Top Cat Begins (also known in Spanish as Don Gato: El Inicio de la Pandilla, Top Cat: The Start of the Gang) is a 2015 animated comedy film, produced by Ánima Estudios and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures in Mexico with portions outsourced to Prana Studios and Discreet Arts Productions in India.
[7] The film was first released in Mexico on October 30, 2015, where it was moderately successful, while an underperformance of its more-successful predecessor, and has grossed $54.1 million pesos.
[citation needed] The film was released in limited form on September 29, 2017 in the United States and later on October 10 in home video and digital platforms, distributed by Viva Pictures.
They find out that they work for Mr. Big and TC plans to rob the place by switching the bags that Bad Dog has.
The next day, Mr. Big's goons make 'Wanted' posters for Top Cat and Benny, so they call Officer Dibble to help them.
Suddenly, TC and Dibble arrive but get chased down by an angry mob and Benny gets captured by Mr. Big's goons.
While at the airport, he realizes that all he needs is friends and returns to New York then Choo-Choo, Brain and Fancy-Fancy and they agree to help Top Cat.
The next day Top Cat apologizes to Benny and tells his gang to meet him at Hoagy's Alley.
Additional voices include David Shaughnessy, Nick Shakoour, Steve Blum, Grey DeLisle, Diane Michelle, Rachael MacFarlane, Pamela Chollet, Jim Ward, G. K. Bowes, Sean Kenin, and Sue Boyajian.
[12] The original Top Cat cartoon, which ran on ABC from 1961 to 1962, has already gained massive popularity in Latin America during the time of its run, mainly due to the show's well-performed dubbing and translation.
[12] Producer Jose C. Garcia de Letona called the film "a work of persuasion and persistence" since he also stated that the company "knows and understands the character".
[12] Director Andrés Couturier, who has also directed another film adaptation of a classic animation property, Kung-Fu Magoo based on Mr. Magoo, has been attached to direct the animated prequel film since he has grown up watching the original Hanna-Barbera cartoon, stating that the character has "influenced" him.
[12] Producer Garcia de Letona has admitted that, despite the studio's interest for 2D animated productions, they wanted to reach a wider market focused on CG distribution.
[I]t seemed important to preserve the graphic and aesthetic essence of the original series [-] that the character was still Don Gato (Top Cat) despite having been translated into this new volumetric universe," said González.
[13] González, who also worked for the preceding film, was not familiar of the original cartoon at the time, but recognizing the popularity between in Latin America and the United States.
"[13] The film's screenplay is written by James Krieg (known for writing the Scooby-Doo television shows), Doug Langdale, and Jorge Ramírez-Suárez.
[14][non-primary source needed] It was also announced that voice actors Chris Edgerly, Bill Lobley, Hope Levy, and David Hoffman, had joined the English cast.
[3][10] "We are very excited to be working with Ánima Estudios, [by] bringing this latest chapter of Top Cat to a worldwide audience," said Spencer Pollard, CEO of KFD.
"[29] Eddie Harrison, writing in The List, gave the film 3/5 stars, saying, "The feline favourite returns for a likeably familiar, knockabout animation.
As with J. J. Abrams' first Star Trek movie, there's a reasonable amount of fun in seeing how the iconic characters originally met each other...director Andrés Couturier's film wisely scales things down as it attempts to get back to the comedic values of its source material.