Jane Hoop Elementary (film series)

Jane Hoop Elementary is a American feature film series based on the Jane Hoop Elementary novels by Rita Christensen. The series is distributed by Paramount Pictures and contains eight superhero films beginning with Jane Hoop Elementary: The First (2000) and concluded with Jane Hoop Elementary: The Final Rush - Part 2 (2011). It is the second highest-grossing film series of all-time grossing over $7.720 billion worldwide behind only Harry Potter, and they are also a critical success.

Derek Todd and Drake Jones become producers for all eight films, but each films gets four different directors; Steven Spielberg, Francis Lawrence, Chris Weitz and Gary Ross. Blake Brown, Ben Linkin, Amy Tammie, Brandon Simpson and Bloom Dee stars as the leading characters in all eight films.

Jane Hoop Elementary: The Final Rush, the seventh and final installment, is divided into two seperated feature-length films. Part 1 was released in November 2010 and Part 2 was released in July 2011.

Origins
In 1996, right after the book was released, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warner_Bros. Warner Bros.] has rights to put up plans onto developing a film adaptation and said that it'll take 10 years to developed it into a film.[1] In 1997, while setting the film to release in fall 1998, but there were no search of young actors who are playing the children heroes in the film, as they decided to cancel the search, so Warner Bros. canceled the deal and Christensen became disappointed about the report. Meanwhile, Christensen has been working on her project for two years, and told Paramount Pictures to develop the book to become a film. The film was now officially research and begins searching for child actors to play as Danny, Rebecca, Alec, Cory and Jaquille, and they found them,[1] Blake Brown, Ben Linkin and Amy Tammie. Linkin and Tammie both made their acting debuts.

In January 1999, writer Brian Clark has the rights to put the film adaptations into works. He admits that he is very nervous about making a very successful book into a movie, because he has never been a film writer before, and has spend most of his life writing small films. Christensen praises that Clark will do good becoming a film writer, and Clark express his interest saying: "I'll do it! I know I can!" Christensen joins Clark by writing the film, as Christensen is wating the film to be very loveable and childlike for her fans, since they read the books. She also hopes that this film will feel like that the book itself has become to life, so that young children could feel like that they want to become superheroes like the characters from Jane Hoop Elementary were. Two producers, Derek Todd and Drake Jones, have intersted in producing the film, and Christensen express their interest stating: "these two handsome guys are a match! And I love them." Todd, Jones, Chirstensen and Clark had a meeting with the studio Paramount Pictures for over 2 hours about wanting to make a big budget movie. Christensen was very nervous about it.

Meanwhile, James Cameron has previously been choosen to become film director for the first film. However, his place has been turned down as he is in the works of director another film, due to schedule conflicts. Other films that are included in the list for Christensen are Bryan Singer, Zack Snyder, Christopher Nolan, Gore Verbinski, Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, J. J. Abrams, Peter Jackson, Tim Burton, Brett Ratner and Michael Bay. Christen has choosen Singer, Nolan, Abrams, Spielberg and Lucas as her top five for being a film director. In July 1999, it was announced that Spielberg will be directing the film, and Christensen also has choosen him as her number one choose, after seeing his name when he directed films like Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), Back to the Future (1985) and Jurassic Park (1993).

Before Spielberg was choosen, he read the Jane Hoop Elementary books to his children, who wants Spielberg to read them a bedtime story. Afterwards, he gained expression and finishes up reading the book to himself, and told his wife that "this is the most perfect book I have ever read to the kids. I heard that they are making a movie, and I hope that I should be the lucky one to be a director." Indeed, Calvin is very excited to meet up with Christensen, after she chosen Spielberg as film director. He told Christensen: "You make my kids feel like that they also want to be superheroes like them, and I feel like, when I was a kid, I always want to be a superhero and make the world safe from evil." Christenen got the goosbumps what Spielberg told her about it, and she is looking foward to have him as director.

After three more books were released, Spielberg told Christensen: "If we are making two more films, I will be directing all three of them, and I will let make my kids to go to the movies and see them. They loved the books, so they also should love the movies." Spielberg wants each films to be much darker and edgier than the first film, because the characters are getting older, same thing for Christensen, stating: "If I keep making books in years, I will be making the characters older. If I was making movies, I will do the same things, because I can't see characters staying as young kids forever, and I don't want anyone else playing the characters, because I have a feeling that I could have critisms about different actors playing characters."

