The Witch Mountain franchise consists of American science fiction fantasy-action adventure films, produced by The Walt Disney Company.[1][2][3] Based on the 1968 novel Escape to Witch Mountain by Alexander Key, the films deal with extraterrestrial children on Earth seeking to return to their home planet, while antagonists attempt to foil their escape. The franchise includes both theatrical and made-for-television releases.
| Witch Mountain | |
|---|---|
 Official franchise logo, as released in 2009. | |
| Based on | Escape to Witch Mountain by Alexander Key |
| Distributed by | The Walt Disney Company |
Release date | 1975–present |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | >$106,387,141 (3 films)[a] |
A reboot television series starring Bryce Dallas Howard is in development, to be released exclusively streaming on Disney+.
Origin
editNovels
editThe Walt Disney Company's Witch Mountain franchise is based on the 1968 science fiction novel Escape to Witch Mountain, written by Alexander Key. The events of the story follow two teenage orphans named Tony and Tia, who have paranormal abilities. The pair, who have little recollection of their past, are placed into a juvenile detention home by social services. After being released to a man self-described to be their "uncle", they discover his nefarious plans in using them for personal gain. Over the events of the book, the two remember their true nature as extraterrestrial life who came to Earth, when their home-planet was being destroyed. The duo escape with the remainder of their people, who call themselves "Castaways".[4][5]
A sequel novel titled Return from Witch Mountain was released in 1978 by the Walt Disney Studios, to coincide with the release of their feature film of the same title. Key penned the novelization, based on the screenplay by Malcolm Marmorstein. It had originally been published in 1978 by the Westminster Press in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[6]
Development
editThe Walt Disney Company released a 1975 feature film adaptation that was mostly faithful to the source material. The film was one of the studio's most successful live-action films at the time.[7] Following the positive response to the film, the franchise continued with later installments.
Films
edit| Film | U.S. release date | Director | Screenwriter(s) | Story by | Producer(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Escape to Witch Mountain | March 21, 1975 | John Hough | Robert M. Young | Ron Miller and Jerome Courtland | |
| Return from Witch Mountain | March 10, 1978 | Malcolm Marmorstein | |||
| Beyond Witch Mountain | February 20, 1982 | Robert Day | Robert M. Young and B.W. Sandefur & Hal Kanter |
Robert Malcolm Young | Jan Williams |
| Escape to Witch Mountain | April 29, 1995 | Peter Rader | Robert M. Young & Peter Rader | Robert Malcom Young | Joan Van Horn |
| Race to Witch Mountain | March 13, 2009 | Andy Fickman | Matt Lopez & Mark Bomback | Matt Lopez | Andrew Gunn |
Escape to Witch Mountain (1975)
editTwo teenage orphaned siblings, Tony and Tia Malone, secretly possess psychic powers. When those abilities attract attention from a villainous billionaire named Aristotle Bolt, the pair find themselves on the run. Bolt kidnaps them with plans to exploit their powers for his personal financial gain. Tony and Tia escape his containment, and with the help of a bitter widower named Jason O'Day they avoid Bolt's nefarious plans, and discover their other worldly origins.[8]
Return from Witch Mountain (1978)
editAfter previously escaping the greedy and scheming humans of Earth, Tony and Tia return for a vacation. While on their Earth-bound getaway, the pair attract the attention of another treacherous man. Doctor Gannon, and his henchwoman named Letha, see the pair's abilities as an avenue in attaining riches. The villainous duo kidnap Tony, and use his power to sway Tia. She follows and pursues them, with a plan to free her brother.[9]
Beyond Witch Mountain (1982)
editA third installment was released exclusively through television broadcast in the early-1980s, beginning a decade-long trend of made-for-television sequels to, and remakes of, classic Walt Disney productions.[10]
When reports of a boy's inexplicable abilities arise, Tony and Tia return to Earth. Knowing that the young boy must be from their world, the pair are sent to find the child. In their task, they are joined by Jason O'Day, their old friend. Together they race to find the boy, before a familiar nemesis (Aristotle Bolt) does.[11]
Escape to Witch Mountain (1995)
editDisney produced a remake of Escape to Witch Mountain for broadcast on The Magical World of Disney in 1995.[12][13] Marketed as a remake of the original 1975 film, the story shares commonalities with the previous adaptation.
