Under the Boardwalk (2023 film)

Under the Boardwalk is a 2023 American animated musical comedy film directed by David Soren, who co-wrote the screenplay with Lorene Scafaria. Co-produced by Paramount Animation and Big Kid Pictures, and animated by DNEG Animation, the film features the voices of Keke Palmer, Michael Cera, and Bobby Cannavale.

Under the Boardwalk was released in select theaters on October 27, 2023, followed by a video-on-demand release on November 7.

Plot
A community of land hermit crabs underneath a New Jersey beach boardwalk often play host to a community of sea hermit crabs that come to the land for vacation and both species of crabs can't stand each other. Armen, a timid land crab, is reluctant to go out and socialize due to how his parents died in a storm when he was a child and his rotting shell, inhabited by a fun-loving organism named Anemone, is the only reminder of them. However, three muscular crabs and Armen's friends, Bobby, Manny and Jimmy, drag him to a club owned by his uncle Bruno. The crabs get into a fight with an arrogant sea crab named Mako when Armen inadvertently bumps into Ramona, a tourist sea crab he fell in love with earlier. The land crabs get evicted as a result and Armen frustratedly takes his leave. As he is sulking by the seashore, Mako and his goons come to hassle him and steal his shell. Ramona intervenes, but she and Armen get swept away in a high tide that ruins the land crab civilization.

Armen ends up in the far end of the beach and above the boardwalk where he is captured by a human collector to sell as a pet and is given an artificial shell to boot. He soon reunites with Ramona and together, they escape and work together to get back home. On their journey, they each share their insecurities, Armen for being too frightened to do anything besides stay in his shell and Ramona from wanting to get away from her overbearing mother Val, who expects perfection from her. Armen and Ramona's disappearances soon intensifies the rivalry between the land and sea crabs, mostly due to how Mako made up the story of how Armen tried to steal Ramona way from him. Bobby begins second-guessing his tendency to use physical force against his enemies and soon encounters Ramona's deaf sister Shelly looking for Ramona. However, as he walks her home, Val sends him away and when he tries to break up a fight between his friends and Mako's gang, he accidentally snaps off Mako's right arm. Mako vows revenge and claims that Armen is dead, giving them Armen's shell and a shell-shocked Anemone. The land crabs then declare war.

As Armen and Ramona fall in love, two of the crabs they met while at the pet shop begin judging them, making Armen feel hesitant about his feelings, much to Ramona's distress. Eventually, Ramona begins to get dehydrated and passes out, prompting Armen to carry her into the water, moving past the conflict between the land and sea crabs, who cease their fighting to see Armen carrying Ramona and dragging her into the water. Ramona wakes up and kisses Armen and they go back to the surface where Armen is praised for his heroism and Mako is outed as a liar. The land and sea crabs work past their differences with Mako giving Bobby a new shell as a peace offering and Armen giving his shell to a new crab who needs it more.

Production
In June 2019, the film was announced under the name of Jersey Crabs, as part of Paramount Animation's upcoming slate, with Lorene Scafaria writing the screenplay and David Dobkin producing. In July 2020, it was reported that David Soren was hired to direct the film, which was retitled Under the Boardwalk. New Republic Pictures co-financed the film, but was not credited. The animation was done by DNEG Animation in Montreal, with production underway by February 2021. Production was done remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic. By June 3, 2022, the film was in post-production, with production being completed by August 7, 2022. Braam Jordaan was an animation consultant for the film.

Music
In June 2021, it was reported that Sean Douglas would write original music for the film. On May 23, 2022, scoring was announced to be underway. In October 2023, it was announced that John Debney and Jonathan Sadoff had composed the film's score, with Sadoff co-writing the songs. Sony Masterworks released a soundtrack EP for the film on November 3, 2023.

Track listing
All songs are written by Douglas and Sadoff.

Release
Under the Boardwalk was released in select theaters on October 27, 2023, followed by a wide video-on-demand release on November 7. It was previously scheduled for release on July 22, 2022, but in January 2022, it was removed from the release schedule with Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank taking the date. On July 26, 2023, it was announced that it would be released on Paramount+. In October 2023, it was given for a limited theatrical release on its current date under the Nickelodeon Movies imprint, followed by its video-on-demand release.

It was released on DVD on December 19, 2023.