Tom HanksThe divisive Christmas adventure film finds renewed success on streaming just in time for its 20th anniversary. Although his most frequent collaborator is Steven Spielberg, Hanks is also known for his numerous collaborations with director Robert Zemeckis, beginning with 1994. Forest Gumpfor which he won his second Oscar for Best Actor. In 2000, Hanks reunited with Zemeckis to Castaway and earned another Oscar nomination for Best Actor.
Some of Hanks' more recent films have also been directed by Zemeckis, including the 2022 live-action Pinocchioin which he played Geppetto, and 2024 Herein which the actor was digitally reduced. In addition to his on-screen roles that have made him one of the most recognized movie stars, Hanks has also lent his voice to a few animated characters throughout his career, most famously Woody in the Toy story films. Tom Hanks' collaborations with Robert Zemeckis also extend into the world of animation with the 2004 Christmas film, The Polar Express.
Polar Express finds renewed success in streaming
Tom Hanks' divisive Christmas movie is celebrating its 20th anniversary
The Polar ExpressTom Hanks' divisive Christmas movie finds renewed success on streaming just in time for its 20th anniversary. Co-written and directed by Robert Zemeckis based on the 1985 children's book by Chris Van Allsburg the 2004 animated film follows a boy who, on Christmas Eve, embarks on a magical adventure to the North Pole aboard the titular train to visit Santa Claus. The Polar Express The voice cast includes Tom Hanks in various roles alongside Daryl Sabara, Nona Gaye, Jimmy Bennett and Eddie Deezen.
Now, in time for its 20th anniversary, Tom Hanks' controversial Christmas film has found renewed success on streaming. The Polar Express ranks #3 on Disney+ and #6 on Hulu on December 23rd. It is ranked among other Christmas films such as Alone at home, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, Santa Claus, Elfand National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.
What Polar Express' streaming success means for the film
She continues to be successful despite her split
In light of its renewed streaming success, The Polar Express remains controversial for its depiction of human characters, which used a combination of live action and motion capture animation. While the film is visually impressive in parts, the animation of the human characters doesn't look realistic enough, in part because it was the first film made entirely with motion capture. Others felt that the story seemed to extend to the length of the original children's book.
However, The Polar Express managed to achieve success over the years, originally earning US$286 million at the box office against a budget of US$165-170 million, the highest ever for an animated film at the time, with subsequent re-releases bringing its total worldwide gross to more than US$318 million. . Its renewed streaming success is just the latest example of how, despite its divisive animation style, The Polar Express continues to captivate audiences with its whimsical Christmas adventure.
Source: Disney+/Hulu