A pair of twin humanoid-alien babies are found near a mysterious mountain. Unintentionally separated, they grow in age unknowingly within the same town. Without knowledge of the other's existence, the pair eventually meet and learn that they both possess supernatural abilities. Upon discovering each other, a questionable local businessman decides to use the teenagers powers to make himself rich. On the run from these nefarious plans and with the support of other-worldly alliances, only the strange place known as Witch Mountain can save them.[14][15]
Race to Witch Mountain (2009)
editA remake or reboot, the film was released in theaters in 2009 and revived the franchise.[16][17]
The plot tells the events surrounding a pair of extraterrestrial teenagers named Sara and Seth who have paranormal abilities, are in search of a way back to their home-planet, and drag a Las Vegas taxi driver named Jack Bruno into their adventures. Before an invasion from other worlds comes to Earth, the teens must find the location of their spaceship, which is buried within Witch Mountain. Bruno finds himself aiding the youth while evading government operatives and an alien bounty hunter/assassin who are fast on their trail.[18]
Television
editIn April 2019, a television series in the franchise was announced to be in development as a streaming exclusive release for Disney+.[19][20][21]
By March 2021, the series had been green-lit for a pilot. The series is co-written by Terry Matalas and Travis Fickett, while John Davis and John Fox are serving as producers. The series is a joint-venture production between Disney Platform Distribution and Davis Entertainment.[22] Simply titled Witch Mountain, it is a reimagining of the original film. With the premise based on the first film, the cast was announced with Bryce Dallas Howard, Isabel Gravitt, Levi Miller, Bianca Norwood, and Jackson Kelly.[23]
Main cast and characters
editThis section includes characters who will appear or have appeared in more than two films in the series.
- An empty grey cell indicates the character was not in the film, or that the character's official presence has not yet been confirmed.
- Y indicates a younger version of the character.
| Character | Film | Television | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Escape to Witch Mountain |
Return from Witch Mountain |
Beyond Witch Mountain |
Escape to Witch Mountain |
Race to Witch Mountain |
Witch Mountain | |
| Tina "Tia" Malone | Kim Richards Kyle RichardsY |
Kim Richards | Tracey Gold | Kim Richards | Isabel Gravitt | |
| Anthony "Tony" Malone | Ike Eisenmann | Andy Freeman | Ike Eisenmann | |||
| Jason O'Day | Eddie Albert | Eddie Albert | ||||
| Uncle Bené | Denver Pyle | Noah Beery Jr. | ||||
| Anna Bolt | Elisabeth Moss Jennifer & Marissa BullockY |
|||||
| Danny Bolt | Erik von Detten Nikki & Sammi AllenY |
|||||
| Waldo Fudd | Vincent Schiavelli | |||||
| Luthor | Brad Dourif | |||||
| Bruno | ||||||
| Edward Bolt | Robert Vaughn | |||||
| Sara | AnnaSophia Robb | |||||
| Seth | Alexander Ludwig | |||||
| Jack Bruno | Dwayne Johnson | |||||
| Dr. Alex Friedman | Carla Gugino | |||||
| Henry Burke | Ciarán Hinds | |||||
| Audrey | Bryce Dallas Howard | |||||
| Ben | Levi Miller | |||||
| Corey | Bianca "b" Norwood | |||||
| Peter | Jackson Kelly | |||||
Additional crew and production details
edit| Film | Crew/Detail | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Composer | Cinematographer | Editor | Production companies |
Distributing company |
Running time | |
| Escape to Witch Mountain | Johnny Mandel | Frank V. Phillips | Robert Stafford | Walt Disney Productions | Buena Vista Distribution Company | 1hr 37mins |
| Return from Witch Mountain | Lalo Schifrin | Bob Bring | 1hr 35mins | |||
| Beyond Witch Mountain | George Duning | Jack A. Whitman Jr. | Gordon D. Brenner | Disney–ABC Domestic Television, Columbia Broadcasting System |
47mins | |
| Escape to Witch Mountain | Richard Marvin | Russ T. Alsobrook | Duane Hartzell | Buena Vista Television, Walt Disney Television, ABC Family Movie |
Disney–ABC Domestic Television, American Broadcasting Company |
1hr 27mins |
| Race to Witch Mountain | Trevor Rabin | Greg Gardiner | David Rennie | Walt Disney Pictures, Gunn Films, Sandman Studios |
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures | 1hr 38mins |
| Witch Mountain | TBA | TBA | TBA | Davis Entertainment, Disney Branded Television, ABC Signature Studios, Disney+ Original Films |
Disney+ | TBA |
Reception
editBox office and financial performance
edit| Film | Box office gross | Box office ranking | Video sales gross |
Budget | Worldwide Total income |
Ref. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North America | Other territories | Worldwide | All time North America |
All time worldwide |
North America | ||||
| Escape to Witch Mountain | $20,000,000 | — | $20,000,000 | information unavailable | information unavailable | $8,500,000 | information unavailable | $28,500,000 | [24][25] |
| Return from Witch Mountain | $6,393,000 | — | $6,393,000 | information unavailable | information unavailable | $10,000,000 | information unavailable | $16,393,000 | [26][27] |
| Beyond Witch Mountain | — | information unavailable | — | — | — | information unavailable | information unavailable | information unavailable | |
| Escape to Witch Mountain | — | information unavailable | — | — | — | information unavailable | information unavailable | information unavailable | |
| Race to Witch Mountain | $67,172,594 | $39,214,547 | $106,387,141 | #1,227 | #2,091 | $41,619,672 | $50,000,000 | $98,006,813 | [28][29] |
Critical and public response
edit| Film | Rotten Tomatoes | Metacritic |
|---|---|---|
| Escape to Witch Mountain | 76% (21 reviews)[30] | 60 (7 reviews)[31] |
| Return from Witch Mountain | 50% (10 reviews)[32] | — |
| Beyond Witch Mountain | — | — |
| Escape to Witch Mountain | — | — |
| Race to Witch Mountain | 42% (153 reviews)[33] | 52 (28 reviews)[34] |
Notes
edit- ^ These figures are based on the available numbers for the theatrical films. Though there are a total five movies, there is no financial information publicly available for the made-for-television films.
