''Clifford the Big Red Dog'' is a 2021
adventure
An adventure is an exciting experience or undertaking that is typically bold, sometimes risky. Adventures may be activities with danger such as traveling, exploring, skydiving, mountain climbing, scuba diving, river rafting, or other extreme spo ...
comedy film
A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...
directed by
Walt Becker
Walter William Becker is an American filmmaker and novelist, whose directorial credits include the films ''Van Wilder'', ''Wild Hogs'' and ''Old Dogs (film), Old Dogs''.
Biography
Becker graduated from Pasadena High School (California) in 198 ...
and based on the children's book series
of the same name by
Norman Bridwell
Norman Ray Bridwell (February 15, 1928 – December 12, 2014) was an American author and cartoonist best known for the ''Clifford the Big Red Dog'' book series.
Early life
Bridwell was born on February 15, 1928, in Kokomo, Indiana, to Leona and ...
starring
Jack Whitehall
Jack Peter Benedict Whitehall (born 7 July 1988) is an English comedian, actor, presenter and writer. He is known for starring as JP in the series ''Fresh Meat (TV series), Fresh Meat'' (2011–2016) and Alfie Wickers in the series ''Bad Educat ...
,
Darby Camp
Darby Eliza Camp (born July 14, 2007) is an American actress. Her career had begun through her mother, an actress herself. Camp's breakout role came in HBO's '' Big Little Lies'' (2017–2019) in the recurring role of Chloe Adaline Mackenzie, th ...
,
Tony Hale
Anthony Russell Hale (born September 30, 1970) is an American actor and comedian. He is known for his role in the Fox comedy series ''Arrested Development'' as Buster Bluth. Hale played Gary Walsh on the HBO comedy ''Veep'' from 2012 until its ...
,
Sienna Guillory
Sienna Tiggy Guillory (; born 16 March 1975) is an English actress and former model. She portrayed Jill Valentine in several entries of the ''Resident Evil'' action-horror film series. Other prominent roles include elf princess Arya Dröttningu ...
,
David Alan Grier
David Alan Grier (born June 30, 1956) is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his work as Bernard on '' Damon'' (1998), as David Bellows on ''Life with Bonnie'' (2002–2004), as Joe Carmichael on ''The Carmichael Show'' (2015 ...
,
Russell Wong
Russell Wong (; born March 1, 1963) is an American actor of film and television. He was one of the first actors of Chinese descent to hold a leading role in a primetime American television series, portraying Jian-Wa with Chi Muoi Lo portraying W ...
,
Kenan Thompson
Kenan Thompson (; born May 10, 1978) is an American actor and comedian. He has been a cast member of the NBC sketch comedy series ''Saturday Night Live'' since 2003, making him the longest-tenured cast member in the show's history. He was also th ...
and
John Cleese
John Marwood Cleese ( ; born 27 October 1939) is an English actor, comedian, screenwriter, and producer. Emerging from the Cambridge Footlights in the 1960s, he first achieved success at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and as a scriptwriter and ...
.
The film was screened unannounced on August 26, 2021, during the 2021
CinemaCon
The National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) is an American trade organization whose members are the owners of movie theaters. Most of the worldwide List of movie theater chains, major theater chains' operators are members, as are hundreds ...
event in Los Angeles. It was initially scheduled to premiere at the
2021 Toronto International Film Festival
The 2021 Toronto International Film Festival, the 46th event in the Toronto International Film Festival series, was held from September 9 to 18, 2021.Barry Hertz"TIFF planning ‘substantially bigger’ 2021 film festival compared to last year’ ...
in September 2021, to be followed by a theatrical release in the United States on September 17 after being delayed due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
by
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...
, but was ultimately pulled from the festival and had its release date removed from Paramount's schedule due to the spread of the
SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant
The Delta variant (B.1.617.2) was a variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. It was first detected in India in late 2020. The Delta variant was named on 31 May 2021 and had spread to over 179 countries by 22 November 2021. The ...
. Ultimately, the film was simultaneously released theatrically and digitally on
Paramount+
Paramount (from the word ''paramount'' meaning "above all others") may refer to:
Entertainment and music companies
* Paramount Global, also known simply as Paramount, an American mass media company formerly known as ViacomCBS. The following busin ...
on November 10, 2021, in the United States.
It received mixed reviews from critics and grossed $107 million worldwide on a $64 million budget. A sequel is in development.
