a 1984 novel by English writer J. G. Ballard; it was awarded the James Tait Black Memorial Prize and was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. Like Ballard's earlier short story "The Dead Time" (published in the anthology ...
''.
Kevin Costner
Kevin Michael Costner (born January 18, 1955) is an American actor, producer, film director and musician. He has received various accolades, including two Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and two Screen Actor ...
,
Steve Guttenberg
Steven Robert Guttenberg (born August 24, 1958) is an American actor, author, businessman, producer, and director. He is known for his lead roles in Hollywood films of the 1980s and 1990s, including ''Cocoon'', ''Police Academy'', ''Three Men and ...
,
Warren Beatty
Henry Warren Beatty (né Beaty; born March 30, 1937) is an American actor and filmmaker, whose career spans over six decades. He was nominated for 15 Academy Awards, including four for Best Actor, four for Best Picture, two for Best Director, ...
,
Dennis Quaid
Dennis William Quaid (born April 9, 1954) is an American actor known for a wide variety of dramatic and comedic roles. First gaining widespread attention in the late 1970s, some of his notable credits include ''Breaking Away'' (1979), '' The ...
and
Matthew Modine
Matthew Avery Modine (born March 22, 1959) is an American actor and filmmaker, who rose to prominence through his role as U.S. Marine Private/Sergeant J.T. "Joker" Davis in ''Full Metal Jacket''. His other film roles include the title character ...
were all offered the role of Josh, all of whom turned it down.
Albert Brooks
Albert Brooks (born Albert Lawrence Einstein ; July 22, 1947) is an American actor and filmmaker.
He received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for 1987's '' Broadcast News'' and was widely praised for his performance as a ...
was also offered the role but turned it down as he didn't want to play a kid.
John Travolta wanted to play Josh but the studio wasn't interested in casting him.
Sean Penn
Sean Justin Penn (born August 17, 1960) is an American actor and film director. He has won two Academy Awards, for his roles in the mystery drama ''Mystic River'' (2003) and the biopic ''Milk'' (2008).
Penn began his acting career in televisi ...
was considered for the role of Josh but Marshall deemed him too young.
Gary Busey
Gary Busey (; born 1944) is an American actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Buddy Holly in ''The Buddy Holly Story'' (1978), for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor and won the National Society of Film Critics ...
auditioned for the role of Josh but Marshall didn’t think he could pull off playing an adult.
[ ]Andy García
Andrés Arturo García Menéndez (born April 12, 1956), known professionally as Andy García, is a Cuban-born American actor, director and musician. He first rose to prominence acting in Brian De Palma's ''The Untouchables'' (1987) alongside ...
read for Josh but one of the studio executives didn't want to spend $18 million for "a kid to grow to be Puerto Rican" (García is actually Cuban).[ ]Debra Winger
Debra Lynn Wingerhttps://www.pressreader.com/usa/closer-weekly/20200511/282084868951188https://www.discountmags.com/magazine/closer-weekly-may-11-2020-digital/in-this-issue/99961 (born May 16, 1955)https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/The_Inter ...
tried to convince Marshall to rewrite Josh into a woman. Robert De Niro was cast in the lead role with Elizabeth Perkins
Elizabeth Ann Perkins (born November 18, 1960) is an American actress. Her film roles have included ''About Last Night'' (1986), '' Big'' (1988), ''Avalon'' (1990), and '' He Said, She Said'' (1991), ''The Flintstones'' (1994), ''Miracle on 34th ...
. He later dropped out due to "scheduling conflicts" and was replaced by Tom Hanks
Thomas Jeffrey Hanks (born July 9, 1956) is an American actor and filmmaker. Known for both his comedic and dramatic roles, he is one of the most popular and recognizable film stars worldwide, and is regarded as an American cultural icon. Ha ...
. Hanks and Loggia made two cardboard pianos and practiced them at home, the studio hired doubles in case if Hanks and Loggia didn’t get it right.
Reception
Critical response
''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' praised the performances of Moscow and Rushton, saying the film "features believable young teen-age mannerisms from the two real boys in its cast and this only makes Mr. Hanks's funny, flawless impression that much more adorable." John Simon of the ''National Review
''National Review'' is an American conservative editorial magazine, focusing on news and commentary pieces on political, social, and cultural affairs. The magazine was founded by the author William F. Buckley Jr. in 1955. Its editor-in-chief i ...
'' described ''Big'' as "an accomplished, endearing, and by no means mindless fantasy".
The film was nominated for Academy Award
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
s for Best Actor (Hanks) and Best Original Screenplay
The Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay is the Academy Award for the best screenplay not based upon previously published material. It was created in 1940 as a separate writing award from the Academy Award for Best Story. Beginning with the ...
. At the Golden Globe Awards
The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...
, the film was nominated for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, while Hanks won for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.
On the review aggregator
A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews of products and services (such as films, books, video games, software, hardware, and cars). This system stores the reviews and uses them for purposes such as supporting a website where users ...
