Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero

With World War I looming, young U.S. Army doughboy Robert Conroy has his life forever changed when a Boston Terrier puppy with a stubby tail wanders into camp, as the men of the 102nd Infantry Regiment, 26th Infantry Division train on the parade grounds of Yale University. Conroy gives his new friend a name, a family, and a chance to embark on the adventure that would define a century.{{cite web|url=https://moviepilot.com/posts/4294385|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170627072144/https://moviepilot.com/posts/4294385|archive-date=June 27, 2017|title=A Dog Gets Ready For War In First Trailer For 'Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero'|work=Movie Pilot|date=June 16, 2017|access-date=January 16, 2018|url-status=dead}}

Despite lacking formal military working dog training, Stubby and his human companions find themselves in the trenches of the Western Front in France and on the path to history. French poilu Gaston Baptiste befriends the duo and accompanies them along their epic journey through harsh conditions and incredible acts of courage.

As narrated by Robert's sister Margaret, Stubby's combat service includes sniffing incoming gas attacks, finding wounded allies in No Man's Land, and even catching a German infiltrator in the trenches. Back home, Stubby's exploits are retold in newspapers across the country.{{cite web|url=http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/history/2014/05/dogs_of_war_sergeant_stubby_the_u_s_army_s_original_and_still_most_highly.html|title=Meet Sergeant Stubby, America's Original Dog of War|work=Slate|publisher=Graham Holdings Company|last=Kane|first=Gillian|date=May 7, 2014|access-date=January 16, 2018}}

For his valorous actions, Stubby is still recognized as the most decorated dog in American history and the first canine ever promoted to the rank of Sergeant in the United States Army.

• Logan Lerman as Robert Conroy
• Helena Bonham Carter as Margaret Conroy
• Gérard Depardieu as Gaston Baptiste
• Jordan Beck as Elmer Olsen, Butcher Shop Owner
• Jim Pharr as Hans Schroeder
• Jason Ezzell as Sergeant Ray Casburn
• Nicholas Rulon as Captain George S. Patton
• Brian Cook as Clarence Ransom Edwards

File:Sergeant Stubby.jpg, the real-life dog that inspired the film]]

On November 8, 2016, it was announced that Fun Academy Media Group, Ltd. – a new family entertainment production company headquartered in Kinsale, County Cork, Ireland – would produce an animated film based on the life of the World War I dog, Sergeant Stubby, and would self-distribute in North America through Columbus, Georgia-based subsidiary Fun Academy Motion Pictures.{{cite web|url= https://www.awn.com/news/fun-academy-partners-mikros-image-sgt-stubby-feature|title=Fun Academy Partners with Mikros Image on 'Sgt. Stubby' Feature|work=Animation World Network|date=November 8, 2016|access-date=August 24, 2017}} The film was animated by Mikros Image in Montreal and Paris, was directed by Richard Lanni, and written by Lanni with Mike Stokey II. The film involved Bibo Bergeron as head of story, and featured an original score composed by Patrick Doyle.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2017/06/watch-teaser-trailer-sgt-stubby-an-american-hero-animated-release-date-helena-bonham-carter-gerard-depardieu-logan-lerman-1202114325/|title='Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero' Teaser Trailer: Animated WWI Dog Tale|work=Deadline Hollywood|publisher=Penske Business Media|last=Busch|first=Anita|date=June 15, 2017|access-date=August 24, 2017}}

Sgt. Stubby himself does not speak, as the filmmakers wanted to maintain as much historical accuracy as possible while still making the film's portrayal of World War I accessible to children.{{cite web|url=http://www.podcast.worldwar1centennial.org/e/episode-18-may-3-2017-boeing-historian-insight-on-bill-boeing-and-sgt-stubby-the-film-update/|title=EPISODE #18, MAY 3, 2017 – BOEING HISTORIAN INSIGHT ON BILL BOEING AND SGT. STUBBY THE FILM UPDATE|work=U.S. World War I Centennial Commission Podcast|publisher=PodBean|last=Mayer|first=Theo|date=May 3, 2017|access-date=January 16, 2018}}

