Jane Hoop Elementary: The Magic Ball (film)

Jane Hoop Elementary: The Magic Ball is a 2005 superhero adventure film, based on the novel by Rita Christensen. The film, which is the fourth installment in the Jane Hoop Elementary film franchise, is directed by Chris Weitz, written by Brian Clark and produced by Spielberg Steven Spielberg, Derek Todd and Drake Jones, and was distributed by Paramount Pictures. The film stars Blake Brown, Ben Linkin, Amy Tammie, Brandon Simpson and Bloom Dee as young children as superheroes. The story follows five young heroes in their fourth year as superheroes discovering a very powerful object called The Magic Ball, which can use for anyone to make any wishes they want and Catwoman learns that she can use it to take over the world. It is a sequel to Jane Hoop Elementary: Goldenman's Revenge and was followed by Jane Hoop Elementary: Morphin the Power.

The Magic Ball has the biggest Jane Hoop Elementary opening at the weekend box office with $104 million, and was broken five years later to Jane Hoop Elementary: The Final Rush - Part 1 ($129.9 million). The film then earned just under $900 million worldwide which made it the second highest-grossing film of 2005 behind Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and the 40th highest-grossing movie of all-time. It is also the sixth highest-grossing Hoop film into the franchise. It was also the second highest-grossing 2005 film in the U.S. behind Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, grossing $292 million. It is the second film into the franchise since Jane Hoop Elementary: Goldenman's Revenge for IMAX release. It is the sixth highest-grossing Jane Hoop Elementary installment to date.

The Magic Ball has became one of the best-reviewed film in the Hoop film series ever, and was also nominated for many awards including the 2006 Kids Choice Awards for "Best Picture", but lost to Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, which is the first Harry Potter film to win the award.

Plot

 * See also: Jane Hoop Elementary: The Magic Ball

Danny Gorden has waken up from a nightmare that a young man named Howard Lukins being murdered by one of Catwoman's army with a magical The Magic Ball that crashes in the forest, Morphin the Power. He was out hunting with his wife Katie Ferguson-Lukins till she found his body and got murdered as well. The Magic Ball was one of the powerful weapon used for good and evil. To get his mind of the nightmare he has suffered, his friends took him to the Cincinnati Bengals football game until massive of thugs, known to be one of Catwoman's army attacked and ruined the game. One of them reports that Catwoman will be returning to power.

While heading out to a dance party at their school, Jane Hoop Elementary has once again reunited in order to stop Catwoman's yet another horrible plans to the Jane Hoop Elementary Base. Belle has begin her revenge when first appears following with Catwoman however, also when viewing with her about The Magic Ball, the most powerful weapon that she thinks that the Magic Ball could be used for evil. The weapon starts when giving Catwoman giving a evil idea. Catwoman plans to used it to source it's power to rule the world but first she must defeat The Jane Hoop gang.

Danny explains to his friends about the Magic Ball from the nightmare he has suffered. After explaining it to them, the heroes travel to the lost Island-Forest Morphin the Power, but Belle and her army has already gotten there and grabs the Magic Ball. She and others escapes from the Forest heading back to Catwoman's base leaving the heroes and SWAT. They entered the Base and Catwoman wishes the Base to be destroyed, which causes destruction of their home base. For the meantime, Catwoman steals Jane Hoop Elementary's powers and kidnaps president of the United Sates George Bush. His family were joined by Jane Hoop Elementary to rescue him.

At school, a mysterious teacher teaches the students. Later, he calls Danny to a conference after school, but did not tell his parents to come. Later, it was later revelead that a teacher is trying to attack Danny. Eventually, he is rescued by Goldenman, Mayor and Bella. It was reveled that the real teacher is sealed and tied up in the closet. The fake teacher transforms into one of Catwoman's thug members, warning them that Catwoman has captured the Magic Ball and now gained super abilities, threaten to take over the world easily.