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...
, the film scored a "Certified Fresh" 97% rating based on 74 reviews, with an average rating of 7.90/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Refreshingly sweet and undeniably funny, ''Big'' is a showcase for Tom Hanks, who dives into his role and infuses it with charm and surprising poignancy." On Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
, the film has a weighted average score of 73 out of 100, based on 20 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews." Audiences polled by CinemaScore
CinemaScore is a market research firm based in Las Vegas. It surveys film audiences to rate their viewing experiences with letter grades, reports the results, and forecasts box office receipts based on the data.
Background
Ed Mintz founded Ci ...
gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.
The film is number 23 on Bravo
Bravo(s) or The Bravo(s) may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Music Groups and labels
*Bravo (band), a Russian rock band
* Bravo (Spanish group), represented Spain at Eurovision 1984
*Bravo Music, an American concert band music publishing company ...
's ''100 Funniest Movies.'' In 2000, it was ranked 42nd on the American Film Institute
The American Film Institute (AFI) is an American nonprofit film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private funding and public membership fees.
Leade ...
's " 100 Years…100 Laughs" list. In June 2008, AFI named it as the tenth-best film in the fantasy genre. In 2008, it was selected by ''Empire Magazine
''Empire'' is a British film magazine published monthly by Bauer Consumer Media. The first issue was published in May 1989.
History
David Hepworth of Emap, the publisher of British music magazines '' Q'' and ''Smash Hits'', among other title ...
'' as one of "The 500 Greatest Movies of All Time."
''Big'' was part of a series of twin films featuring an age-changing plot produced in the late 1980s, including '' Like Father Like Son'' (1987), '' 18 Again!'' (1988), ''Vice Versa
References
Additional references
*
*
{{Latin phrases
Lists of Latin phrases, V
ca:Locució llatina#V
da:Latinske ord og vendinger#V
fr:Liste de locutions latines#V
id:Daftar frasa Latin#V
it:Locuzioni latine#V
nl:Lijst van Latijns ...
'' (1988), '' 14 Going on 30'' (1988),
The film is recognized by American Film Institute
The American Film Institute (AFI) is an American nonprofit film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private funding and public membership fees.
Leade ...
in these lists:
* 2000: AFI's 100 Years...100 Laughs – #42
* 2008: AFI's 10 Top 10: #10 Fantasy Film
Box office
The film opened at No. 2 with $8.2 million in its first weekend. It would end up grossing over $151 million ($116 million in the US and $36 million internationally).[ It was the first feature film directed by a woman to gross over $100 million.
]
Accolades
Adaptations
Film remakes
In 2004, an Indian remake titled ''New
New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created.
New or NEW may refer to:
Music
* New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz
Albums and EPs
* ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013
* ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator ...
'' in Tamil-language starring S.J. Suryah
S. Justin Selvaraj, known by his stage name S. J. Suryah is an Indian film director, screenwriter, actor, composer, producer and music director who has worked predominately in Tamil film industry. He sought to become an actor but started out d ...
and ''Naani
''Naani'' is an 2004 Indian Telugu-language science-fiction romantic comedy film released in 2004. It was directed by S. J. Surya and stars Mahesh Babu
Ghattamaneni Mahesh Babu (born 9 August 1975) is an Indian actor, producer, media pers ...
'' starring Mahesh Babu
Ghattamaneni Mahesh Babu (born 9 August 1975) is an Indian actor, producer, media personality, and philanthropist who works mainly in Telugu cinema. He has appeared in more than 25 films, and won several accolades including, eight Nandi Awar ...
in Telugu-language was released. An Indian Hindi-language remake titled ''Aao Wish Karein
''Aao Wish Karein'' (English: "Come, Make a Wish") is a 2009 Indian fantasy comedy film directed by Glen Barreto. The film features Aftab Shivdasani and Aamna Shariff in lead roles.
It released on 13 November 2009. It is remake of 1988 English ...
'' starring Aftab Shivdasani
Aftab Shivdasani (born 25 June 1978) is an Indian actor, producer and model known for his works in Bollywood and also working for Tamil and Kannada film industry.
Shivdasani was selected as the Farex baby at the age of 14 months and eventually ...
released in 2009.
Broadway musical
In 1996, the film was made into a musical for the Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
**Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
stage. It featured music by David Shire
David Lee Shire (born July 3, 1937) is an American songwriter and composer of stage Musical theater, musicals, film and television film score, scores. The soundtracks to the 1976 film ''The Big Bus'', ''The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974 f ...
, lyrics by Richard Maltby Jr., and a book by John Weidman
John Weidman (born September 25, 1946) is an American librettist and television writer for ''Sesame Street''. He has worked on stage musicals with Stephen Sondheim and Susan Stroman.
Career
Weidman was born in New York City and grew up in Westport ...
. Directed by Mike Ockrent
Michael Robert Ockrent (18 June 1946 – 2 December 1999) was a British stage director, well-known both for his Broadway musicals and smaller niche plays. He was educated at Highgate School. Through directing ''Educating Rita'', '' The Nerd'' an ...