The film was released in United States and North America on April 13, 2018, by Fun Academy Motion Pictures.{{cite web|url= https://www.comingsoon.net/movie/sgt-stubby-an-american-hero-2018|title=Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero|work=ComingSoon.net|publisher=CraveOnline Media|access-date=August 24, 2017}} On June 15, 2017, Fun Academy Motion Pictures released a teaser trailer for the film on their YouTube channel.{{cite web|url=https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cQe_7NNoA-0|title= SGT. STUBBY Official US Teaser 01 (2018)|work=Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero|publisher=YouTube|date=June 15, 2017|access-date=August 24, 2017}} On December 1, 2017, the first theatrical teaser trailer was released in theaters across North America and full trailer released on February 27, 2018.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZMfqPTk7OU|title= SGT. STUBBY Official US Teaser Trailer 02 (2018)|work=Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero|publisher=YouTube|date=December 1, 2017|access-date=January 16, 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.cartoonbrew.com/feature-film/indie-cg-feature-sgt-stubby-gets-new-teaser-155129.html|title= Indie CG Feature 'Sgt. Stubby' Gets New Teaser|work=Cartoon Brew|date=December 1, 2017|access-date=January 16, 2018|last=Amidi|first=Amid |author-link=Amid Amidi}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.animationmagazine.net/features/trailer-sgt-stubby-promises-a-heartwarming-tail-pulled-from-the-trenches/|title=Trailer: 'Sgt. Stubby' Promises a Heartwarming "Tail" Pulled from the Trenches|last=Milligan|first=Mercedes|date=2018-02-27|website=Animation Magazine|language=en-US|access-date=2019-03-28}}

Knowing the challenges a comparatively low-budget animated feature would have against studios who regularly spend hundreds of millions in marketing alone, Fun Academy's release strategy relied heavily on the real Stubby's existing fame by engaging cause-related groups, non-profits, military veterans, and educational organizations to establish a grassroots support base. The film was endorsed by the Humane Society of the United States, American Legion, Armed Services YMCA, and the United States World War One Centennial Commission.{{Cite web|url=https://www.humanesociety.org/news/humane-society-united-states-celebrates-sgt-stubby-american-hero-theaters-april-13|title=Humane Society of the United States celebrates Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero, in theaters April 13|website=The Humane Society of the United States|language=en|access-date=2019-03-28}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3840-new-trailer-released-for-the-sgt-stubby-movie.html|title=New trailer released for the SGT Stubby movie – World War I Centennial|website=www.worldwar1centennial.org|access-date=2019-03-28}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.asymca.org/blog/the-story-of-sgt.-stubby-is-moving-to-the-big-screen|title=The Story of Sgt. Stubby is Moving to the Big Screen!|last=Tundo|first=Jess|website=www.asymca.org|language=en-us|access-date=2019-03-28}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.legion.org/honor/241567/sgt-stubby-movie-star|title=Sgt. Stubby, movie star|last=Hjelmstad|first=Michael|website=The American Legion|language=en|access-date=2019-03-28}} The filmmakers also adopted a dog, "Stubs" (originally "Barnaby"), from partner shelter Dallas Pets Alive{{Cite web|url=https://cw33.com/2017/10/25/ruff-life-barnaby-heads-to-the-big-screen-after-dallas-pets-alive/|title=Ruff Life: Barnaby heads to the big screen after Dallas Pets Alive!|date=2017-10-25|website=CW33 Dallas / Ft. Worth|language=en|access-date=2019-03-28}} to appear at events and serve as a "spokesdog" for shelter animals.{{Cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/stubsthedog/|title=Stubs The Dog (@stubsthedog) • Instagram photos and videos|website=www.instagram.com|language=en|access-date=2019-03-28}}{{Citation|last=Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero|title=One Chance to Change a Life {{!}} Introducing "Stubs," Fun Academy's Spokesdog|date=2018-04-12|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvLSiY_AZGU|access-date=2019-03-28}}

File:Logan Lerman and Dean Collins at the Sgt. Stubby Premiere.jpg and Dean Collins at the Sgt. Stubby World Premiere, 27 March 2018]]

