View source for Monsters vs. Aliens

{{Short description|2009 film by Conrad Vernon and Rob Letterman}}
{{About|the film}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2011}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = Monsters vs. Aliens
| image          = monsters-vs-aliens-poster.jpg
| alt            = A woman standing tall with three monsters in front of her and a cityscape behind her.
| caption        = Theatrical release poster
| director       = {{plainlist|
* [[Conrad Vernon]]
* [[Rob Letterman]]
}}
| producer       = Lisa Stewart
| screenplay     = {{plainlist|
* [[Maya Forbes]]
* [[Wallace Wolodarsky]]
* Rob Letterman
* [[Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger|Jonathan Aibel<br />Glenn Berger]]
}}
| story          = {{plainlist|
* Rob Letterman
* Conrad Vernon
}}
| starring       = {{plainlist|
* [[Reese Witherspoon]]
* [[Seth Rogen]]
* [[Hugh Laurie]]
* [[Will Arnett]]
* [[Kiefer Sutherland]]
* [[Rainn Wilson]]
* [[Paul Rudd]]
* [[Stephen Colbert]]
}}
| music          = [[Henry Jackman]]
| editing        = {{plainlist|
* Joyce Arrastia
* Eric Dapkewicz
}}
| studio         = {{nowrap|[[DreamWorks Animation SKG]]}}<ref name=afi>{{cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/64947-MONSTERS-VSALIENS|title=Monsters vs. Aliens|work=[[AFI Catalog of Feature Films]]|access-date=May 1, 2023|archive-date=May 1, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230501194623/https://catalog.afi.com/Film/64947-MONSTERS-VSALIENS|url-status=live}}</ref>
| distributor    = [[Paramount Pictures]]<ref name="allmovie">{{cite web |title=Monsters vs. Aliens |url=https://www.allmovie.com/movie/monsters-vs-aliens-v379339 |website=[[AllMovie]] |access-date=August 24, 2018 |archive-date=August 25, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180825073904/https://www.allmovie.com/movie/monsters-vs-aliens-v379339 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=afi/><br />DreamWorks Animation<ref name=afi/>
| released       = {{Film date|2009|3|27|United States}}
| runtime        = 94 minutes<ref name="BBFC">{{Cite web |title=''Monsters vs. Aliens'' |url=https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/monsters-vs-aliens-film-qxnzzxq6vlgtodi4njm5 |access-date=December 12, 2021 |website=[[British Board of Film Classification]] |archive-date=October 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211026042508/https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/monsters-vs-aliens-film-qxnzzxq6vlgtodi4njm5 |url-status=live }}</ref>
| country        = United States<ref name=afi/>
| language       = English
| budget         = $175 million<ref name="NUM"/>
| gross          = $381.7 million<ref name="NUM">{{cite The Numbers|title=Monsters Vs. Aliens (2009)|id=Monsters-vs-Aliens |access-date=July 11, 2023}}</ref>
}}
'''''Monsters vs. Aliens''''' is a 2009 American animated [[science fiction film|science fiction]] [[action comedy film]] produced by [[DreamWorks Animation]] and distributed by [[Paramount Pictures]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Scott |first1=A. O. |title=From DreamWorks Animation, a Sci-Fi Parody |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/27/movies/27mons.html |access-date=March 30, 2019 |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=March 26, 2009 |archive-date=March 30, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190330234008/https://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/27/movies/27mons.html |url-status=live }}</ref><!-- don't add genres without a reference --> The film was directed by [[Conrad Vernon]] and [[Rob Letterman]] from a screenplay written by Letterman, [[Maya Forbes]], [[Wallace Wolodarsky]], and the writing team of [[Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger]] based on a story by Vernon and Letterman. Featuring the voices of [[Reese Witherspoon]], [[Seth Rogen]], [[Hugh Laurie]], [[Will Arnett]], [[Kiefer Sutherland]], [[Rainn Wilson]], [[Paul Rudd]], and [[Stephen Colbert]], the film involves a group of misfit monsters hired by the [[United States Armed Forces]] to stop the invasion of an extraterrestrial villain and save the world in exchange for freedom.