, and choreographed by Susan Stroman, it opened on April 28, 1996, and closed on October 13, 1996, after 193 performances.
Television show
The first attempt at adapting the film as a TV series came in 1990, with a sitcom pilot produced for CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
that starred Bruce Norris as Josh, Alison LaPlaca
Alison La Placa (born December 16, 1959) is an American actress best known for the role of acid-tongued yuppie Linda Phillips in the Fox sitcoms '' Duet'' and its spin-off '' Open House'', both of which aired in the late 1980s.
Biography
Earl ...
as Susan, and Darren McGavin as Mr. MacMillan; it was not picked up as a series.
On September 30, 2014, Fox
Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush'').
Twelve sp ...
announced that a TV remake, loosely based on the film, was planned. Written and executive produced by Kevin Biegel Kevin Biegel is a television writer/producer, the co-creator of ''Cougar Town'' and creator of '' Enlisted''.[Kevin Biegel](_blank) and Mike Royce, it dealt with what it means to be an adult and kid in present times.
In popular culture
The fictional ''Zoltar Speaks'' fortune-telling machine portrayed in the film was modeled after the real-life 1960s machine ''Zoltan'', the name differing by one letter. In 2007, the Nevada-based animatronic
Animatronics refers to mechatronic puppets. They are a modern variant of the automaton and are often used for the portrayal of characters in films and in theme park attractions.
It is a multidisciplinary field integrating puppetry, anatomy a ...
company Characters Unlimited was awarded a trademark
A trademark (also written trade mark or trade-mark) is a type of intellectual property consisting of a recognizable sign, design, or expression that identifies products or services from a particular source and distinguishes them from others ...
for ''Zoltar Speaks'' and began selling fortune-telling machines with that name.
The film is referenced in the 2019 DC Extended Universe
The DC Extended Universe (DCEU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on a series of superhero films and television series produced by DC Studios and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. It is based on characters that ...
film '' Shazam!''. In the scene in which Doctor Sivana
Doctor Thaddeus Bodog Sivana is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bill Parker and C. C. Beck, the character is a recurring enemy of the superhero Captain Marvel/Shazam, both of whom first appe ...
chases Billy Batson
Captain Marvel, also known as Shazam, is a superhero appearing in American comic books originally published by Fawcett Comics and currently published by DC Comics. Artist C. C. Beck and writer Bill Parker created the character in 1939. Captai ...
into a toy store, Billy unknowingly steps onto a Walking Piano and briefly plays it before being knocked out a window by Sivanna. Additionally, both films' plots center around a child who is magically transformed into an adult.
An Easter egg made an appearance in '' The Order'' season 2, episode 2, entitled "Free Radicals, Part 2." In the episode, Alyssa shows Jack (Jake Manley) their vault of magical artifacts, which is described by Alyssa as "the beating heart of the Order." This place has everything from Excalibur
Excalibur () is the legendary sword of King Arthur, sometimes also attributed with magical powers or associated with the rightful sovereignty of Britain. It was associated with the Arthurian legend very early on. Excalibur and the Sword in th ...
to the Ark of the Covenant
The Ark of the Covenant,; Ge'ez: also known as the Ark of the Testimony or the Ark of God, is an alleged artifact believed to be the most sacred relic of the Israelites, which is described as a wooden chest, covered in pure gold, with an e ...
. While there, a Zoltar fortune-telling machine from ''Big'' catches Jack's eye. Alyssa explains that it's an "enchanted" Zoltar machine that makes wishes come true. After Jack says he wishes to know his major, Alyssa quickly warns him that Zoltar is a "bit of a trickster" who "grants your wishes ironically." The machine, which is among the artifacts stolen by the demon summoned by the Knights of the Saint Christopher, can be spotted in multiple episodes.
See also
* ''Little
Little is a synonym for small size and may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Little'' (album), 1990 debut album of Vic Chesnutt
* ''Little'' (film), 2019 American comedy film
*The Littles, a series of children's novels by American author John P ...
'' – A similar film
References
External links
*
*
*
{{Gracie Films
1980s American films
1980s coming-of-age comedy films
1980s English-language films
1980s fantasy comedy films
1988 romantic comedy films
1988 films
20th Century Fox films
American coming-of-age comedy films
American fantasy comedy films
American romantic comedy films
Films about size change
Films about wish fulfillment
Films adapted into plays
Films directed by Penny Marshall
Films featuring a Best Musical or Comedy Actor Golden Globe winning performance
Films produced by James L. Brooks
Films produced by Robert Greenhut
Films scored by Howard Shore
Films set in New Jersey
Films set in New York City
Films shot in Fort Lee, New Jersey
Films shot in New Jersey
Films shot in New York City
Films about rapid human age change
Films with screenplays by Gary Ross
Gracie Films films
Magic realism films
Workplace comedy films