Spies in Disguise

Spies in Disguise is a 2019 American computer-animated spy comedy film produced by Blue Sky Studios and distributed by 20th Century Fox. Loosely based on Lucas Martell's 2009 animated short Pigeon: Impossible, the film is directed by Nick Bruno and Troy Quane in their directorial debuts, and stars the voices of Will Smith and Tom Holland, alongside Rashida Jones, Ben Mendelsohn, Reba McEntire, Rachel Brosnahan, Karen Gillan, DJ Khaled, and Masi Oka in supporting roles. The plot follows a secret agent who is accidentally transformed into a pigeon by an intelligent young scientist; the two must then work together to stop a revenge-seeking cybernetic terrorist, and return the agent to his human form.

The film premiered at the El Capitan Theatre on December 4, 2019, and was theatrically released in the United States on December 25, 2019. It has grossed $46.2 million.

Plot
Lance Sterling, a cocky secret agent of H.T.U.V. (Honor, Trust, Unity and Valor), is sent to recover an attack drone from Japanese arms dealer Katsu Kimura in Japan. As soon as the buyer, cybernetically enhanced terrorist Killian, arrives, Sterling breaks in against the orders of H.T.U.V. director Joy Jenkins, defeats Kimura and his gang, and manages to escape with the briefcase containing the drone. Sterling returns to H.T.U.V. headquarters to confront Walter Beckett, a socially inept MIT graduate and outcast young scientist, for equipping nonlethal weapons into his suit. Walter tries to convince Sterling that there is a more peaceful way to save the world, but Sterling fires him before he can explain his latest invention: "biodynamic concealment".

Sterling discovers the briefcase to be empty and is confronted by Marcy Kappel, a security forces agent, who reveals footage of Sterling (actually Killian in a holographic disguise) leaving with the drone, labeling him as a traitor. Sterling escapes the H.T.U.V. and decides to track down Walter to help him disappear. Meanwhile, Killian breaks into the H.T.U.V. weapons facility.

While searching Walter's home for his invention, Sterling unknowingly ingests the concoction and transforms into a pigeon. Before Walter can try to change him back, Marcy and other H.T.U.V. agents chase the duo through the city, but they escape in Sterling's spy car. The two track down Kimura to a resort in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. There, they learn of Killian's whereabouts in Venice, Italy before Marcy and the H.T.U.V. can capture them again. On their way to Venice, Walter attempts to make an antidote, but fails.

Arriving in Venice, Walter is confronted by the H.T.U.V., who are unaware of Sterling's condition. Revealing that she knows about Wendy, Walter's deceased mother, Marcy tries to convince him to help turn Sterling in, but Walter refuses. Suddenly, a drone distracts the H.T.U.V. and allows Walter and Sterling to escape. The two discover the drone carrying the H.T.U.V. agent database, and Walter manages to retrieve it. However, Killian shows up, takes the database, and prepares to kill Walter. With help from hundreds of pigeons in the surrounding area, they distract Killian and flee. Disguised as Sterling once more, Killian escapes the H.T.U.V., shaking Marcy's suspicions of Sterling upon her seeing him with a robot hand.

Whilst underwater in a submarine, Walter reveals he planted a tracking device on Killian and locates him at the weapons facility. Walter manages to perfect the antidote and successfully turns Sterling human again. Reaching Killian's hideout, Sterling is concerned about Walter's safety and sends him away in the submarine. Once inside, Sterling confronts Killian, but is defeated and captured as Killian reveals he has mass produced hundreds of drones to target everyone at the agency using the database for revenge. Noticing Walter returning in the submarine, Killian destroys it; unbeknownst to them, Walter survives with one of his inventions.

Once Walter frees Sterling, the two escape and contact Marcy for support as the drones approach H.T.U.V. headquarters in Washington D.C. Walter attempts to hack into Killian's bionic arm, but he realizes this and tries to flee with a drone, but Walter catches up. Walter risks his life by trapping Killian in one of his protective gadgets and deactivates the villain's arm as he falls, but Sterling, who has turned himself back into a pigeon, flies for the first time and carries him to safety with help from other pigeons, and Killian is found and arrested.

Despite saving the world, Sterling and Walter are fired for disobedience. Although they are later reinstated by the H.T.U.V. as the agency could learn from Walter's more peaceful ways of handling villainy.