Production
Filming for the franchise took place in Cincinnati, OH, as the green screen scenes were shot at the studio in Cleveland, OH. It took place in November 1999 until December 2010, 11 years of filming the series.

Directors
After finishing Jane Hoop Elementary: The First, Spielberg returns to direct the second installment, The Cyber Escape. After that, is originally scheduled to become film director for all of the Jane Hoop Elementary films, but the contract has since been scrapped due to Spielberg's schedule conflicts. But, he did manage to come back as film producer. Christensen was disappointed for Spielberg's departure from being film director, stating that "he is the most wonderful director I have ever worked with". Paramount Pictures considers a replacement for Spielberg for being a film director for Goldenman's Revenge. Meanwhile, Francis Lawrence has been chosen to direct Goldenman's Revenge replacing Spielberg. Lawrence was nervous because he has never heard of Jane Hoop Elementary films or read the books. After reading the books and seeing the films, he eventually signed up as director.

For the fourth installment The Magic Ball, Chris Weitz was chosen to direct after Lawrence, director of Goldenman's Revenge, confirms that he won't be back as director for the fourth installment. Steven Spielberg, Drake Jones and Derek Todd will be returning as film produces, and Brian Clark will be back as a film writer. It is Spielberg's final time producing the Jane Hoop Elementary films.

Gary Ross was chosen as director of Morphin the Power after Chris Weitz's offers was turned down. Derek Todd and Drake Jones returns as film producers, and Brian Clark returns as film writer. But before Ross is chosen to return as director for sixth installment, Turbo of Catland, he is unsure if he could be back any time to direct the last two films. Paramount Pictures might choose Andrew Adamson as film director if Ross indeed will not be back. He direct films like The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Shrek, Shrek 2 and The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian.[1] As many directors, such as James Cameron, George Lucas, Zack Snyder and Bryan Singer, has chosen to replace Ross as the film director for Turbo of Catland, all of them are denial on Christensen's list. Eventually, Ross has returned to direct The Final Rush - Part 1 and The Final Rush - Part 2.

In result, Ross direct most of the Jane Hoop Elementary films. He direct four films (Morphin the Power, Turbo of Catland, The Final Rush - Part 1 and The Final Rush - Part 2), while Spielberg directs two films (The First and The Cyber Escape), and both Lawrence (Goldenman's Revegne) and Weitz (The Magic Ball) direct only one Hoop film.

Cast members

 * Main article: List of Jane Hoop Elementary cast members

Christensen wants to choose only American cast for the film in 1996. She worked with four different directors Spielberg, Lawerence, Weitz and Ross, screenplayer Brian Clark and producers Derek Todd and Drake Jones, and they spend over two years searching for young actors to play as the main characters, and it was a tough scheduled to search for them. In July 1999, it was confirmed that newcomers Blake Brown, Ben Linkin and Amy Tammie, Brandon Simpson and Bloom Dee were choosen for the role as Danny, Alec, Rebecca, Cory and Jaquille.

Aside the three actors, the other actors were Barbara Blue as Naudia Gorden, Arthur Walters as Goldenman, Natasha Richardson as Mrs. Bella Watson, George Jones as Mayor James Watson, Brooke Timer as Dr. Catwoman, Rebecca Dee as Shego Dalma, Stephen Johnson as Shadow the Monkeyman.[1] Others includes Logan Lerman as Kirk Waters, Nick Richards as David Johnson, Jessica Alder as Maria Dawns, Elliot Martinson as Michael Walker, Keira Knightley as Belle Lamar, Lisa Black as Alice Kingston, Michael Shanks as Don Kingston, Jami Gertz as Dacia, Tim Allen as Evan, Jennette McCurdy as Catgirl, Miley Cyrus as Heather Woods, Nick Jonas as Luke Watson, Joe Jonas as Catboy and Emma Watson as the young Bella Lamar.[1]

English actress Natasha Richardson played the character Mrs. Bella Watson for the first six films. But on March 18 2009, four months before Jane Hoop Elementary: Turbo of Catland was released, Richardson died from a traumatic brain injury after being involved in a skiing accident, and Paramount Pictures considered a replacement for the role as Mrs. Bella Watson just after they begin filming Jane Hoop Elementary: The Final Rush. On April 2009, about a month after her death, another English actress Miranda Richardson replaced Natasha Richardson for the role, and began filming that same month after she was cast.