Sgt. Stubby's world premiere occurred on March 27, 2018, at the Regal L.A. LIVE in downtown Los Angeles. The premiere was co-sponsored by Variety, the Children's Charity and benefitting the Boys & Girls Club of Boyle Heights, with 15 additional locations across the U.S. and Canada hosting free screenings for children in their communities on the following day.{{Cite web|url=https://variety.org/sgtstubby/|title=Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero – Variety International|website=variety.org|access-date=2019-03-28}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.awn.com/news/sgt-stubby-premiere-benefit-childrens-charity-variety|title='Sgt. Stubby' Premiere to Benefit Children's Charity Variety|website=Animation World Network|language=en|access-date=2019-03-28}}

On April 8, 2018, Sgt. Stubby hosted a second premiere in Sgt. Stubby's hometown of New Haven, Connecticut at the Bow Tie Cinemas, located only a few blocks away from the actual location Stubby was found in 1917.{{Cite web|url=https://www.courant.com/ctnow/movies/hc-fea-sgt-stubby-new-haven-war-hero-film-20180322-story.html|title=Animated Film 'Sgt. Stubby' Pays Homage To New Haven's Most Famous Dog|last=Dunne|first=Susan|website=courant.com|date=26 March 2018 |access-date=2019-03-28}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.wtnh.com/news/connecticut/new-haven/sgt-stubby-brings-local-dog-war-hero-to-the-big-screen_2018040310370622/1097729666|title="Sgt. Stubby" brings local dog, war hero to the big screen|last=Pierce|first=Kent|date=2018-03-20|website=WTNH|language=en-US|access-date=2019-03-28}} The event was hosted by the Connecticut State Library and National Guard Association of Connecticut, with hundreds of Connecticut National Guard soldiers and their families – including current members of Sgt. Stubby's 102nd Infantry Regiment – in attendance.{{Cite web|url=https://patch.com/connecticut/newhaven/sgt-stubby-american-hero-premiere|title=Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero Premiere|date=2018-03-24|website=New Haven, CT Patch|language=en|access-date=2019-03-28}}{{Cite web|url=http://clho.org/event-2870749|title=Connecticut League of History Organizations – Red Carpet Premiere – Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero!|website=clho.org|access-date=2019-03-28}} A third and final premiere event was held on April 11, 2018, for Fun Academy Motion Pictures' U.S. headquarters at the National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center in Columbus, Georgia.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wrbl.com/news/local-news/columbus-was-the-first-city-to-premiere-a-movie-about-the-most-decorated-dog-in-us-history/1116926970|title=Columbus was the first city to premiere a movie about the most decorated dog in U.S. history|last=Garrett|first=Ashley|date=2018-04-12|website=WRBL|language=en-US|access-date=2019-03-28}}

The film's wide opening on April 13, 2018, was originally slated behind Rampage (original release date: April 20) and Avengers: Infinity War (original release date: May 4). On March 1, 2018, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures announced a surprise release date change for Avengers, moving it up by one week to April 27.{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2018/film/news/avengers-infinity-war-release-date-moves-up-1202714656/|title='Avengers: Infinity War' Release Date Moves Up One Week|last=Stedman|first=Alex|date=2018-03-01|website=Variety|language=en|access-date=2019-03-28}} Rampage's distributor, Warner Bros., then announced that Rampage would also shift up by a week, landing their Dwayne Johnson-starring blockbuster on top of Sgt. Stubby's April 13 release date.{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2018/03/dwayne-johnson-rampage-warner-bros-release-date-change-1202311978/|title=Dwayne Johnson's 'Rampage' Moves Earlier In April After 'Avengers: Infinity War' Takes Over Last Weekend Of Month|last=D'Alessandro|first=Anthony|date=2018-03-06|website=Deadline|language=en|access-date=2019-03-28}} That same weekend, independent filmmaker Wes Anderson's stop motion feature Isle of Dogs expanded into wide release in over 1,900 locations after having opened limited on March 23 and amassing solid critical buzz.{{Cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=isleofdogs.htm|title=Isle Of Dogs (2018) – Box Office Mojo|website=www.boxofficemojo.com|access-date=2019-03-28}}

The combination of competing blockbusters' massive marketing budgets and another, better-known indie animation about dogs was more than first-time distributor Fun Academy could overcome; as a result, Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero opened on 1,633 theaters across the U.S. and Canada at No. 16 for the weekend and was pulled by most locations the following week to clear room for Avengers: Infinity War.