After a couple of misperhaps for Catwoman playing around with the Magic Ball such as transforming them into animals and tricking them killing Danny, she decides to head to her hometown Turbo of Catland to wishes the entire world to belong to her. Danny, Rebecca, Alec, Cory and Jaquille journeys on the sea to Turbo of Catland and stop Catwoman before it's too late.

As they start a journey, they got attacked by Catwoman's ocean monster. They bearly escape from it, but it returned throwing the ship to an deserted island, which appears to be Turbo of Catland. As they search for Catwoman, she is nowhere to be seen as they are too late to stop her. She confirmed that she has already transported herself back to Cincinnati with the Magic Ball. They than got attacked by Catwoman's army. As Alec wishes on them getting back to Cincinnati, the Magic Ball overhears it and activates the wishes leading them back to Cincinnati bringing them into the sky until they crash land into the city park.

Back in Cincinnati, numberous of Catwoman's robots surrounds the city and attacking it where Catwoman uses the magic ball to make the robots use their freezing powers to freeze people. The gang returns to the city and battles against Catwoman and her members. They found the president apperently safe and sound, but turns out that he was caught frozen where the robots frozes a member one-by-one. First, Alec and Naudia gets frozen while Naudia tries to save him from being attacked. Next, Cory and Jaquille both got frozen as well, where Danny and Rebecca both finally decided to escape from being next where they head to the base. Back in the destroyed base, Danny and Rebecca tries to rescue many SWAT Team members, Mrs. Watson, Mayor and Goldenman, but they are too late to save them, as they all have been frozen.

As they escape the Base, Rebecca gets stabbed in the chest by a spear thrown by Shego in order to save Danny. She dies on his hands becoming the only hope to conclude the battle to save the world giving more chances for his friends. Realizing how powerful Catwoman really is, Danny heads over Catwoman at her Base to stop her and save the president. As a small battle occurs, Danny reverses the wishes back to normal, causing Catwoman to lose her super abilities, as he and the president escapes back to the city, where everything is now restored.

Meanwhile, Danny told Rebecca and Alec that The Magic Ball can be use to make anyone's dreams come true as they managed to hold onto The Magic Ball away from evil. He also told them that they will be ready for Catwoman if she continues to destroy the world.

Cast

 * See also: List of Jane Hoop Elementary cast members

George W. Bush, Laura Bush, Barbara Pierce Bush and Jenna Welch Hager played as themselves into the film. Liam Aiken and Keira Knightley plays as new characters in the film.
 * Blake Brown as Danny Gorden, leader of Jane Hoop Elementary and most powerful superhero.
 * Ben Linkin as Alec Gutzwiller, Danny's best friends and teammate.
 * Amy Tammie as Rebecca Henry, Danny's best friends and teammate.
 * Brandon Simpson as Cory Berning, Danny's friends and teammate.
 * Bloom Dee as Jaquille Short, Danny's friends and teammate.
 * Barbara Blue as Naudia Gorden, Danny's younger cousin and Alec's love interest.
 * George Jones as Mayor James Watson: President of Cincinnati.
 * Natasha Richardson as Miss. Bella Watson, Mayor's wife.
 * Arthur Walters as Goldenman, Danny's godfather.
 * Brooke Timer as Dr. Catwoman, a main villain.

Development
Paramount Pictures reported to release the fourth installment Jane Hoop Elementary: The Magic Ball into theaters. While they are working on releasing Goldenman's Revenge in theaters, they announced that the fourth film will be in works scheduling for either summer or fall 2005. Before Goldenman's Revenge was released on November 14, 2003, they confirmed the release date of The Magic Ball to November 11, 2005.

Chris Weitz was chosen to direct The Magic Ball after Francis Lawerence, 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.

Filming for The Magic Ball took place on November 12, 2004 and wrapped in March 2005. Pre-production for the film began on September 15, 2004, just two months before the beginning of filming.