Final Filming
Filming for franchises and both parts of the final film wrapped up on June 25, 2010, ending ten years of work of the entire film franchise.[1] Blake Brown, Amy Tammie and Ben Linkin started filming on the last day.[1] The film is shot for a year and a half from January, 2009 to June, 2010.[1]

Soundtrack

 * Main article: Music of the Jane Hoop Elementary films

All eight soundtracks have different composers. German composer Hans Zimmer composed the first three films, The First (2000), The Cyber Escape (2001) and Goldenman's Revenge (2003). Danny Elfman composes The Magic Ball (2005) and Morphin the Power (2007). Danny Newman composes Turbo of Catland (2009). And finally, James Newton Howard composes The Final Rush - Part 1 (2010) and The Final Rush - Part 2 (2011).

Jane Hoop Elementary: The First (2000)

 * ''Main article: Jane Hoop Elementary: The First (film)

Danny, Alec, Rebecca, Cory and Jaquille has begin the adventure. Five children are starting their first day at elementary school in kindergarten, where they are being taken into the mysterious building, known to be the home of the Mayor's dorm appartment for young children for shelter called Jane Hoop Elementary, named after the kids' elementary school they attend. This is due to the fact that they gained powers from The First since they were all little, and did not know it, and have not used them ever since. Now that the kids have powers, they could use them to save the world and fight against their first enemey, Dr. Catwoman.

Jane Hoop Elementary: The Cyber Escape (2001)

 * ''Main article: Jane Hoop Elementary: The Cyber Escape (film)

Danny and his friend experience the world inside the video game where Catwoman hacks up the entire game which causes for it to transform into a dangerous world which lead her to use it to attack the game world teleporting to the real world. They also experience that Danny's longtime friend Kirk Waters has gone missing and trapped into the game forever.

Jane Hoop Elementary: Goldenman's Revenge (2003)

 * ''Main article: Jane Hoop Elementary: Goldenman's Revenge (film)

Danny wins his first award, meanwhile, Catwoman, Shego and Monkeyman sneaks into the Base, starts to stole the Golden Trophy. Catwoman transforms a trophy into a man cover in gold, Goldenman. Meanwhile Mayor, Miss. Watson and SWAT finds out Goldenman is a godfather, meanwhile Cory, Jaquille and Naudia were kidnapped. Miss. Watson finds he is Danny's, Danny and Rebecca were right to make him break out of prison as a hero.

Jane Hoop Elementary: The Magic Ball (2005)

 * ''Main article: Jane Hoop Elementary: The Magic Ball (film)

Danny, Alec, Rebecca and the gang discovers that the mysterious ball, entitled The Magic Ball, could perform anything magical after each person performs at least three wishes. Although, Catwoman hears about it and is threaten to use to take over the world and tear Danny's friendship apart.

Jane Hoop Elementary: Morphin the Power (2007)

 * ''Main article: Jane Hoop Elementary: Morphin the Power (film)

Dr. Catwoman calls on letting new friend, who was Goldenman's enemy brother-in-law Evan, in green egg was unearthed unleashed. Danny, Alec, Rebecca, Cory and Jaquille went off getting their new powers and save world. The gang has traveled to the lost forest-island, Morphin the Power, which they already went two times. They were search for the "Crystal Power" to help Goldenman, and have new powers to rescue the world, Alice saves all parents.

Jane Hoop Elementary: Turbo of Catland (2009)

 * ''Main article: Jane Hoop Elementary: Turbo of Catland (film)

Danny's friendship with Jane Hoop Elementary goes awry. After making a mistake for leaving them behind since the previous year where he decides to retire, he is back as leader of Jane Hoop Elementary where he is now in a relationship with Rebecca, the only female of the member. Catwoman has given a dangerous assignment to her daughter Catgirl as she flirts with Danny, leading him to join Catwoman's side, meaning that it will be the end of his friendship with Jane Hoop Elementary. Meanwhile, Jane Hoop Elementary realizes that Catwoman's new plan will be worse than ever as they will be unleashing a dark and dangerous weapon to destroy the world if Catwoman's current plans failed.

Jane Hoop Elementary: The Final Rush - Part 1 (2010)

 * ''Main article: Jane Hoop Elementary: The Final Rush - Part 1

Two years the events of the previous year, Catwoman raises her army and releases the dangerous Final Rush, Danny, Rebecca and Alec goes on a hunt to find three powerful objects to give them the most ultimate superpower that is powerful enough to destroy it, while Cory is now in charge as leader of Jane Hoop Elementary.

