The world has become a vast arrangement of floating islands of varying sizes and shapes. This dizzy universe is populated with rogues, peasants, and petty lords. Their main concerns are for survival, for this world has become plagued with hungry creatures, who are wreaking havoc, known as dragons. Lian-Chu and Gwizdo are two dragon hunters, but they are a long way from being among the best. Lian Chu is a hulking brute with the heart of gold, and Gwizdo is an avaricious, high-strung young man with a talent for scams. Their private dream is to own a farm where they can relax and raise sheep. A few floating islands away, there is a fortress owned by Lord Arnold. The lord has a problem. He has been living in fear of the return of World Eater, a monstrous dragon that rises every twenty years to spread terror and destruction. Nobody has been able to conquer him. And nobody has ever returned alive or sane enough to tell the tale. Lord Arnold's niece Zoe has decided to take matters into her own hands, and she finds Lian-Chu and Gwizdo to help her. She is convinced that they are the heroes of her dreams, and she goes with them to the end of the earth for a fantastic and dangerous adventure.
Cast
;French cast
Vincent Lindon as Lian-Chu
Patrick Timsit as Gwizdo
Marie Drion as Zoé
Philippe Nahon as Lord Arnold
Amanda Lear as Gildas
Jeremy Prevost as Hector
Jean-Marc Lentretien as Mamular
;Hungarian cast
István Hajdu as Lian-Chu
László Görög as Gwizdo
Lilla Hermann as Zoé
Gábor Reviczky as Lord Arnold
László Tahi Tóth as Gildas
;English cast
Forest Whitaker as Lian-Chu
Rob Paulsen as Gwizdo
Mary Mouser as Zoé
Nick Jameson as Lord Arnold
Jess Harnell as Gildas
Dave Wittenberg as Hector
Production
On 14 October 2007, it was announced that Arthur Qwak and Guillaume Ivernel were hired and set to direct Dragon Hunters based on the TV series of the same name by Arthur Qwak. Frédéric Engel-Lenoir and Qwak wrote the script for the film. Philippe Delarue and Tilo Seiffert produced the film with the budget of €12,000,000 for release in 2008. On 19 October, it was announced that Rob Paulsen, Forest Whitaker, Mary Mouser, Nick Jameson, Jess Harnell and Dave Wittenberg from the English dubbed version joined the film. On 10 December 2007, it was announced that Klaus Badelt would compose the music for the film. Development and storyboarding of the film was completed in Paris, France. Production then moved to Berlin, Germany and Luxembourg City, Luxembourg for the final phases of animation, lighting, color and production in order to maximize tax credits offered to foreign film projects in Germany and Luxembourg. On 12 December, Futurikon, Bac Films, Icon Productions and Universum Film acquired distribution rights to the film. Dragon Hunters was filmed at France, Germany and Luxembourg in January 2008. Jalan Jalan's single, "Lotus", from his 1999 album Bali, was featured in the film.
Release
An English dubbed version starring the voices of Forest Whitaker, Rob Paulsen and Mary Mouser was released in the United States on 5 April 2008.
Home media
Dragon Hunters was released on DVD on November 5, 2008 in France by Warner Home Video. About 1 Million DVDs were sold in the US.
Reception
Box office
Dragon Hunters grossed €34,068 in France for a worldwide total of $12,235,843. In Brazil, the film opened to number four in its first weekend, behind Horton Hears a Who!, Doomsday and Never Back Down. In its second weekend, the film moved up to number three. In its third weekend, the film dropped to number four. In its fourth weekend, the film dropped to number five, grossing $61,167.
Awards
Soundtrack
Dragon Hunters: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the film's soundtrack album and film score made by Klaus Badelt and released on April 5, 2008 by Skylark Sound Studios. Klaus Badelt scored the music for the film and on its soundtrack. The soundtrack also contains "Lotus" performed by Jalan Jalan. ;Songs and music
