The Tiger's Apprentice (film)

The Tiger's Apprentice is a 2024 American animated fantasy film based on the 2003 novel The Tiger's Apprentice by Laurence Yep. Produced by Paramount Animation and Jane Startz Productions, it is directed by Raman Hui and co-directed by Paul Watling and Yong Duk Jhun (in their directorial debuts) from a screenplay by David Magee and Christopher Yost. The film stars the voices of Brandon Soo Hoo, Henry Golding, Lucy Liu, Sandra Oh, and Michelle Yeoh.

Cartoon Network originally opted to produce a live-action/CG hybrid television film adaptation of the novel in the late 2000s, but it never came to fruition. Paramount later acquired the rights for an animated film in March 2019, with Carlos Baena attached as director. Mikros Animation provided animation. Much of the voice cast was revealed between 2020 and 2022, following Golding's casting in July 2020. Hui later replaced Baena as director in January 2022. Steve Jablonsky composed the score.

Originally planned for theatrical release by Paramount Pictures, The Tiger's Apprentice was released on Paramount+ on February 2, 2024 after being delayed several times due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The film received mixed reviews from critics.

Plot
In 2009 in Hong Kong, Mrs. Lee and her baby grandson Tom are chased by yaoguai. Mrs. Lee fends them off with the help of the Zodiac Warriors, a group of shapeshifters rooted in the Chinese zodiac, before confronting Ms. Penny Loo, a sorceress controlling the yaoguai.

Fifteen years later, Tom, now living with his grandmother in San Francisco, faces a bully at school, partially for the Chinese appearance of his house, when he inadvertently unleashes a magical force. After school, Tom removes some charms from his home, which unbeknownst to him were protecting against the evil spirits. Soon after, Mr. Hu, the tiger of the Warriors, visits after sensing that the charms have been dispatched. During the fight, Mrs. Lee throws the stone to Tom, making him the guardian right at that moment, before activating all the protective charms together, which results in a blast intended to kill her and Loo, but the latter survives.

Hu brings Tom to a safe place where he comes to know about the Zodiac Warriors and how they swore to protect the guardian. Later that night, Tom has a dream where he sees a bright Phoenix being covered in darkness, and a woman tells her that now he walks two worlds: the world of mortals and the world of magic. Soon the whole group of Zodiac Warriors are reunited at the Temple of Twelve. However, some of the Zodiac Warriors don't show up, which leads to an uneasy situation. In the meantime, Tom goes to confront Loo, who's revealed to be the mother of Räv, the new student at Tom's school. The Zodiac Warriors arrive, learning that the missing members were captured by Loo, and another few become trapped as well. Tom, Räv, and the remaining members eventually escape.

Tom focuses on his training. To gain complete power as a guardian, he must be able to see the Phoenix inside the stone, which Tom's lineage can see. Mistral, the dragon, tells Tom one night that during the fight between Mrs. Lee and Loo, Hu died protecting him. Later, after thrashing Loo in the battle, Mrs. Lee gives a part of her soul to save Hu. Later, Tom sees his grandmother but is revealed to be Loo, who steals the Phoenix Stone from him.

After Tom informs the Warriors, Hu reveals that Loo will use the stone on the eve of the Lunar New Year when the sun sets. On that day, Tom and the Warriors find Loo and a large battle ensues. Hu is briefly captured, but is freed along with the other Warriors. However, Loo activates the Phoenix stone to suck all the souls out of the mortals. Just then, Tom finally sees the Phoenix inside the stone. Tom removes the darkness torturing the Phoenix, reversing the effects and defeating Loo.

However, Tom dies with his soul is about to leave. Hu, with the help of the other Zodiac Warriors, performs Nu Kua, which leads him to the Ocean of Tears. There, Hu pleads to the Empress to give away a part of his soul to save Tom, which is accepted. Later, Hu offers his shop as Tom's new home. In the mid-credit scene, Tom, as a result of containing part of Hu's soul, is able to transform into a tiger.

