After an attempt at getting a movie off the ground back in 2008, the Artemis Fowl film was set for an August 2019 debut. That ended up being pushed back to its current May 29th, 2020 release date where it’s got a lot riding on its $125 million budget. With its first trailer earlier this year, the fate of the film has now been altered again. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the film will no longer get a theatrical release and is instead being slotted for a Disney+ release. This is certainly not welcome news for a lot of those involved in the production and theaters – if they survive the shutdown – are going to be less thrilled if they see the streaming services as a more viable option for films. No date has been set for it yet but we expect it to be relatively soon with a big advertising barrage put into place to further signups on the service.
“With audiences largely unable to attend theatres in the current environment, we are thrilled to offer the premiere of Artemis Fowl on Disney+,” said Ricky Strauss, President, Content & Marketing, Disney+ in a statement. “Director Kenneth Branagh and his spectacular cast take viewers right into the vibrant, fantasy world of the beloved book, which fans have been waiting to see brought to life onscreen for years. It’s great family entertainment that is the perfect addition to Disney+’s summer lineup.”
The film is directed by Kenneth Branagh based on the screenplay by Conor McPherson and Hamish McColl. The original novels come from Eoin Colfer.
The main cast includes Ferdia Shaw as Artemis Fowl II, Lara McDonnell as Holly Short, Josh Gad as Mulch Diggums, Tamara Smart as Juliet Butler, Nonso Anozie as Domovoi Butler, Colin Farrell as Artemis Fowl I, and Judi Dench as Commander Root.
Property concept: Twelve-year-old Artemis Fowl is a millionaire, a genius-and, above all, a criminal mastermind. But even Artemis doesn’t know what he’s taken on when he kidnaps a fairy, Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon Unit. These aren’t the fairies of bedtime stories; these fairies are armed and dangerous.