Released in 2009, Fantastic Mr. Fox marked Wes Anderson’s first foray into animation — and true to form, it was anything but ordinary. Based on Roald Dahl’s 1970 children’s book, the film tells the story of Mr. Fox (voiced by George Clooney), a dashing chicken thief turned family fox, who can't quite let go of his wild instincts. His midlife crisis escalates into a full-scale war with three monstrous farmers — Boggis, Bunce and Bean — in a tale as much about freedom and identity as it is about cider and tunnels.
The film was crafted using traditional stop-motion animation, a painstaking process that involved over 56,000 individually photographed frames and took about two years to complete. Every puppet was hand-made, with Anderson pushing for a deliberately tactile, imperfect look — fur that rustles when moved, textures you can almost feel. Rather than recording in a studio, many of the voice performances were captured outdoors, in barns or woods, to give the sound a more natural edge. It’s those details that make the film feel, well, fantastically alive.
The character of Ash (voiced by Jason Schwartzman), Mr. Fox’s son, stands out for a reason. Smaller, moodier, and forever trying to prove himself, Ash was designed — quite literally — to feel different. He’s not a typical hero, and that's the point. His journey toward self-acceptance mirrors the film’s celebration of quirks and imperfection.
Fantastic Mr. Fox is currently available to stream on Disney+ and to rent or buy on platforms like Amazon and Apple TV. Whether you're revisiting it or discovering it for the first time, the film remains a meticulously crafted reminder that even the wildest creatures need a little order — and that sometimes, it takes a lot of effort to look this effortlessly charming.