Voice cast

 * Will Smith as Lance Sterling, "the world's most awesome spy," who is accidentally turned into a pigeon.
 * Tom Holland as Walter Beckett, a socially inept scientific genius who graduated from MIT at age 15 and designs gadgets. He inadvertently turns Sterling into a pigeon with a new invention of his and must now help Sterling change back to his human form.
 * Jarrett Bruno portrays a younger Walter.
 * Rashida Jones as Marcy Kappel, a security forces agent of internal affairs who is in pursuit of Lance Sterling.
 * Ben Mendelsohn as Killian, a powerful technology-based terrorist mastermind with a left bionic arm which controls an array of weaponized drones that threatens the world. Killian is Sterling's arch-enemy and his main mission objective.
 * Reba McEntire as Joy Jenkins, the director of H.T.U.V. (short for Honor, Trust, Unity and Valor) and Sterling's superior.
 * Rachel Brosnahan as Wendy Beckett, a police officer and Walter's late mother.
 * Karen Gillan as Eyes, an H.T.U.V. specialist in spectral analysis and quantum optical thermography who is paired with Ears.
 * DJ Khaled as Ears, an H.T.U.V. specialist in communications who is paired with Eyes.
 * Masi Oka as Katsu Kimura, a Japanese arms dealer and an associate to Killian.
 * Carla Jimenez as Geraldine
 * Olly Murs as Junior Agent #1
 * Bex Marsh as Italian Tourist
 * Peter S. Kim as Joon
 * Stephania Spampinato as Italian Woman
 * Eddie Mujica as Agency Accountant, Male Tourist
 * Emily Altman as Lead Agency Lab Tech, Scooter Girl
 * Randy Trager Terrance
 * Mark Ronson as Agency Control Room Technician
 * Matthew J. Munn as Weapons Lab Soldier
 * Kimberly Brooks as Lance Sterling's Car
 * Krizia Bajos as Receptionist
 * Reggie De Leon as Weapons Lab Tech
 * Casey Roberts as Launch Control Voice

Agency employees are voiced by Tawny Newsome, JB Blanc, Adrian Gonzalez, William Christopher Stephens, Bex Marsh, Peter S. Kim, Gabriel Conte, Joe Conte, Nick Bruno, and Troy Quane.

Marcy's Agents are voiced by JB Blanc, Christopher Campbell, Adrian Gonzalez, Peter S. Kim, and William Christopher Stephens.

Pigeon voices are provided by Jarrett Bruno, Nick Bruno, Randy Thom, and Randy Trager.

Production
On October 9, 2017, it was announced that development was underway on a film based on the animated short Pigeon: Impossible (2009), with Will Smith and Tom Holland set to voice the lead characters.

In October 2018, new additions to the voice cast included Ben Mendelsohn, Karen Gillan, Rashida Jones, DJ Khaled and Masi Oka. In July 2019, Reba McEntire and Rachel Brosnahan joined the cast, and in September 2019, Carla Jimenez was added as well.

Score
On June 12, 2018, it was reported that Theodore Shapiro was set to compose the film's score. The film's score album was released by Hollywood Records and Fox Music on December 27, 2019.

EP soundtrack
On June 11, 2019, it was announced that Mark Ronson would be the film's executive music producer. Head of Fox Music Danielle Diego expresssed excitement at working with Ronson, stating that "his unique blend of vintage soul and funk exceptionally captures the soul of [the] film." On November 22, 2019, an original song for the film entitled "Then There Were Two," performed by Ronson and Anderson .Paak, was released. Two days later, an extended play album was announced, titled Mark Ronson Presents the Music of Spies in Disguise and featuring five new songs written for the film, as well Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock's "It Takes Two". The EP was released digitally on December 13, 2019 by RCA Records.

Release
The film was originally scheduled for release on January 18, 2019, by 20th Century Fox. The release date was delayed to April 19, 2019, and then to September 13, 2019. On May 10, the date was delayed once more, to December 25, 2019.

Spies in Disguise is the first release by Blue Sky Studios as a unit of The Walt Disney Company, after Disney's purchase of Fox. This allows ticket purchases to be eligible for Disney Movie Insiders points.

The film had its world premiere at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, on December 4, 2019.

Marketing
The first trailer and teaser poster were released on November 1, 2018. The second trailer was released on July 1, 2019 and the final trailer was released on September 27, 2019, though a "super secret" trailer was released on November 18.

Box office
, Spies in Disguise has grossed $29.3 million in the United States and Canada, and $16.9 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $46.2 million.

In the United States and Canada, the film was released on Wednesday, December 25, alongside Little Women and the expansion of Uncut Gems, and was projected to gross $19–23 million from 3,502 theatres over in its five-day opening weekend. The film made $4.8 million on Christmas Day and $4.1 million on its second day. It went on to make $13.2 million during its opening weekend, for a total of $22.1 million over the five-day Christmas frame, finishing fifth.

Critical response
On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 73% based on 89 reviews and an average rating of 6.41/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "A cheerfully undemanding animated adventure that's elevated by its voice cast, Spies in Disguise is funny, fast-paced, and family-friendly enough to satisfy." Metacritic gave the film a weighted average score of 54 out of 100, based on 22 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews." Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A–" on an A+ to F scale, while those at PostTrak gave it an average 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian gave the film three out of five stars, calling it an "entertaining family adventure," and praising the vocal work of Smith and Holland.