References
edit- ^ Fibbs, Brandon (March 13, 2009). "Race to Witch Mountain". Christianity Today. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
- ^ May, Scott A. (March 19, 2009). "Formulaic 'Witch Mountain' redo will have audiences racing for exit". Columbia Daily Tribune. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
- ^ Thompson, Gary (March 12, 2009). "Back to Witch Mountain: Disney updates it with a fast-paced action flick". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
- ^ "Was "Escape to Witch Mountain" based on Zenna Henderson's "People" stories?". LDS Film. LDS Film. January 22, 2005. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
- ^ McElroy, Jenny (March 13, 2009). "Alexander Key. Escape to Witch Mountain. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1968". UNC-Chapel Hills Library. A North Carolina Novels – A Guide to Fiction Set in North Carolina. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
- ^ "Witch Mountain: Return from Witch Mountain". GoodReads. GoodReads. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
- ^ Sherman, Fraser A. Cyborgs, Santa Claus and Satan: Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films Made For Television. p. 64.
- ^ Williams, Whitney (January 1, 1975). "Escape to Witch Mountain".
- ^ Pollock, Dale (January 1, 1978). "Return from Witch Mountain".
- ^ MeTV Staff (December 5, 2017). "13 fascinating facts about 'The Wonderful World of Disney'". Me-TV Network.
- ^ "Beyond Witch Mountain (television)". D23.
- ^ "Preview '94: A Feel for Family: ABC PINS ITS SATURDAY NIGHT VALUES ON WHOLESOME MOVIES". Los Angeles Times. September 11, 1994.
- ^ "ABC revives weekly Disney series". Deseret News. September 28, 1997.
- ^ Barnes & Noble. "Race to Witch Mountain". Barnes & Noble.
- ^ "Escape to Witch Mountain – Movie Review". www.commonsensemedia.org. November 23, 2009.
- ^ McDaniel, Matt (February 10, 2012). "Dwayne Johnson: The Sequel's Champion?". Yahoo Entertainment. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
- ^ Weitzman, Elizabeth (March 11, 2009). "'Race to Witch Mountain' is a thoroughly modern remake". NY Daily News. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
- ^ Leydon, Joe (March 11, 2009). "Race to Witch Mountain". Variety. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
- ^ Liptak, Andrew (April 10, 2021). "All of the shows and films Disney is planning for its Disney+ streaming service". The Verge. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
- ^ Palmer, Roger (April 3, 2021). "Is A New "Escape To Witch Mountain" Remake Coming To Disney+?". What's on Disney Plus. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
- ^ Shah, Beejoli (April 2, 2019). "As Disney Plans Streaming Launch, Speed and Marketing Are Key". The Information. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
- ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (March 24, 2021). "Sony Pictures Conjuring Up 'Bewitched' Movie Based On Classic TV Series". Deadline. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
- ^ Otterson, Joe (December 12, 2022). "'Witch Mountain' Pilot Set at Disney+, Bryce Dallas Howard to Lead Cast". Variety. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
- ^ "Escape to Witch Mountain". Box Office Mojo.
- ^ "All-time Film Rental Champs", Variety, January 7, 1976, p 44
- ^ "Return from Witch Mountain". Box Office Mojo.
- ^ "Return from Witch Mountain". Disney Movies List. December 14, 2017.
- ^ "Race to Witch Mountain". Box Office Mojo.
- ^ "Race to Witch Mountain (2009) – Financial Information". The Numbers.
- ^ "Escape to Witch Mountain (1975)". Rotten Tomatoes.
- ^ "Escape to Witch Mountain". Metacritic.
- ^ "Return from Witch Mountain (1978)". Rotten Tomatoes.
- ^ "Race to Witch Mountain (2009)". Rotten Tomatoes.
- ^ "Race to Witch Mountain". Metacritic.