It was DreamWorks Animation's first feature film to be directly produced in a [[stereoscopy|stereoscopic]] [[3D film|3D]] format instead of being converted into 3D after completion, which added $15 million to the film's budget.<ref>{{cite news |first=Susan |last=Wloszczyna |title=First look: ''Monsters vs. Aliens'' is the ultimate; a 3D 'first' |url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2008-03-10-monsters-aliens_N.htm |work=USA Today |date=March 10, 2008 |access-date=May 16, 2008 |archive-date=June 25, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100625093637/http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2008-03-10-monsters-aliens_N.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

Originally slated for release on May 15, 2009, ''Monsters vs. Aliens'' was released on March 27, 2009, in the United States in 2D, [[RealD 3D]], [[IMAX 3D]], and [[4DX]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=You are being redirected... |url=https://www.animationmagazine.net/2007/09/dreamworks-monsters-vs-aliens-attacksearlier-than-planned/ |access-date=2024-08-17 |website=www.animationmagazine.net}}</ref> The film received generally positive reviews from critics and was a box office success, grossing $381 million worldwide on a $175 million budget. The film was the start to the [[Monsters vs. Aliens (franchise)|''Monsters vs. Aliens'' franchise]], and despite not being followed by a sequel, it was followed by two [[television special]]s, ''[[Monsters vs. Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins from Outer Space|Mutant Pumpkins from Outer Space]]'' and ''[[Night of the Living Carrots]]'', and a [[Nickelodeon]] [[Monsters vs. Aliens (TV series)|television series]] in 2013, that all take place after the film.

==Plot==
In [[Modesto, California]], Susan Murphy is to be married to weatherman Derek Dietl. Just before the ceremony, a [[meteorite]] from a destroyed planet strikes her, and its radiation is absorbed into her body. Though she initially appears unharmed, during the ceremony, the energy causes Susan to grow fifty feet tall, accidentally destroying the church in the process. Soon, a [[United States Armed Forces|U.S. military]] detachment [[tranquilizer gun|tranquilizes]] and captures her. Susan awakens in a top-secret government facility that houses monsters, where she meets General W.R. Monger, the [[U.S. Army|Army]] officer in charge of the facility, and her fellow monster inmates: Dr. Herbert Cockroach [[Doctor of Philosophy|Ph.D.]], a [[scientist]] who became a human-cockroach hybrid after an experiment gone wrong; B.O.B. (Benzoate Ostylezene Bicarbonate), a brainless and living indestructible mass of blue goo that is a result of a food flavoring mutation; the Missing Link, a prehistoric 20,000-year-old fish-ape hybrid who was thawed from deep ice by scientists; and Insectosaurus, a massive [[Insect|bug]] mutated by [[Ionizing radiation|nuclear radiation]] standing 350 feet in height that attacked [[Tokyo, Japan|Tokyo]]. Susan is renamed “Ginormica" by the [[Federal government of the United States|government]] and is forbidden any contact with her friends and family.

Meanwhile, on a mysterious spaceship, a [[squid]]-like [[Extraterrestrial life|extraterrestrial]] overlord named Gallaxhar is alerted to the presence of a powerful substance known as "quantonium", and sends a gigantic robotic probe to retrieve it. The probe lands on Earth, where the [[President of the United States]] attempts to make [[First contact (science fiction)|first contact]] with it by playing "[[Axel F]]" on a [[electric keyboard|keyboard]], but the probe goes on a destructive attack, heading straight for [[San Francisco]], despite unsuccessful attempts by the U.S. Armed Forces to destroy it. Monger convinces the President to grant the monsters their freedom if they can stop the probe. In San Francisco, the probe detects the quantonium within Ginormica's body and targets her. At the [[Golden Gate Bridge]], the monsters manage to destroy it by using parts of the bridge itself; ergo, the government honors their deal with the monsters and sets them free.