Plot
In New York City, Emily Elizabeth Howard, a 12-year-old middle school student who lives with her mother, Maggie, is regularly bullied by a popular girl at school named Florence, but finds comfort in her only new friend Owen Yu. Maggie leaves her in the care of her
van-dwelling
Van-dwelling or vanlife is a lifestyle of living in a vehicle full or part-time. The names are compound words that derive from the fact that it is typically done in a van that has been modified with basic amenities, such as house batteries, solar ...
and irresponsible uncle Casey before going to Chicago for a business trip.
Mr. Bridwell, who runs an animal rescue tent at a park, introduces Emily to a small red puppy whose family had been taken by dogcatchers. He tells her that the puppy will grow based on how much love he receives. Casey rejects the adoption due to dogs not being allowed in the apartment building. When Emily gets home from school, she finds the puppy in her backpack and names him Clifford. Casey allows her to keep Clifford only for one night.
The next morning, Clifford has grown to giant proportions. Emily and Casey attempt to hide him from the building's superintendent, Mr. Packard. They try taking Clifford to a veterinarian, but he chases and plays with a man in an inflatable bubble. Word of his existence quickly spreads online. After learning from the vet's secretary of Bridwell's past miracles with animals and their owners, the Howards plan to get information on his whereabouts. As Emily is getting lunch for Clifford from the cafeteria, Clifford escapes from Casey's truck and humiliates Florence, giving Emily the friends she always wanted.
Zac Tieran, the owner of
biotechnology
Biotechnology is the integration of natural sciences and engineering sciences in order to achieve the application of organisms, cells, parts thereof and molecular analogues for products and services. The term ''biotechnology'' was first used b ...
company Lyfegro, discovers Clifford on
social media
Social media are interactive media technologies that facilitate the creation and sharing of information, ideas, interests, and other forms of expression through virtual communities and networks. While challenges to the definition of ''social medi ...
. He lies to the police that Clifford is his dog and has them search for him. After being evicted from their apartment and chased by the police and Lyfegro guards, Emily and Casey take shelter in Owen's lavish apartment. Casey tells Emily she can keep Clifford if they find Bridwell and take his advice. If he cannot help, Clifford must be sent to
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
, where Owen's father has a sanctuary. They race to the hospital, only to find Bridwell's empty bed and a patient who tells them Bridwell has died. Clifford is thus sent away by a boat arranged by Mr. Yu as Emily tearfully says goodbye.
The next day, Clifford is captured on the ship by Lyfegro personnel and sent to Lyfegro. Emily soon learns Bridwell did not die, so she and Casey try to save Clifford from being operated on at Lyfegro, aided by friends from their neighborhood. They break into Lyfegro's headquarters and rescue Clifford, who then flees through the city with Emily riding on him.
At Manhattan Bridge Park, a large crowd gathers as Emily desperately asks Bridwell to help, and he tells her that she must stand up for herself and for Clifford and that being different is a gift. Emily explains to everyone the importance of love, regardless of differences. However, Tieran orders the police chief to see who Clifford's owner is by checking an
ID chip he had implanted. When the chip identifies Emily as Clifford's rightful owner, the police arrest Tieran and inform him that he will be fined for lying to them. Emily, Casey, and Maggie are welcomed back into their apartment; Casey gets a job at
Scholastic Corporation
Scholastic Corporation () is an American multinational publishing, education, and media company that publishes and distributes books, comics, and educational materials for schools, parents, and children. Products are distributed via retail and on ...
and moves out of his van.
Cast
*
Darby Camp
Darby Eliza Camp (born July 14, 2007) is an American actress. Her career had begun through her mother, an actress herself. Camp's breakout role came in HBO's '' Big Little Lies'' (2017–2019) in the recurring role of Chloe Adaline Mackenzie, th ...
as Emily Elizabeth Howard, a 12-year-old girl who has to save Clifford from Lyfegro
*
Jack Whitehall
Jack Peter Benedict Whitehall (born 7 July 1988) is an English comedian, actor, presenter and writer. He is known for starring as JP in the series ''Fresh Meat (TV series), Fresh Meat'' (2011–2016) and Alfie Wickers in the series ''Bad Educat ...
