Theodore Rex | |
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Theodore Rex DVD cover |
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Directed by | Jonathan Betuel |
Produced by | Richard Gilbert Abramson Sue Baden-Powell |
Written by | Jonathan Betuel |
Starring | Whoopi Goldberg Armin Mueller-Stahl |
Music by | Robert Folk |
Cinematography | David Tattersall |
Editing by | Steve Mirkovich Rick Shaine |
Distributed by | New Line Cinema |
Release date(s) | United States/Canada: July 2, 1996[1] Japan: July 27, 1996 United Kingdom: August 26, 1996 |
Running time | 92 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $33,500,000[2][3] |
Theodore Rex, also known as T. Rex,[4][5] is a 1996[1] buddy cop/science fiction/family film starring Whoopi Goldberg. Though originally intended for theatrical release, the film went direct-to-video, and consequently became the most expensive direct-to-video film ever made at the time of its release.[6][7][8]
The film was not well received,[5][9] and saw Whoopi Goldberg being nominated for Worst Actress at the 1996 Golden Raspberry Awards (as well as for Bogus and Eddie).[10] Despite this, it was listed on the Billboard "Top Video Rentals" list for three weeks in August 1996, peaking at #34.[11][12][13]
Contents |
In an alternate futuristic society, a tough female police detective is paired with a talking dinosaur to find the killer of dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals leading them to a ruthless billionaire bent on killing off mankind by creating a new ice age.
Actor | Role |
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Whoopi Goldberg | Katie Coltrane |
Armin Mueller-Stahl | Elizar Kane |
Juliet Landau | Dr. Veronica Shade |
Bud Cort | Spinner |
Stephen McHattie | Edge |
George Newbern | Theodore Rex (voice) |
Carol Kane | Molly Rex (voice) |
Richard Roundtree | Commissioner Lynch |
Jan Rabson | Tina Rex (voice) |
Charles Chiodo | Guy in the Bag (voice) |
Additional Voices provided by Billy Bowles, Rodger Bumpass, Jennifer Darling, Denise Dowse, Bill Farmer, Anne Lockhart, Sherry Lynn, Mickie McGowan, Patrick Pinney, and Philip Proctor
Though Whoopi Goldberg had made a verbal agreement to star in the film in 1993, she attempted to back out. Abramson filed a US$20 million lawsuit against Goldberg, which they settled very quickly. Goldberg agreed to star in the film for $7 million,[2] $2 million more than the originally agreed-upon amount.[6]
One of the attorneys on the case described this as being similar to the legal battle of Kim Basinger when she tried to back out of the film Boxing Helena.[6]
While the film was originally intended for theatrical release, New Line Cinema decided that it was in their best interests to release the film direct-to-video. This decision came as a result of failed test screenings in Las Vegas, Memphis, Portland and Providence.[6][14]
The film's $33.5 million budget made it the most expensive direct-to-video release at that time.[6]