The Bob's Burgers Movie

Did You Know?

• Additional voices include H. Jon Benjamin, Loren Bouchard, Katie Crown, David Herman, Phil LaMarr, and others.
• Characters such as Jimmy Pesto Sr., Jackie the Crossing Guard, and Cotton Candy Dan appear but have no lines.

Plot

One night, two figures fight at Wonder Wharf; a gunshot rings out and one falls. Six years later, the Belcher family prepares for summer: Bob and Linda plan to extend their bank loan, Tina plans to confess to Jimmy Jr., Gene builds an instrument for the Wonder Wharf bandshell, and Louise wants to prove she is brave. Bob and Linda are denied a loan extension and given seven days to pay or their equipment will be repossessed. They ask their landlord Mr. Calvin Fischoeder to skip rent for a month, but a sinkhole forms in front of the restaurant, and the children discover a skeleton of a carnie named Cotton Candy Dan. Mr. Fischoeder is charged with murder; if convicted, the Belchers cannot get the rent skipped. The children skip school to investigate and clear Mr. Fischoeder. After questioning carnies, Sergeant Bosco, and searching the Fischoders' treehouse, they conclude that Felix, Mr. Fischoeder's brother, is the killer. They tail him to Wonder Wharf and end up in a secret clubhouse under a ride called the Mole Hill. Calvin, Felix, and their cousin Grover are hiding there. Louise sees a photo showing Grover wearing a cufflink found on the skeleton and spots a faded bite mark on his wrist, revealing he is the murderer. Grover grabs a speargun and takes everyone hostage. Meanwhile, Bob, Linda, and Teddy prepare to sell burgers at Wonder Wharf using a food cart Teddy builds. They make good money but provoke the carnies, then run into the Mole Hill and fall into the clubhouse, where Grover takes them hostage too; Teddy escapes.

Production

On October 4, 2017, 20th Century Fox announced a film adaptation of Bob's Burgers was in development, scheduled for July 17, 2020. Vanessa Morrison, president of the newly created Fox Family division, oversaw production. Series creator Loren Bouchard said the film would "scratch every itch the fans of the show have ever had" while appealing to new audiences. The script was submitted and accepted by July 18, 2018. The film is a musical comedy. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, work was done remotely from September 2020, with recording already begun and the cast reprising their roles. Bouchard stated the budget was $38 million, with an estimated $20 million more on marketing. Animation services were provided by multiple studios including Tonic DNA, Lighthouse Studios, Bento Box Entertainment, and Mercury Filmworks. The production team used mostly hand-drawn animation to keep the visuals similar to the series, making it the first 20th Century Studios traditionally animated film since The Simpsons Movie (2007) and the first traditionally animated theatrical feature distributed by Disney since Winnie the Pooh (2011). The larger budget allowed more detail, light, texture, and shadows. This was the final animation work for Tuck Tucker and Dale Baer before their deaths in 2020 and 2021 respectively. Mercury Filmworks worked with Cartoon Saloon through Lighthouse Studios.

Release

The Bob's Burgers Movie premiered at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood on May 17, 2022, and was theatrically released in the United States on May 27, 2022. It was initially scheduled for July 17, 2020, but was pulled due to a listing error. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Disney pushed the release to April 9, 2021, then removed it from the schedule on January 22, 2021. Bouchard said a new date would not come until audiences felt safe returning to theaters. On September 10, 2021, it was set for May 27, 2022. In some countries—including Portugal, Spain, France, Mexico, Italy, and Israel—the film did not receive a theatrical release and instead premiered on Disney+ on July 13, 2022, or on Star+ on July 20, 2022, in Mexico. The film was released on Blu-ray, DVD, and Ultra HD Blu-ray on July 19, 2022, by 20th Century Studios Home Entertainment, with bonus features including an audio commentary, deleted scenes, a behind-the-scenes featurette, and the short My Butt Has a Fever. It was released digitally on July 12, 2022, on PVOD platforms and on Hulu and HBO Max in the United States, following a December 2021 deal between Disney and WarnerMedia. The film arrived on Disney+ (Star hub) in Canada on July 12, on Crave on November 12, and in Europe (excluding Poland), the Middle East, and Africa on July 13, and on Star+ in Latin America on July 20.

Reception

According to Whip Media, The Bob's Burgers Movie was the second-most watched film across all platforms in the United States during the week of July 15, 2022. Nielsen reported it was the fifth most watched film across all platforms during the week of July 17, 2022. The film grossed $32 million in North America and $2.2 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $34.2 million. In North America, it opened alongside Top Gun: Maverick and was projected to gross $10–15 million from 3,400 theaters. It made $5.7 million on its first day, including $1.5 million from Thursday previews, and debuted at $12.4 million ($14.8 million over the four-day Memorial Day frame), finishing third. It stayed in the top ten through its sixth weekend. Outside the U.S. and Canada, it earned $700,000 from 54 international markets in its opening weekend and $400,000 from eight markets in its second. Bouchard acknowledged the $38 million production budget on Twitter. Forbes noted it earned $15 million in its first four days despite expectations of $10 million. Deadline reported about 1.1 million viewers in its first weekend, comparable to the series' weekly viewership of 1.3 million, and described the film as niche. CinemaScore audiences gave it an average grade of "A", and PostTrak reported 89% positive scores, with 69% saying they would definitely recommend it.