as Casey Porter, Emily's clumsy yet good-natured uncle and Maggie's younger brother
*
Tony Hale
Anthony Russell Hale (born September 30, 1970) is an American actor and comedian. He is known for his role in the Fox comedy series ''Arrested Development'' as Buster Bluth. Hale played Gary Walsh on the HBO comedy ''Veep'' from 2012 until its ...
as Zac Tieran, the owner of Lyfegro, a genetics company that wants Clifford
*
Sienna Guillory
Sienna Tiggy Guillory (; born 16 March 1975) is an English actress and former model. She portrayed Jill Valentine in several entries of the ''Resident Evil'' action-horror film series. Other prominent roles include elf princess Arya Dröttningu ...
as Maggie Howard, Emily's mother and Casey's older sister who is on a business trip in Chicago
*
David Alan Grier
David Alan Grier (born June 30, 1956) is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his work as Bernard on '' Damon'' (1998), as David Bellows on ''Life with Bonnie'' (2002–2004), as Joe Carmichael on ''The Carmichael Show'' (2015 ...
as Mr. Packard, the
building superintendent
A building superintendent or building supervisor (often shortened to super) is a term used in the United States and Canada to refer to a manager responsible for repair and maintenance in a residential building. They are the first point of contac ...
of the apartment building that Emily and Maggie live in
*
Russell Wong
Russell Wong (; born March 1, 1963) is an American actor of film and television. He was one of the first actors of Chinese descent to hold a leading role in a primetime American television series, portraying Jian-Wa with Chi Muoi Lo portraying W ...
as Mr. Yu, Owen's father
*
John Cleese
John Marwood Cleese ( ; born 27 October 1939) is an English actor, comedian, screenwriter, and producer. Emerging from the Cambridge Footlights in the 1960s, he first achieved success at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and as a scriptwriter and ...
as Mr. Bridwell, the magical animal rescuer who gives Clifford to Emily. He is named after the creator of the ''Clifford'' character,
Norman Bridwell
Norman Ray Bridwell (February 15, 1928 – December 12, 2014) was an American author and cartoonist best known for the ''Clifford the Big Red Dog'' book series.
Early life
Bridwell was born on February 15, 1928, in Kokomo, Indiana, to Leona and ...
*
Izaac Wang
Izaac Wang is an American actor best known for his work on ''Good Boys'' (2019) and ''Raya and the Last Dragon'' (2021).
Career
After appearing in the TV Land series ''Teachers'', Wang landed his first film role as Soren in the 2019 Universal ...
as Owen Yu, the boy from another apartment and Emily's best friend and classmate. He is also the owner of Clifford's
pug
The Pug is a breed of dog originally from China, with physically distinctive features of a wrinkly, short-muzzled face and curled tail. The breed has a fine, glossy coat that comes in a variety of colors, most often light brown (fawn) or blac ...
friend, Brutus (aka "T-Bone")
*
Kenan Thompson
Kenan Thompson (; born May 10, 1978) is an American actor and comedian. He has been a cast member of the NBC sketch comedy series ''Saturday Night Live'' since 2003, making him the longest-tenured cast member in the show's history. He was also th ...
as Clifford's veterinarian. Thompson voiced the character Hamburger in the
original animated series. His nametag reads "Russ T.," a reference to Thompson's character from ''
D2: The Mighty Ducks,'' Russ Tyler
*
Tovah Feldshuh
Terri Sue "Tovah" Feldshuh (born December 27, 1948) is an American actress, singer, and playwright. She has been a Broadway star for more than four decades, earning four Tony Award nominations. She has also received two Emmy Award nominations fo ...
as Mrs. Crullerman, Emily's elderly
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
n neighbor
*
Paul Rodriguez as Sanchez, the
bodega owner and Raul's boss
*
Russell Peters
Russell Dominic Peters (born September 29, 1970) is a Canadian stand-up comedian, actor, and producer. He began performing in Toronto in 1989 and won a Gemini Award in 2008. In 2013, he was number three on ''Forbes'' list of the world's highe ...
as Malik
* Keith Ewell as Mr. Jarvis, a man whom Clifford saves from falling
* Mia Ronn as Florence, a popular girl in Emily's school who bullies her
*
Horatio Sanz
Horacio Sanz (born June 4, 1969), better known by his stage name Horatio Sanz, is a Chilean-born American actor and comedian. He was a cast member on ''Saturday Night Live'' from 1998 to 2006.