Gallaxhar sets a course for Earth to obtain the quantonium himself while the now-free Ginormica returns home with her new friends and reunites with her family. While the monsters cause a ruckus in Ginormica's backyard with her family due to their lack of social experience, she reunites with Derek at his TV station. Derek breaks off his engagement with the latter, unwilling to be with someone who would overshadow his career. Initially heartbroken, Ginormica soon realizes that her life was better as a monster and she swears to the other monsters to never go back to her original self again. Suddenly, Ginormica is pulled into Gallaxhar's ship by a tractor beam. Insectosaurus tries to save her but is shot down by Gallaxhar and seemingly killed.

Onboard the ship, Ginormica furiously breaks free from her prison cell and chases down Gallaxhar, only to be trapped by a machine that extracts the quantonium from her body, shrinking her back to her original size. Gallaxhar then uses the extracted quantonium to create [[cloning|clones]] of himself in order to launch a full-scale invasion of Earth. Monger manages to get B.O.B, Link, and Dr. Cockroach on board the ship, where they rescue Ginormica and make their way to the main power core where Dr. Cockroach sets the ship to self-destruct to prevent the invasion. After a confrontation with Gallaxhar on the bridge, Ginormica sends a ball of stored quantonium down on herself, restoring her monstrous size and strength. After rescuing her friends, they flee the ship and are rescued by Monger and Insectosaurus, who had [[Metamorphosis|metamorphosed]] into a giant [[butterfly]]. The ship then self-destructs, killing Gallaxhar and his army.

Returning to Modesto, Ginormica, B.O.B, Dr. Cockroach, Link, and Butterflyosaurus receive a hero's welcome. Hoping to give himself a career boost, Derek tries to get back with Susan, but she rejects and humiliates him live on camera in retaliation for his selfishness. Monger then arrives to inform the monsters that a monstrous snail named "Escargantua" is slowly making its way to [[Paris, France|Paris]] after falling into a nuclear reactor, resulting in the heroes taking off to confront the new menace.