In a Reddit AMA in December 2018, one of the film's producers and voice actors, Jordan Beck, delivered this response to a question about the film being a box office bomb:

Imagine the pitch for a movie like Stubby, “We’re going to make a kids movie about The Great War, but there’s a dog that gets wounded, but he’s okay in the end.” This was always going to be a risky undertaking and we knew we would have challenges, but it was an experiment to prove that there was an appetite for a different type of content.

In this modern era, Box Office is only one of the revenue streams, there’s home media, Pay and non Pay TV, SVOD, airlines, foreign territories. Yes, our box office was not good, but that was not because we had a bad movie; it was because our release strategy was wrong and we didn’t have the big bucks to compete with the major studios, especially after Disney moved "The Avengers: Infinity War" up by a week and caused Warner Bros. to move "Rampage" onto our release date.

All in all, for a first effort, we are happy where we are going as Stubby begins to expand around the world, Paramount have come onboard for home media and we have kept all our TV and SVOD rights.{{Cite web|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/a576o9/we_are_the_makers_of_sgt_stubby_an_american_hero/|title=r/movies – We are the makers of "Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero" – A real animated story about a real dog in WW1 – AMA (1PM Eastern)|website=reddit|date=11 December 2018 |language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-16}}

The movie was released DVD, Blu-Ray, Digital, and VOD in the United States and Canada by Paramount Home Media Distribution and Fun Academy Media Group on December 11, 2018. On February 11, 2019, Fun Academy released Sgt. Stubby: An Unlikely Hero on DVD and Blu-ray in the United Kingdom and Ireland, with Digital and VOD through Sky TV. The film also premiered on HBO in the U.S. on July 1, 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hbo.com/movies/sgt-stubby-an-american-hero|title=Watch Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero (Movie)|website=HBO|access-date=2019-12-16}}

In the United States and Canada, Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero was released alongside the openings of Truth or Dare and Rampage, and the wide expansion of Isle of Dogs, and was projected to gross around $2 million from 1,633 theaters in its opening weekend.{{cite news | last=D'Alessandro | first=Anthony |url= https://deadline.com/2018/04/dwayne-johnson-rampage-a-quiet-place-weekend-box-office-preview-1202362566/|title='Rampage' Could Climb To $40M, But Dwayne Johnson-Ape Pic Looks To Make More Bananas Abroad| website=Deadline Hollywood|publisher=Penske Business Media | date=April 11, 2018 | access-date=April 12, 2018}} However, due to very little marketing done on the film, It made $350,000 on its first day and $1.3 million over its opening weekend, finishing 16th.

On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of {{RT data|score}}, based on {{RT data|count}} reviews, and an average rating of {{RT data|average}}. The website's critical consensus reads, "Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero opens a vibrantly animated window into history with the surprisingly true – and poignant – tale of a distinguished canine combat veteran."{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/sgt_stubby_an_american_hero|title=Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero (2018)|website=Rotten Tomatoes|date=13 April 2018 |publisher=Fandango|access-date={{RT data|access date}}}} On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 58 out of 100, based on 14 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".{{cite web|title=Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero Reviews|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/sgt-stubby-an-american-hero|website=Metacritic|publisher=CBS Interactive|access-date=October 18, 2019}} Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2018/04/dwayne-johnson-rampage-box-office-weekend-a-quiet-place-1202363694/|title=The Rock Rebounds: 'Rampage' Shushes 'A Quiet Place' With $35.7M No. 1 Opening|website=Deadline Hollywood|publisher=Penske Business Media|date=April 16, 2018|first1=Anthony|last1=D'Alessandro|access-date=April 16, 2018}}

Sgt. Stubby has received numerous awards, endorsements, and festival laurels. The film was also awarded the Parents' Choice Gold Award and The Dove Foundation's All Ages Seal of Approval – despite not containing any explicitly faith-based messaging – as well as top honors from the National Parenting Center, the Hot Diggity Awards, and the Tillywig Toy & Media Awards.{{Cite web|url=https://www.parentschoice.org/product/sgt-stubby-an-american-hero/|title=Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero – Parents' Choice|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-16}}{{Cite web|url=https://dove.org/review/sgt-stubby-american-hero/|title=Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero {{!}} Dove Family Friendly Movie Reviews|website=Dove.org|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-16}}{{Cite web|url=http://the-parenting-center.com/sgt-stubby-an-american-hero/|title=Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero : The National Parenting Center|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-16}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.hotdiggityawards.com/product-page/sgt-stubby-an-american-hero-by-fun-academy-motion-pictures|title=Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero by Fun Academy Motion Pictures|website=hotdiggityawards|language=en|access-date=2019-12-16}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.tillywig.com/Multimedia/Sgt-Stubby-An-American-Hero|title=Tillywig Toy & Children's Product Awards – Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero|website=www.tillywig.com|access-date=2019-12-16}}