Early life
Sanz was born on June 4, 1969 in Santi ...
as Raul, a bodega employee who severed his arm while working and now wears a
prosthetic
In medicine, a prosthesis (plural: prostheses; from grc, πρόσθεσις, prósthesis, addition, application, attachment), or a prosthetic implant, is an artificial device that replaces a missing body part, which may be lost through trau ...
*
Rosie Perez
Rosa Perez (born September 6, 1964) is an American actress, choreographer, dancer, and activist. Her breakthrough came with her portrayal of Tina in the film ''Do the Right Thing'' (1989), followed by ''White Men Can't Jump'' (1992). Perez's perf ...
as Lucille
*
Alex Moffat as Albert
*
Jessica Keenan Wynn
Jessica Keenan Wynn (born Jessica Keenan Armstrong; 12 June 1986) is an American actress and singer. She is known for her roles as Heather Chandler in the off-Broadway production of '' Heathers: The Musical'' and Young Tanya in ''Mamma Mia! Here ...
as Colette, Tieran's scheming lawyer
*
Siobhan Fallon Hogan
Siobhan Fallon Hogan (pronounced , born May 13, 1961) is an American actress and comedian. She has appeared in films such as ''Men in Black'', '' Forrest Gump'', ''The Negotiator'', '' Holes'', ''Daddy Day Care'', ''Going in Style'', and '' The H ...
as Petra
* Ty Jones as Watkins, the
chief of police
Chief may refer to:
Title or rank
Military and law enforcement
* Chief master sergeant, the ninth, and highest, enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force
* Chief of police, the head of a police department
* Chief of the boa ...
* Bear Allen-Blaine as Mrs. Jarvis, Emily's faithful lawyer who helps her save Clifford from Lyfegro
Production
In May 2012, it was reported that
Universal Pictures
Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Ameri ...
and
Illumination Entertainment
Illumination (formerly known as Illumination Entertainment) is an American computer animation studio, founded by Chris Meledandri in 2007. Illumination is owned by Meledandri and the Illumination brand is co-owned by Universal Pictures, a divisi ...
would produce a live-action/animated film based on the book. Matt Lopez was hired to write the script while
Chris Meledandri
Christopher Meledandri (; born May 15, 1959) is an American film producer and founder and CEO of Illumination. He previously served as President of 20th Century Fox Animation, and has worked as the producer of the ''Despicable Me'' franchise ...
and
Deborah Forte
Deborah Forte is an American producer of family television series and movies, websites and digital media including ''Clifford the Big Red Dog'', ''Clifford's Puppy Days'', ''Maya & Miguel'', ''WordGirl'', ''The Magic School Bus'', the series ''Goo ...
were to produce, but in July 2013, it was reported that Illumination cancelled the project. On September 13, 2013, it was reported that the film was still in development at Universal Pictures with
David Bowers in talks to direct the film.
Like the 2011 film ''
Hop
A hop is a type of jump.
Hop or hops may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Hop'' (film), a 2011 film
* Hop! Channel, an Israeli TV channel
* ''House of Payne'', or ''HOP'', an American sitcom
* Lindy Hop, a swing dance of the 1920s and ...
'', the titular dog character will be animated while the other characters will be live-action.
In 2016,
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...
had purchased the rights to develop a live-action and animated hybrid film. On September 25, 2017, it was reported that
Walt Becker
Walter William Becker is an American filmmaker and novelist, whose directorial credits include the films ''Van Wilder'', ''Wild Hogs'' and ''Old Dogs (film), Old Dogs''.
Biography
Becker graduated from Pasadena High School (California) in 198 ...
had been hired to direct from a script being re-written by Ellen Rapoport, and from the original written by Justin Malen, which would be produced by Forte through her Silvertongue Films banner. On June 20, 2019, Paramount closed a deal with
Entertainment One
Entertainment One Ltd., trading as eOne, is an American-owned Canadian multinational entertainment company. Based in Toronto, Ontario, the company is primarily involved in the acquisition, distribution, and production of films and television se ...
to co-finance the film. Under the deal,
Entertainment One Films
Entertainment One Ltd., trading as eOne, is an American-owned Canadian multinational entertainment company. Based in Toronto, Ontario, the company is primarily involved in the acquisition, distribution, and production of films and television se ...
would distribute the film in Canada and the United Kingdom excluding TV broadcast rights for the latter country, while Paramount would distribute in all other territories including the United States.
