Knight School

Knight School is a 2023 American animated comedy film produced by Cartoon Network Studios, DreamWorks Pictures and Smashup Productions and directed by Andrew Adamson and Conrad Vernon. The film stars Anna Kendrick, who voices the main protagonist, joined by Ben Schwartz, John Cleese, and Rupert Everett. The film centers around a high school student transferred to Knight School to learn more about medieval history.

The story was thought up by Xavier Shaquille in 2020, and had the idea of having a theatrical Cartoon Network film in computer-animation before going with flash animation after having developed bad terms with an old friend. This is the first ever original feature film not based on the studio's existing shows, as well as DreamWorks Pictures' first 2D-animated film since Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas (2003).

Knight School released worldwide in September 15, 2023 by Warner Bros. Pictures. The film grossed $167 million worldwide against a $40 million budget and was met with mixed-to-positive response, with praise for the voice acting (mostly Kendrick and Cleese) and its soundtrack, while criticism was met with its use of profane swearing. Its success, alongside The CN Movie released that same year, established Cartoon Network Studios' return to the feature film business. A series of specials, a subsequent series, a sequel, and a prequel had soon followed.

Plot
Ellenor is an optimistic and easygoing teenage girl who achieved her grades in Yeoll High. One day, she fails in Medieval history by saying what she knew was there in her own simple way rather than doing the research. The school principal calls her parents about her failing and recommends they transfer their daughter to Knight School, a high school for teaching students about the medieval times, run by Professor Gerald Reginald III.

On her first day, she makes the best of it. While she enjoys the food in the cafeteria and makes new friends, she fails all her classes. Taking advice from one of his classmate, Lance, she does research on medieval history. The next day, she aces her classes, much to Reginald's amazement and befuddlement. Meanwhile, Wellington Snide, Reginald's assistant, plots his great-great-grandfather Lord Snide's plan to take over Yeoll.

Later that day, Lance, who developed a crush on Ellenor since her second day, digs up the courage to ask her out on a date, to which she accepts as she never got asked out before back at her old school. Beforehand, she introduces him to her parents, Anthony and Gretchen; Anthony was proud she chose an ordinary boy, but Gretchen was disappointed she did. On their date, they go to the Local Theater for a movie, then to a random fast-food restaurant for dinner. While Lance had mixed feelings about their first date, he was just glad he got to know Ellenor.

The next day, Snide goes through his great-great grandfather's old diary, and it reveals that the only way Snide could take over Yeoll was by using his magical staff, which Lord Snide hid in the woods in a cave long ago. Only problem was, he did not know where in the woods it was, and that "only a cynical but kindhearted would know that cave's whereabouts", leaving Snide puzzled since there are seven students he knows that are as described. Meanwhile, Ellenor competes with Hugh in an eating contest in the cafeteria, in which she wins. Lance comes by and asks Ellenor if she wanted to come over to his house after class, which she agrees to on account of having a free schedule. There, she admires how his house is a two-story kind and how he is a regular type of boy, but his parents are pretty worried about him dating a girl.

As the school year ends, Reginald asks Ellenor into his office; he was very proud of how she took her time studying the knowledge of medieval history than any of his other students, he rewards her by making her into a Class III. With Snide, he looks into his great-great grandfather's diary, and that the "cynical but kindhearted" person would be a female, as the figure on the page resembled one. Realizing that Ellenor is the only female in his class, he goes to her about the cave, to which she knows one near the Oak Forest. After persuading Reginald to take Ellenor out on a walk in the woods, she leads him to the cave she knows.

Arriving there, she shows him the staff she found in it, which is the one from Lord Snide's diary. Snide immediately takes it from her and reveals that it is his great-grandfather Lord Snide's magical staff that was hidden for eternity for one day a chosen soul would take on his legacy, and he will continue his goal in taking over Yeoll. As Ellenor tried to take the staff back from him, Snide knocks her out hard with it. He leaves her for dead. Wondering about Ellenor's whereabouts, Snide returns and claims to the school that Ellenor was killed by a bear during their walk, much to the class' heartbroken dismay and Lance's suspicion. Waking from her unconsciousness, Ellenor heads into town to warn the citizens about Snide's takeover.

After Lance researched that bears are not located in Yeoll, he eavesdrops on Snide, and discovers about his attempt to take over the town. He records his plan as evidence to show to the class. Meanwhile, Ellenor tells everyone to evacuate town before Snide takes over, only to result in the police to arrest her for disturbing the piece. Before they could, a storm cloud towers over the town. Snide arrives and terrorizes the town and the citizens cower from Snide's takeover. Upon showing Reginald the proof, he and Lance arrive to convince him to stop, only for him to turn Reginald into stone and have Lance captive. Ellenor reaches Snide by borrowing a horse from the school, and faces off with him through a sword duel, until it ends with Snide snatching her sword and stabbing her through the chest. As he enjoys wounding Ellenor, he did not notice he dropped the staff; Lance grasps it and subdues Snide via levitation, as well as heal Ellenor. Ellenor takes over dealing with Snide and tasks Lance to evacuate the town. Snide tries to manipulate her into letting him go and let her take over the town with him, only to Ellenor to launch him into space.