==Voice cast==
{{Main|List of Monsters vs. Aliens characters{{!}}List of ''Monsters vs. Aliens'' characters}}
[[File:Reese Witherspoon, 2009.jpg|thumb|upright|Reese Witherspoon at the British premiere of the film.<ref>{{cite news |last1=De Semlyen |first1=Phil |title=UK Premiere Of Monsters Vs Aliens |url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/uk-premiere-monsters-vs-aliens/ |access-date=April 18, 2021 |work=Empire |date=March 12, 2009 |archive-date=April 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210418084424/https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/uk-premiere-monsters-vs-aliens/ |url-status=live }}</ref>]]
* [[Reese Witherspoon]] as Susan Murphy / Ginormica, a woman from [[Modesto, California]] who is hit by a radioactive quantonium meteorite on her wedding day, causing her to change drastically and grow to a height of {{convert|49|ft|11|in}} and into a giantess. Her exposure to quantonium also makes her hair color change from brown to white and gives her super-strength and physical imperviousness.
* [[Seth Rogen]] as B.O.B. ([[Benzoate]] Ostylezene [[Bicarbonate]]), an indestructible [[Slime (monster)|gelatinous mass]] created when a tomato was injected with a genetically modified ranch-flavored dessert topping. He can devour and digest almost any substance. Despite having consciousness, he literally and figuratively lacks a brain and is thus the comic relief.
* [[Hugh Laurie]] as Dr. Herbert Cockroach [[Doctor of Philosophy|Ph.D.]], a brilliant [[scientist]] who attempted to imbue himself with the resilience and abilities of a [[cockroach]], with the side effect of his head becoming that of a human-sized cockroach.
* [[Will Arnett]] as The Missing Link (usually referred to as "Link"), a 20,000-year-old fish-ape [[humanoid]] who was found frozen and thawed out by scientists, only to escape and wreak havoc at his old lagoon habitat of [[Cocoa Beach, Florida]].
* [[Rainn Wilson]] as Gallaxhar, an evil alien overlord intent on collecting quantonium – the substance that transformed Susan into Ginormica – to give his cloning machine enough power to generate an army of clones of himself to conquer Earth. He is served by gigantic robotic probes. He claims to have suffered several traumas in his youth (which are left mostly unintelligible to the viewer, due to him telling Ginormica his story while being repeatedly [[Photocopy|photocopied]] to create his clones), driving him to destroy his own homeworld, and plans to make a new one on Earth. 
* [[Amy Poehler]] as Gallaxhar's computer.
* [[Kiefer Sutherland]] as General W. R. Monger, a military leader who runs a top-secret facility where monsters are kept, it is his plan to fight the invading aliens with the imprisoned monsters in exchange for their freedom. In a scene during the credits, he claims to be 90 years old, in spite of his youthful appearance.
* [[Stephen Colbert]] as President Hathaway, the impulsive and rather dimwitted [[president of the United States]]. Not wanting to be remembered as "the President in office when the world came to an end", he agrees with General Monger's "Monsters vs. Aliens" plan when the U.S. Military is unable to defeat the robot probe sent by Gallaxhar.
* [[Paul Rudd]] as Derek Dietl, a megalomaniac local weatherman and Susan's supposed fiancé. He jumps at whatever opportunity he has to boost his career, which causes him to place his job and himself before his relationship with Susan, canceling their plans to have a romantic [[honeymoon]] in Paris to land an [[anchorman]] job in [[Fresno, California]] and eventually ending their engagement.
* [[Jeffrey Tambor]] as Carl Murphy, Susan's overemotional father.
* [[Julie White]] as Wendy Murphy, Susan's loving mother.
* [[Renée Zellweger]] as Katie, a woman whose date with her boyfriend Cuthbert is interrupted by the landing of Gallaxhar's robot.
* [[John Krasinski]] as Cuthbert, Katie's boyfriend.
* [[Ed Helms]] as News Reporter
** [[David Koch (television presenter)|David James Koch]] provided the voice for the character for the Australian release of the film.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Monsters vs Aliens (2009) |url=http://www.michaeldvd.com.au/Reviews/Reviews.asp?ID=8901 |access-date=2022-11-09 |website=www.michaeldvd.com.au |archive-date=November 9, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221109081908/http://www.michaeldvd.com.au/Reviews/Reviews.asp?ID=8901 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Five things you mightn't have known about Kochie |url=https://www.reiq.com/articles/five-things-you-mightnt-have-known-about-kochie/ |access-date=2022-11-09 |website=REIQ |language=en-US |archive-date=November 9, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221109081903/https://www.reiq.com/articles/five-things-you-mightnt-have-known-about-kochie/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Production==
The film started as an adaptation of a horror comic book, ''Rex Havoc'',<ref name=VarietyDWGrooming /> in which a monster hunter Rex and his team of experts called "Ass-Kickers of the Fantastic" fight against ghouls, ghosts and other creatures.