On December 25, 2019, a photo from the film was leaked, revealing the computer-generated form of Clifford in the live-action scenery. In May 2019, Camp and Whitehall signed on to star in the film. In June 2019, Cleese, Guillory, Wang, Grier,
Rosie Perez
Rosa Perez (born September 6, 1964) is an American actress, choreographer, dancer, and activist. Her breakthrough came with her portrayal of Tina in the film ''Do the Right Thing'' (1989), followed by ''White Men Can't Jump'' (1992). Perez's perf ...
, Keith Ewell, Bear Allen-Blaine and
Lynn Cohen
Lynn Harriette Cohen (née Kay; August 10, 1933 – February 14, 2020) was an American actress known for her roles in film, television and theater. She was especially known for her role as Magda in the HBO series ''Sex and the City'', which she ...
joined the cast.
Principal photography
Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production.
Personnel
Besides the main film personnel, such as actor ...
began on June 10, 2019, 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 wrapped on August 23, 2019, after 55 days of shooting. The visual effects were made by
Moving Picture Company
The Moving Picture Company (MPC) is a multinational company providing visual effects, CGI, animation, motion design and other services for the film, TV, brand experience and advertising industries.
Their artists have produced Academy Award W ...
. On November 18, 2020, it was announced that
John Debney
John Cardon Debney (born August 18, 1956) is an American composer and conductor of film, television, and video game scores. His work encompasses a variety of mediums and genres including comedy, horror, thriller, and action-adventure. He is a ...
would compose the film's score. The song "Room for You" performed by
Madison Beer
Madison Elle Beer (born March 5, 1999) is an American singer. Born in New York, she began posting covers to YouTube in early 2012. Beer gained substantial media coverage when Justin Bieber posted a link to one of her covers. She released her d ...
, was released on November 5, 2021.
Release
''Clifford the Big Red Dog'' was simultaneously released in theaters in
Dolby Cinema
Dolby Cinema is a premium cinema created by Dolby Laboratories that combines Dolby proprietary technologies such as Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, as well as other signature entrance and intrinsic design features. The technology competes with IMA ...
and streaming on
Paramount+
Paramount (from the word ''paramount'' meaning "above all others") may refer to:
Entertainment and music companies
* Paramount Global, also known simply as Paramount, an American mass media company formerly known as ViacomCBS. The following busin ...
on November 10, 2021, in the United States.
It was initially scheduled to have its world premiere at the
2021 Toronto International Film Festival
The 2021 Toronto International Film Festival, the 46th event in the Toronto International Film Festival series, was held from September 9 to 18, 2021.Barry Hertz"TIFF planning ‘substantially bigger’ 2021 film festival compared to last year’ ...
in September,
followed by a theatrical release on September 17 by
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...
,
but the festival premiere was cancelled and the studio removed the film from its release schedule due to the rise of the
Delta variant
The Delta variant (B.1.617.2) was a variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. It was first detected in India in late 2020. The Delta variant was named on 31 May 2021 and had spread to over 179 countries by 22 November 2021. The ...
of
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...
. It was originally scheduled to be released November 13, 2020, before being delayed to November 5, 2021 due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
. Prior to that,
Universal Pictures
Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Ameri ...
initially slated the then-unproduced film for April 8, 2016 and then pushed back to December 31, 2016. The film had a surprise unannounced screening on August 26, 2021, during the 2021
CinemaCon
The National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) is an American trade organization whose members are the owners of movie theaters. Most of the worldwide List of movie theater chains, major theater chains' operators are members, as are hundreds ...
event in Los Angeles.
The film was then released in the UK on December 10, 2021, by
Entertainment One
Entertainment One Ltd., trading as eOne, is an American-owned Canadian multinational entertainment company. Based in Toronto, Ontario, the company is primarily involved in the acquisition, distribution, and production of films and television se ...
. The film was also dedicated to
Richard Robinson, the former CEO of
Scholastic Corporation
Scholastic Corporation () is an American multinational publishing, education, and media company that publishes and distributes books, comics, and educational materials for schools, parents, and children. Products are distributed via retail and on ...
, who passed away on June 5, 2021.
Home media
''Clifford the Big Red Dog'' was released on digital download by
Paramount Home Entertainment
Paramount Home Entertainment (formerly Paramount Home Media Distribution, and originally Paramount Home Video) is the home video distribution arm of Paramount Pictures, a division of Paramount Global.
