While we can usually assume a box office flop that killed an animation studio would be a total letdown, one hiddensci-fianimated gem hasearned a reputation as a cult classic. Telling the story of humanity trying to survive the destruction of Earth in the vast recesses of space, this star-studded sci-fi mixed hand-drawn and computer-generated imagery to tell a thrilling story that never quite got its due from mainstream viewers. Originally envisioned as a live-action sci-fi for adults, the unusual production history of this 20th Century Fox meant it failed to reach an appropriate audience.
Featuring the voices of major stars like Matt Damon, Bill Pullman, and Drew Barrymore,Titan A.E.has not endured in the public consciousness in the same way otherincredible sci-fi storieshave and deserves to be reappraised by mainstream viewers. With incredible worldbuilding and outstanding creativity,Titan A.E.was a prime example of audiences failing to recognize a good thing at the time, and it has sadly since languished in obscurity. As abox office flopthat killed its own studio, now is the time to look back on this cult classic and recognize its appeal.
Titan A.E. Was A Critical & Commercial Disappointment In 2000
Despite Incredible Visuals, Titan A.E. Flopped At The Box Office
Titan A.E.was an incredible animated sci-fi from directors Don Bluth and Gary Goldman, the same duo behind the beloved musical fantasyAnastasiafrom 1997. As a critical and commercial disappointment, viewers simply did not turn out for this action-adventure story about displaced humans attempting to secure humanity’s survival while facing off against aliens in the harsh conditions of outer space. Made on a budget of around $90 million (LA Times),Titan A.E.was a financial flop that grossed just $36.8 million at the box office.
WhileTitan A.E.received a tepid response from critics at the time, this was a richly imagined sci-fi story with stunning visuals that was clearly a labor of love on the part of everyone involved. As a cast of refugee humans attempts to track down the Titan spaceship needed to secure a new home planet and avoid humanity’s extinction,Titan A.E.brought to mind the rebellious space-set adventure ofTreasure Planetand the fugitive struggles seen in Joss Whedon’sFireflyyears later.
There was a sense of maturity and stakes toTitan A.E.that set it apart from other animated releases from the same era. While audiences were likely expecting something more along the family-friendly lines of Disney movies, such asThe Emperor’s New GrooveandAtlantis: The Lost Empire, what they got was a boundary-pushing blend of post-apocalyptic sci-fi with the epic space opera aesthetic ofStar Wars. On the surface,Titan A.E.looked like it was made for little kids, yet the actual film was a challenging and dark story of survival in the harshest of circumstances.
Titan A.E. Was The Final Movie Produced By Fox Animation Studios
All Upcoming Releases From The Studio Were Halted After Titan A.E.’s Failure
The failure ofTitan A.E.was the end of an era for the brief run of Fox Animation Studios. As a subsidiary of Fox that was founded by the animators Bluth and Goldman, the pair released just three movies under the subsidiary over six years and were forced to call it quits just ten days after the release ofTitan A.E.While the studio’s first movie,Anastasia,was a hit at the box office that received widespread praise and acclaim, the failure of the direct-to-videoAnastasiaspin-offBartok the MagnificentandTitan A.E.signaled the studio’s demise.
While directors Don Bluth and Gary Goldman never made another theatrically released film after the failure ofTitan A.E., the pair did start aKickstarter campaignin 2015, hoping to resurrect hand-drawn animation with a film version of theDragon’s Lairvideo game. Sadly, this did not receive enough funds to proceed.
Poor financial returns meant Fox Animation Studios couldn’t continue, and afterTitan A.E.flopped, its plans to adapt Wayne Barlowe’s illustrated novelBarlowe’s Infernowere halted (viaUSA Today.) This was set to become 20th Century Fox’s first fully computer-animated film, and if released as planned, it would have pre-datedIce Age’saccomplishment of this feat.
Another planned film from Fox Animation Studios wasThe Little Beauty King, an adult animated release directed by Steve Oedekerk that sought to satirize the Disney Renaissance. As a film that was reportedly vetoed (viaOedeville) six months before the release of DreamWorks’Shrek,The Little Beauty Kingcould have hilariously parodied fairytale tropes well before audiences first encountered the titular ogre. With plenty of interesting projects in the works for Fox Animation Studios,the failure ofTitan A.E.had the unfortunate domino effectof closing the door on several fascinating films.
Titan A.E. Has Found Its Audience Over The Past 25 Years
It Took Some Time, But Titan A.E. Has Been Reappraised By Sci-Fi Lovers
WhileTitan A.E.didn’t initially receive much acclaim, over the past quarter of a century, viewers slowly realized its outstanding appeal. With incredible visuals,Titan A.E.paired hand-drawn animation with mostly CGI backgroundsand hinted at a potential future where entirely computer-generated movies didn’t dominate the animation industry. As a prime example of how filmmakers could take the best of each style to create something better than the sum of its parts, hadTitan A.E.been a hit and Fox Animation Studios hadn’t shut down, perhaps the animation landscape could look different today.
There’s a dated charm to the use of contemporary rock bands like Fun Lovin' Criminals and Jamiroquai that just screams the early 2000s in the best possible way. In an era where sci-fi cinema has become so dominated by franchise films and familiar IPs, the fact thatTitan A.E.tried to be something new feels like a breath of fresh air, and as a standalone movie, it feels like a hidden gem just waiting to be discovered by modern audiences.
The care taken to build the world ofTitan A.E.in a way that recalled sci-fi classics without outright ripping them off also made it feel like the type of sprawling universe that could have endlessly been expanded. With two prequel novels and a three-issue comic book series released back in 2000, there’s just enough extended media and expanded lore to ensure committed viewers have kept the legacy ofTitan A.E.alive all these years later. For those looking for an underrated animated movie that delivers on all fronts,Titan A.E.ticks all the boxes.