Jane Hoop Elementary: The Final Rush - Part 2 (2011)

 * ''Main article: Jane Hoop Elementary: The Final Rush - Part 2

Continuing where Part 1 left off at, the Crystal Power shatters into three pieces and disappears, so Danny, Rebecca and Alec will have to go yet on another adventure to three different places to search all three pieces before Catwoman finds them and destroy the Final Rush to stop Catwoman's plans once and for all. They also prepare for the final battle against Catwoman and her army, which took place in the city of Cincinnati.

Marketing
All of these video games were based onto the film franchise with the same name. It also features spin-off video games.
 * Jane Hoop Elementary: The First video game - November 8, 2000
 * Jane Hoop Elementary: The Cyber Escape video game - November 7, 2001
 * Jane Hoop Elementary: Goldenman's Revenge video game - November 12, 2003
 * Jane Hoop Elementary: The Magic Ball video game - November 9, 2005
 * Jane Hoop Elementary: Morphin the Power video game - June 29, 2007
 * Jane Hoop Elementary: Turbo of Catland video game - June 24, 2009
 * Jane Hoop Elemnentary: The Final Rush - Part 1 video game - November 10, 2010
 * Jane Hoop Elementary: The Final Rush - Part 2 video game - June 30, 2011

Release
After the release of the fourth book, Jane Hoop Elementary: The Magic Ball in July 2000, Jane Hoop Elementary: The First was released on November 10, 2000. It broked box office records grossing $82 million alone during its opening weekend premiere. It than ranked as the number one film of 2000 worldwide with $969 million. With the success of the first film, Paramount Pictures greenlighted sequels, and they became more popularity at the critics and fans, and less demand at the box office domestically, internationally and worldwide.

The fifth film Jane Hoop Elementary: Morphin the Power was released worldwide on July 4, 2007. The sixth film Jane Hoop Elementary: Turbo of Catland was released worldwide on July 8, 2009. The final book Jane Hoop Elementary: The Final Rush was split into two theatrical parts: Part 1 was released on November 12, 2010, and Part 2 released on July 8, 2011, eight months after Part 1. Part 1 is originally going to be released in 3D, but Paramount Picutres anonunced that it will only be shown in 2D and IMAX formats, due to the 3D effects not found. Part 2, however, will be released in both 2D and 3D formats. It was later reported that both parts will not be in 3D at all, and both are yet to release in regular and IMAX theaters all together. Although, the planned for releasing Part 2 in 3D is still in development. Part 1 surprised The First at the international box office, while Part 2 surprised The First, domestically and worldwide, and also Part 1 internationally.

The longest film in the franchise is the second, The Cyber Escape at 160 minutes, while the shortest film in the franchise is the eighth and final film, The Final Rush: Part 2 at 128 minutes.

Home media
The completed series were released on December 23, 2011, alongside the release of the final installment, Jane Hoop Elementary: The Final Rush - Part 2.

Critical responses

 * Main article: Critical response to the Jane Hoop Elementary films

All of the films were a financial success, marking them as a major Hollowood tent-poles akin to Harry Potter, James Bond, Wars, Indiana Jones and Pirates of the Caribbean''. Fans are divided throughout the release of each films, about it's appperances and changes as well as new comers and some new writers. Fans are also divided up with their reaction of the same film director James Calvin for all of them. Author Rita Christensen states that The Final Rush is her favorite book so far.

Box office
The films became the second highest-grossing film series of all-time behind Harry Potter. The highest-grossing film domestically, internationally and worldwide in the franchise is Jane Hoop Elementary: The First. All of them are being overtaken by the concluding film, The Final Rush: Part 2. The lowest grossing film in the series is Goldenman's Revenge, domestically, overseas and worldwide, while the lowest opening in the series is The Cyber Escape.

No. of Movie Theaters
Most Jane Hoop Elementary films in the franchise were also released into various of IMAX and 3D theaters. The first film that is ever in the franchise to be in IMAX is the third installment Goldenman's Revenge as the franchise's conclusion The Final Rush - Part 2 is the first film ever in the franchise to be in 3D. Although, The Final Rush - Part 1 is originally planning for 3D release, but the plans were scrapped as it was instead released in regular and IMAX theaters.

Accolades
Jane Hoop Elementary: The First and Jane Hoop Elementary: The Cyber Escape are the only films in the franchise to won the Kids Choice Awards. The rest did not win any awards. However, Jane Hoop Elementary: The Final Rush - Part 1 and Jane Hoop Elementary: The Final Rush - Part 2 both won the award, but with a different category.