The division oversees PPC's home entertainme ...
on December 14, 2021, which features deleted scenes and special features including a behind-the-scenes look with interviews from the cast, and how Clifford's adventures began from the book series to the big screen. It was also released on February 1, 2022, on
Blu-ray
The Blu-ray Disc (BD), often known simply as Blu-ray, is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 2005 and released on June 20, 2006 worldwide. It is designed to supersede the DVD format, and capable of sto ...
and
DVD
The DVD (common abbreviation for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any kin ...
.
Reception
Box office
''Clifford the Big Red Dog'' grossed $49 millionin the United States and Canada and $58.4million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $107.4million against a $64 million budget.
In the United States and Canada, ''Clifford the Big Red Dog'' was projected to gross $15–17 million from 3,695 theaters over its first five days. The film made $2.3 million on its first day and $3.3 million on its second. It went on to debut to $16.4 million (and a total of $22 million over the five days), finishing second behind holdover ''
Eternals''.
In its second weekend the film fell 51% to $8.1 million, finishing third. The film made $725,000 on
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in the United States, Canada, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Liberia, and unofficially in countries like Brazil and Philippines. It is also observed in the Netherlander town of Leiden and ...
and then $5 million in its third weekend, placing sixth. The film went on to make $1.9 million in its fourth weekend, $1.3 million in its fifth, and $404,068 in its sixth.
Critical response
On
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 holds an approval rating of based on reviews with an average rating of . The website's critics consensus reads: "It may get younger viewers to sit and stay, but ''Clifford the Big Red Dog'' is nowhere near as charming as its classic source material." 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 55 out of 100, based on 21 critics, indicating "mixed or average 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, while those at
PostTrak
PostTrak is a U.S.-based service that surveys film audiences for film studios.
History
The service conducts surveys in the top 20 markets in the U.S. and Canada with the use of polling cards and electronic kiosks. A PostTrak report for a film a ...
gave it 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Owen Gleiberman
Owen Gleiberman (born February 24, 1959) is an American film critic who has been chief film critic for ''Variety'' magazine since May 2016, a title he shares with . Previously, Gleiberman wrote for ''Entertainment Weekly'' from 1990 until 2014. ...
of ''
Variety
Variety may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats
* Variety (radio)
* Variety show, in theater and television
Films
* ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont
* ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' wrote: "''Clifford the Big Red Dog'' becomes a rowdy chase film-- as agreeable as Clifford himself, as simultaneously cute and in-your-face and as genially random in its ability to create chaos."
Angie Han of ''
The Hollywood Reporter
''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...
'' wrote: "It's not reinventing the wheel or breaking new ground;
ndit's unlikely to wow audiences with its bold artistic vision or profound emotional depths. But there's a place for sturdy and familiar entertainment that delivers exactly what it intends, and ''Clifford the Big Red Dog'' is just that."
Graphic novel adaptation
Comic writer Georgia Ball and illustrator Chi Ngo adapted the film into a
graphic novel
A graphic novel is a long-form, fictional work of sequential art. The term ''graphic novel'' is often applied broadly, including fiction, non-fiction, and anthologized work, though this practice is highly contested by comic scholars and industry ...
entitled ''Clifford the Big Red Dog: The Movie Graphic Novel,'' which was originally scheduled to be published on August 23, 2021, but was pushed back to December 7, 2021, one month after the film's release.
Sequel
In November 2021, it was reported that Paramount Pictures and Entertainment One are developing a sequel to the film.
References
External links
*
*
*
{{Walt Becker
2021 3D films
2021 films
2021 comedy films
2021 fantasy films
2020s American films
2020s Canadian films
2020s children's comedy films
2020s children's fantasy films
2020s English-language films
American children's comedy films
American children's fantasy films
Canadian children's comedy films
Canadian children's fantasy films
English-language Canadian films
Clifford the Big Red Dog
Entertainment One films
Films about animal cruelty
Films about dogs
Films about friendship
Films about giants
Films about pets
Films about size change
Films adapted into comics
Films based on children's books
Films directed by Walt Becker
Films postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic
Films scored by John Debney
Films set in Chicago
Films set in New York City
Films shot in Chicago
Films shot in New York City
Films with live action and animation
Middle school films
Paramount Pictures animated films
Paramount Pictures films
Paramount+ original films