Voice cast

 * Brandon Soo Hoo as Tom Lee, the new guardian in training
 * Lydie Loots as Baby Tom
 * Henry Golding as Mr. Ted Hu, Tom’s mentor and the Tiger guardian
 * Lucy Liu as Nu Kua / Cynthia, Nu Kua's the empress of the spirit world. Cynthia is a frog who owns a dumpling shop and is guardian of the temple of the 12
 * Sandra Oh as Mistral, the Dragon guardian
 * Michelle Yeoh as Penny Loo, an evil sorceress
 * Bowen Yang as Sidney, a thief and the Rat guardian
 * Leah Lewis as Räv, Loo's foster daughter and Tom's love interest
 * Kheng Hua Tan as Mrs. Diane Lee, Tom's grandmother
 * Sherry Cola as Naomi, the Monkey guardian
 * Deborah S. Craig as Pig
 * Jo Koy as Rooster
 * Greta Lee as Rabbit
 * Diana Lee Inosanto as Horse
 * Patrick Gallagher as Dog
 * Poppy Liu as Snake
 * Josh Zuckerman as Rudy
 * Ryan Christopher Lee as Liam
 * Raman Hui as Radio Announcer

Development
In October 2008, Cartoon Network announced a television film adaptation of Laurence Yep's 2003 novel, The Tiger's Apprentice, set to premiere on the network in 2010. Produced by Cartoon Network Studios, the film would have been a live-action/CG hybrid, with David Magee penning the screenplay and Jane Startz executive producing. The project never came to fruition.

In March 2019, Paramount Pictures announced an animated adaptation of the novel set to be theatrically released in February 2022. In June 2019, Paramount Animation announced that Carlos Baena would direct the film, with Magee and Harry Cripps writing the screenplay, Startz producing, and Raman Hui and Kane Lee executive producing. In July 2020, the film was delayed until February 2023 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In January 2022, it was revealed that Hui would instead direct the film, with Paul Watling and Yong Duk Jhun co-directing and Bob Persichetti producing. Baena would still remain in an executive producer role. New Republic Pictures co-financed the film, but is not credited.

Casting
In July 2020, Henry Golding was cast in the film as Mr. Hu. In September 2020, Sandra Oh was cast in the film as Mistral, with Michelle Yeoh, Brandon Soo Hoo, Bowen Yang, Sherry Cola, and Kheng Hua Tan also added to the cast in unspecified roles. In November 2020, Leah Lewis was cast in the film as Räv. In July 2022, it emerged that Lucy Liu had been added to the cast in a starring role. In December 2023, along with the trailer, it was revealed that Deborah S. Craig, Jo Koy, Greta Lee, Diana Lee Inosanto, Patrick Gallagher, and Poppy Lui had joined the cast.

Animation
Animation was provided by Mikros Animation in Paris. The film had a team of 80 animators and had a 4-year production. Animators from Spain, England, Belgium and Canada did remote work.

Post-production
Post-production was finished in mid-2023. On the day the film was released, two crew members who worked on the film revealed on Letterboxd that the film went through a turbulent production. The first user, identified as didiwa, cited harassment and rewrites occurring until 2023, along with some of the production crew doing multiple jobs and working several pay grades above actual roles, with no vacation allowed while others flew across Europe with paid expenses. Devon Manney, the second user, worked as an apprentice story artist from June to December 2019, and was laid off with the rest of the story team a few days before Christmas of that year, saying that Paramount "wanted to make a Spider-Verse knock off".

Music
In December 2023, it was announced that Steve Jablonsky would compose the film's score. Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger" was covered by Zhu and released on January 26, 2024. Japanese girl group Atarashii Gakko! released the song "Hello" from the movie's soundtrack as a single on February 9, 2024.

Release
The Tiger's Apprentice had its world premiere in Los Angeles on January 27, 2024, and was released by Paramount+ on February 2, 2024. It was given a theatrical release in Australia on April 4.

The film was originally scheduled for theatrical release by Paramount Pictures on February 11, 2022, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was delayed until February 10, 2023 and later December 20, 2023. It was then further delayed to January 19, 2024. However, in September 2023, the film was removed from Paramount's theatrical release schedule and was moved to a streaming release on Paramount+ on an unspecified 2024 date instead. In December 2023, along with the teaser trailer, the film's final release date was revealed.