Fun Academy has announced a slate of follow-up media including two planned feature film sequels following Stubby's return home, as well as a prequel television series.{{Cite web|url=https://funacademystudios.com/feature/introducing-the-stubby-squad/|title=Introducing the Stubby Squad: www.stubbysquad.com|date=2019-11-27|website=Fun Academy Studios|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-16}}

On November 21, 2019, Fun Academy announced a new membership service, The Stubby Squad, a hybrid over-the-top channel and crowdfunding platform offering original streaming programming, downloadable crafts, and forum/blogs to interact with the filmmakers behind the scenes as they develop their announced slate which includes two additional Sgt. Stubby features and a prequel television series.

The Stubby Squad's available members-only content at launch included an original documentary series called In the Pawprints of History with writer/director Richard Lanni traveling to the real locations visited by Stubby and the 102nd Infantry Regiment across France, as well as a graphic novel cookbook Cooking with Gaston, featuring the character voiced in the film by Gérard Depardieu as he introduces kid-friendly French recipes and gardening tips.

Stubby & Friends is a free web comic written by Scott Christian Sava (Animal Crackers, The Dreamland Chronicles, Spider-Man) and illustrated by Tracy Bailey (The Dreamland Chronicles, Kung Fu Panda). The first printed anthology was released in October 2020.

An animated television series was announced as being in development, which would act as a prequel to the film and focus on Stubby's life as a street dog in New Haven, Connecticut circa 1915–1917. The filmmakers have stated Charlie Chaplin's The Kid as a source of inspiration to tell the story of kids and animals living on the outskirts of an industrial capitol of the early 20th century through a series of comedic misadventures.{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/StubbyMovie/photos/a.1527122584203989/2399189126997326/?type=3&theater|title=Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero|website=www.facebook.com|language=en|access-date=2019-12-16}} The series development team was announced as being led by Scott Christian Sava and David Wise (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Batman: The Animated Series).{{Citation|title=Stubby: The Series {{!}} Meet the Creative Team| date=December 14, 2019 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLYCFCGQrcM|language=en|access-date=2019-12-16}} However, Wise died in early 2020, less than four months after the project was announced, and there have been no further updates on the status of the project in the years since.

After the war, the real Sgt. Stubby was featured in parades and events, including the first American Legion convention in 1919. He also met three sitting presidents – Woodrow Wilson, Warren G. Harding, and Calvin Coolidge – and visited the White House twice. In 1919, Stubby was offered a contract by New Haven-based vaudeville impresario Sylvester Z. Poli for a series of engagements.{{Cite web|url=https://americanhistory.si.edu/blog/2011/05/stubby-dog-hoya-mascot-and-war-hero.html|title=Stubby: Dog, Hoya mascot, and war hero|date=2011-05-23|website=National Museum of American History|language=en|access-date=2019-12-16}} In 1921, General John J. Pershing awarded Stubby a medal from the Humane Education Society at a White House ceremony that received national print coverage. That same year, he became the mascot for the Georgetown Hoyas and is credited as inventing the halftime show as he performed tricks during football games, while Conroy juggled his studies at Georgetown Law with his job as a special agent of the Bureau of Investigation (precursor to the FBI).

Fun Academy has announced Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero as the first chapter of a planned cinematic trilogy, with the second film dealing with vaudeville, the entertainment industry and the challenges faced by soldiers returning from WWI, while the third film would feature Conroy and Stubby fighting crime during Prohibition.{{Cite web|url=https://stubbysquad.com/explore/stubby-squad/whats-next/|title=What's Next|website=The World of Sgt. Stubby|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-16}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.stubbymovie.com/ Official website]
• {{IMDb title|5314190}}
• {{rotten-tomatoes|sgt_stubby_an_american_hero}}
• {{mojo title|sgstubby}}
• {{Metacritic film}}

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