Does anyone remember Ernest & Celestine from back in 2012? It’s a French language animated film about an anthropomorphic mouse and bear who become unlikely allies, and then some very unlikely friends that was very well-received by critics and audiences alike. The 86th Academy Awards actually nominated it for Best Animated Feature of 2012. While it did lose to Frozen, it’s still quite the feat for a non-English film to make it that far. Thus, you can understand why they decided to make a sequel to it in the form of Ernest & Celestine: A Trip to Gibberita. And also thus, you can understand why GKIDS is sensing an opportunity to make some big bucks off of it.
Ernest & Celestine: A Trip to a Sequel
GKIDS is proud to announce that they have acquired all US distribution rights for Ernest & Celestine: A Trip to Gibberita by directors Jean-Christophe Roger and Julien Chheng. It took a bit longer than usual for animated films, considering that it debuted in France in December 14, 2022. But well, better late than never.
As for when we’ll get to see Ernest & Celestine: A Trip to Gibberita, though? You know, now that someone is actually distributing it here in the US? According to GKIDS, this 79-minute-long sequel will make its US debut at this year’s New York International Children’s Film Festival. Specifically: Friday, March 3, 2023. So if you want to see what happens to our mouse and bear heroes after their first adventure, you will want to mark that date on your calendar.
Unfortunately, GKIDS gives no timeline on any home video releases for Ernest & Celestine: A Trip to Gibberita. Presumably, that will come at a later date. Tune back into THS later to find out that date when we hopefully do.
Ernest & Celestine: A Trip to Gibberita ~ Synopsis
Want to know what this sequel is about? GKIDS have been kind enough to provide us with an official synopsis today. You can check it out below:
Ernest and Celestine return in this delightful and joyous follow-up to their first Academy Award®-nominated adventure, which introduced a bear and mouse as the unlikeliest of friends. Ernest remains an ursine troubadour dedicated to a life of music and art, and his constant grouchiness is softened by the creative whims of his mouse friend Celestine. When she accidentally breaks his beloved violin, they must take a long voyage to Ernest’s country of Gibbertia, home to the only artist who can repair it. But when they arrive, they are shocked to discover that all forms of music have been banned in Gibbertia for many years, and a land once known across the world for its incredible musicians has fallen silent. It is up to Ernest and Celestine and their new friends, including a mysterious masked outlaw, to bring music and happiness back to the land of bears.