The citizens congratulate her for saving Yeoll and receives the respect from Reginald, who saw the whole event while frozen in stone, and Ellenor professes her love to Lance. Back at Knight School, the students have a dance party, in which Ellenor requested to Reginald.

Cast

 * Anna Kendrick as Ellenor, a former student of Yeoll High who gets transferred to Knight School.
 * Ben Schwartz as Lance, a Class V student in Knight School who develops a crush on Ellenor.
 * John Cleese as Professor Gerald Reginald III, the teacher and founder of Knight School.
 * Rupert Everett as Wellington Snide, Reginald's assistant in his class who is a descendant to his great-great grandfather Lord Snide who takes on his legacy to reign over the town of Yeoll.
 * William Shatner as Anthony, Ellenor's father.
 * Jane Lynch as Gretchen, Ellenor's mother.
 * Damon Wayans Jr. as Oliver Jade, the only African-American student in Reginald's class.
 * Seann William Scott as Andrew, one of Reginald's students that tattle-tales on his fellow classmates.
 * Chris Hardwick as Bill, one of Reginald's students that is autistic and extroverted.
 * Jerry Trainor as Troy, one of Reginald's students that is a Cristian.
 * Conrad Vernon as Mr. Begley, principal of Knight School.
 * Cedric the Entertainer as Mike, the janitor of Knight School.
 * Avril Lavigne as Darcey, Ellenor's shy but laid-back best friend and a student of Yeoll High.
 * Abby Elliott as Jane, Ellenor's vitriolic friend and student of Yeoll High.
 * Cheri Oteri as Ms. Wilson, principal of Yeoll High.
 * Adam Pally as Whitey, teacher of Yeoll High.
 * Viola Davis as Ms. Marshall, guidance counselor of Yeoll High.
 * Jon Hamm as Myer, Lance's father.
 * Leslie Mann as Hollie, Lance's mother.

Development
Xavier Shaquille, producer and co-writer of the film, had the idea in late May 2020. It was one of his ideas to bring Cartoon Network Studios back into the theatrical feature film business, and this idea was a fully computer-animated film, before he opted in going for 2D-animation for the film after his former friend Gabriel Garcia refused to make anymore CGI-stylized versions of his artwork.

Animation
The film was animated with flash animation, provided by Mercury Filmworks, to give the film a vibe that it is "a TV movie in theaters".

Music
Knight School is the fourth animated film (and only film outside DreamWorks Animation) with Harry Gregson-Williams and John Powell composing a score after Antz (1998), Chicken Run (2000), and Shrek (2001). The score was released by WaterTower Music.

Knight School used classic pop music such as Smash Mouth's "Come On, Come On" in the opening credits and "Whole Lotta Love" near the end. Other songs include Eels' "Beautiful Freak" and Bowling for Soup's "High School Never Ends".

Release
Knight School was released in theatrically by Warner Bros. Pictures on September 15, 2022, then released on October 6 in the United Kingdom.

Marketing
A teaser was released on May 10, 2023 on the Warner Bros. Pictures YouTube channel; the trailer followed Anna Kendrick dressed as Ellenor on a movie set of the school's hallway, akin to the promotional trailers to Bee Movie (2007). A second trailer was released on August 2, 2023.

The film's tie-in campaign consisted of food brands (General Mills, Campbell's), toys (Mattel, Moose Toys), and television/streaming (Spectrum, HBO Max).

A tie-in video game was released on June 28, 2022 by Activision.

Home media
The film was released on digital and HBO Max on October 31, 2023, 46 days after its theatrical release, then on DVD and Blu-ray on November 21, by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. One of the special features includes an individual character interview with the film's characters Ellenor (voiced by Kendrick), Lance (voiced by Ben Schwartz), and Gerald Reginald III (voiced by John Cleese).

Box office
Knight School has grossed a worldwide total of $167.5 million, with $105 million in the United States and $62.6 million in other territories.

Critical response
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 71% based on 90 reviews and an average rating of 7.26/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "With its big-name cast and its original storyline with a hint of 2000's music, this shows Knight School can stand on its own as an original Cartoon Network feature." Metacritic gave the film a score of 95 out of 100 based on 26 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gives the film an average grade of "B" on an A+ to F scale.

Sequel and follow-ups
A sequel, Knight School II was released in July 2026, which was met with mixed reviews but commercially successful. Before Knight School II, a Christmas special Knight School Before Christmas was released in December 2023 and a television series Back to Knight School was released on Cartoon Network in June 2024 with Chelsea Kane as Ellenor in place of Kendrick. A Halloween special Fright Knight School was released October 2026, three months after Knight School II. Another special, Promenade, was released in May 2028 on HBO Max, then a prequel entitled Yeoll High was released in September 2028.