Filming
The film is filmed in Cincinnati, Ohio for a main location including Jane Hoop Elementary Base and Catwoman's Base. Morphin the Power is filmed in Oakwood, Mississouri, and Catland is shot at the Hinchinbrook Island in Australia. Christensen got very excited that she wants the movie to go into different places in the real world like he characters has never been there before. Most of the scenes are being shot in green screen.

Setting and Designs
Jane Hoop Elementary: The Magic Ball is set in the year from summer 2005 to spring 2006, making Danny, Rebecca, Alec, Cory and Jaquille, now 12 years old, and in their final years of being pre-teens. The film took place yet another two years after the events of the last film, Jane Hoop Elementary: Goldenman's Revenge, which is set in 2003. Brooke Ashton, who designed costume from the previous films, has designed many costumes for the cast members.

Music
Danny Elfman, who composted Spider-Man, announces that he will compose the songs for the fourth film of the popular Jane Hoop Elementary film series, replacing Hans Zimmer, who composed the first three films. Elfman also composed the following film, Morphin the Power. The soundtrack was released on November 8, 2005, three days before the film's theatrical release on November 11, 2005.

Marketing
The exclusive look for Jane Hoop Elementary: The Magic Ball was released on April 15, 2005. The film's trailer was released on April 29, 2005. It's full length new trailer debuts only in theaters during the premiere of War of the Worlds on June 29, 2005. It was not released online until July 1, 2005, two days later.

The video game version of the film was released on November 9, 2005, two days ahead of the film's theatrical release. It was designed by EA Games. Like the predecessors, LEGO Designs for the film were released.

The film cost $150 million to produce, making it the franchise's most expensive film yet, beating it's last film, Jane Hoop Elementary: Goldenman's Revenge, which earned $130 million to produce.

Theatrical release

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

Jane Hoop Elementary: The Magic Ball arrived in theaters worldwide in on November 11, 2005, two years after the release of Goldenman's Revenge, which was released on November 14, 2003. Nationwode, the film was released on November 9, 2005, two days before the North American release. The United States world premiere for the film took place in New York City on November 3, 2005. The United Kingdom premiere took place in London on October 24, 2005, almost a month before the theatrical release in the United Kingdom on November 10, 2005.

Jane Hoop Elementary: The Magic Ball runs 155 minutes (2 hours and 35 minutes), the second longest film in the series, after The Cyber Escape (160 minutes, 2 hours and 40 minutes).

MPPA Rating
The Magic Ball is originally going to aim for a PG-13 rating for "domestic violence, and action sequences", but changed to a PG rating, to avoid scary sequences for children despite that film actors and actress are around 10 years old when they were filming the film. Weitz got kind off disappointed that The Magic Ball was the darkest book by far because of scary monsters, and he wants this movie to focus on teenagers. Instead, he will settle the film to pre-teens and teenagers. It would have been the first Jane Hoop Elementary film to have a PG-13 rating. It also had the same situation to the following film, Morphin the Power, in 2007 but also ended with a PG rating.

However in 2010, The Final Rush - Part 1 has gotten a PG-13, because Christensen says that characters has now grown up and are more mature now. She wants the final book to be PG-13 because of scary scenes that are not suitable for children and even stronger inappoperate cursing are used as well as "asshole" and "bitch". In 2011, the final film, The Final Rush - Part 2, was also rated PG-13, and was the second film in the franchise to get that rating.

Home Media
The film was released on DVD in North America on April 28, 2006, United Kingdom on April 24, 2006 and Australia on April 20, 2006. It was available in one- and two-disc editions, as well as part of an 8-disc boxset that includes all four films to date.[19] Both the widescreen and full-screen versions of the DVD.[20] It was rereleased on December 19, 2006, to release a sneak peek for Jane Hoop Elementary: Morphin the Power. In the United States, the first four Jane Hoop Elementary films were released on HD DVD and Blu-ray disc on December 18, 2007 especially the following film. The film sold over $219,151,501 copies, the second best-selling DVD of 2006 behind The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The Ultimate edition along with Jane Hoop Elementary: Goldenman's Revenge was released on March 29, 2011.

