Why over the Hedge Never Got a Sequel Despite Verne and Rj's Box Office Success
By Robert Thorne
Directed by Tim Johnson and Karey Kirkpatrick, the movie adapted the syndicated newspaper strip by Michael Fry and T Lewis. Opening against Ron Howard’s juggernaut The Da Vinci Code, Over the Hedge debuted in second place domestically with $38.5 million across its opening weekend. It demonstrated exceptional legs throughout the summer of 2006, ultimately racking up $155 million in North America and $181.3 million internationally.
The supporting cast featured an exceptional lineup. Nick Nolte voiced Vincent the bear, the looming predatory threat forcing RJ to rob suburban kitchen pantries. Allison Janney delivered a razor-sharp villain turn as homeowners association president Gladys Sharp, armed with an illegal "Depelter Turbo" trap installed by Dwayne the exterminator, voiced by Thomas Haden Church.
The film held a 75% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences responded to its pacing, its Ben Folds soundtrack, and its surprisingly pointed commentary on housing developments swallowing natural ecosystems. On paper, these metrics met the exact criteria DreamWorks used to launch multi-film properties.
Robert Thorne covers electric vehicle innovations, autonomous driving systems, global mobility trends, and automotive engineering developments.
