The film also marks Michael Jeter's last acting role before his death, and the film was thus dedicated to his memory. The film was later listed in the 2006 Guinness World Records as the first all-digital capture film. However, later re-releases helped propel the film's gross to $314 million worldwide. The film was originally a box office disappointment upon release, grossing $286 million against a $165–170 million budget. The Polar Express was released in the Chicago International Film Festival on Octoand the United States on November 10, 2004. The film was made with a production budget of $165–170 million, a record-breaking sum for an animated feature at the time. Its CGI visual effects and CGI performance capture were done at Sony Pictures Imageworks. Pictures, as Castle Rock's first CGI-animated film.

The film stars Tom Hanks, also one of the film's executive producers, in multiple distinct roles, with Daryl Sabara, Nona Gaye, Jimmy Bennett and Eddie Deezen in supporting roles.Ĭastle Rock Entertainment produced the film in association with Shangri-La Entertainment, ImageMovers, Playtone, and Golden Mean Productions for Warner Bros. The boy joins several other children as they embark on a journey to visit Santa Claus preparing for Christmas. It tells the story of a young boy who, on Christmas Eve, sees a mysterious train bound for the North Pole stop outside his window and is invited aboard by its conductor. The film features human characters animated using live-action and motion-capture CGI animation. The Polar Express is a 2004 American computer-animated Christmas fantasy adventure film co-written and directed by Robert Zemeckis, based on the 1985 children's book of the same name by Chris Van Allsburg, who also served as one of the executive producers.

Red giant vfx suite os support