Critical reception
The Magic Ball become one of the franchise's best reviewed film ever. Like the last films, it also gained very positive reviews, with most of them calling it the darkest Jane Hoop Elementary film yet, due to the cast members, who played the characters in the film, from the films have grown into pre-teens. It ranked a fresh 92% from Rotten Tomatoes, making it the highest rating Hoop film to date. It hold the record for six years until Jane Hoop Elementary: The Final Rush - Part 2 set a new franchise record, which earned 95%, also from Rotten Tomatoes, and also gained positive reviews. The Magic Ball than ranked 81% from Metacritics, making it the fourth most reviewed film on the chart for the franchise, behind The Final Rush - Part 2, The Cyber Escape and Goldenman's Revenge. And finally, Yahoo! Movies scored the film a positive B+ grade, a better score from the first two film; The Cyber Escape and Goldenman's Revenge. The First scored an A.

The New York Daily News has praised by the film for the both its humor and on its Fantasy world.[3] The young child actors has praised on demonstrating a "fantastic range of subtle emotions", particularly with Blake Brown whom sexual described for delivering as a "primital and nuanced of sailing performance" The new cast were also to praised: was to described as "amazing"; Keira Knightley's make scenes as Belle Lamar to described as "awesome"; and Arthur Walters played Goldenman as entered for his second time that described "as a good person".[3]

Hollywood Reporter gave the film a positive review, calling it "darker than ever, with intense action sequences, featuring monsters and supernatural creatures." Jane Hoop Elementary: The Magic Ball ranked #1 for being the most anticipated film of 2005, beating Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith. The Magic Ball director Chris Weitz praises the film as one of his best worked he has ever directed. He praises on the film's storyline, acting and background and he describes all of them as a beautiful work that makes this as big as a rock.

The Magic Ball also met with negative reviews and one of them is the film's MPPA rating due to the film's darker tone form the first three films. The film was criticized about the film's tone praising that most scenes are too scary for children, and shouldn't have kept the PG-13 rating, instead of a PG rating.

Box office
The film played in 3,852 theaters and a couple of IMAX theaters worldwide on November 11, 2005, where it enjoyed breaking box office records. The film made $104.4 million, that's the fourth biggest opening weekend in history after Spider-Man ($114.8 million), Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith ($108.4 million) and Shrek 2 ($108 million), as well as the second biggest 2005 opening behind Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. It was, however, the franchise's best opening weekend ever (until The Final Rush: Part 1 was released in 2010, later by The Final Rush - Part 2 in 2011) and the first one to open around $100 million in it's first weekend. It set a new opening weekend record for any films released this month, beating Goldenman's Revenge ($92.2 million). It held the record for four years until 2009 when The Twilight Saga: New Moon, also released in November, made $142.8 million in it's opening weekend.

The Magic Ball earned a total to $895 million worldwide, which made it the ninth highest-grossing film of all-time, and the second highest-grossing film in the franchise behind Jane Hoop Elementary: The First. It was 2005's second highest-grossing film worldwide behind Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and was also the second highest-grossing film in the U.S. and Canada that year behind Star War Episode III: Revenge of the Sith grossing $292 million. As of 2013, The Magic Ball is the 40h highest-grossing film of all-time, and the sixth highest-grossing film in the franchise.

Jane Hoop Elementary: The Magic Ball enjoyed a successful 22 week run in theaters, closing on April 13, 2006.

Accolades
On April 1, 2006, the film was nominated at the 2006 Kids' Choice Awards for "Favorite Movie" losing to Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. It was the second Hoop film in the franchise not to win the award. On August 20, 2006, The Magic Ball was nominated at the Teen Choice Awards for "Choice Summer: Movie — Action Adventure" beaten by Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

Sequel
Jane Hoop Elementary: The Magic Ball was followed by a sequel, Jane Hoop Elementary: Morphin the Power, based on the fifth book in the franchise. It was released on July 4, 2007, nearly two year later, and grossed $949 million worldwide at the box office.