<ref name=JobloRexDream>{{cite web|last=Torfe|first=Pat|title=Rex Havoc's a Dream|url=https://www.joblo.com/horror-movies/news/rex-havocs-a-dream|publisher=Joblo|access-date=March 2, 2014|date=September 2, 2005|archive-date=March 2, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140302191718/http://www.joblo.com/horror-movies/news/rex-havocs-a-dream|url-status=live}}</ref> The earliest development goes back to 2002, when DreamWorks first filed for a ''Rex Havoc'' trademark.<ref>{{cite web|title=Rex Havoc|url=http://www.trademarkia.com/rex-havoc-76410702.html|publisher=Trademarkia|access-date=March 2, 2014|archive-date=May 14, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160514023722/http://www.trademarkia.com/rex-havoc-76410702.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In a plot synopsis revealed in 2005, Rex was to assemble a team of monsters, including Ick!, Dr. Cockroach, the 50,000 Pound Woman and Insectosaurus, to fight aliens for disrupting cable TV service.<ref name=VarietyDWGrooming>{{cite news|last=LaPorte|first=Nicole|title=DreamWorks grooming toons|url=https://variety.com/2005/digital/news/dreamworks-grooming-toons-1117929396/|access-date=March 2, 2014|newspaper=Variety|date=September 20, 2005|archive-date=March 8, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140308083717/http://variety.com/2005/digital/news/dreamworks-grooming-toons-1117929396/|url-status=live}}</ref> In the following years, the film's story diverged away from the original ''Rex Havoc'', with directors [[Conrad Vernon]] and [[Rob Letterman]] finally creating the storyline from scratch. Letterman would also co-write the film's screenplay with husband and wife duo [[Maya Forbes]] and [[Wallace Wolodarsky]], and screenwriting duo [[Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Guillen|first=Michael|title=MONSTERS vs. ALIENS—Jeffrey Katzenberg Presentation|url=http://theeveningclass.blogspot.com/2009/02/monsters-vs-aliensjeffrey-katzenberg.html|publisher=The Evening Class|access-date=March 2, 2014|date=February 9, 2009|archive-date=May 14, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514175848/http://theeveningclass.blogspot.com/2009/02/monsters-vs-aliensjeffrey-katzenberg.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Production designer David James stated that the film is "a return to what made us nerds in the first place," getting classic movie monsters and relaunching them in a contemporary setting. Director [[Conrad Vernon]] added that he found it would be a great idea to take hideous monsters and give them personalities and satirize the archetypes.<ref name=MvADVD /> Each of the five monsters has traits traceable to sci-fi/horror B movies from the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, although none is a mere copy of an older character.<ref name=NYTInspired>{{cite news|last=Barnes|first=Brooks|title=The Monsters That Inspired 'Monsters vs. Aliens'|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/22/movies/22sbar.html|access-date=October 26, 2013|newspaper=The New York Times|date=March 19, 2009|archive-date=July 1, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170701030854/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/22/movies/22sbar.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Susan, who grows to be 49 feet 11 inches tall into Ginormica, was inspired by ''[[Attack of the 50 Foot Woman]]''. Dr. Cockroach represents ''[[The Fly (1958 film)|The Fly]]'' and ''[[The Curse of Frankenstein]]'', while B.O.B. is an amalgam of slithering and slimy characters that were featured in the films, including ''[[The Blob]]'' and ''[[The Trollenberg Terror|The Crawling Eye]]''. Insectosaurus, a 350-foot-tall monster, is a nod to the 1961 Kaiju film ''[[Mothra (film)|Mothra]]''. According to Vernon, the Missing Link has no direct inspiration. He "just represents anything prehistoric that comes back to life and terrorizes people."<ref name=NYTInspired /> For the San Francisco sequence, the producers researched many films and photographs for an accurate depiction of the city, and filmed animator Line Andersen, who had a similar body type to Ginormica&mdash;tall, thin, and athletic-looking&mdash;walking alongside a scale model of San Francisco, to capture better how a person not comfortable with being too big with an environment would walk around it.<ref name=MvADVD>"Modern Movie Monster-Making", ''Monsters vs. Aliens'' DVD</ref>

Ed Leonard, CTO of DreamWorks Animation, says it took approximately 45.6 million computing hours to make ''Monsters vs. Aliens'', more than eight times as many as the original ''[[Shrek]]''. Several hundred [[Hewlett-Packard]] xw8600 workstations were used, along with a '[[render farm]]' of HP ProLiant [[blade server]]s with over 9,000 server processor cores, to process the animation sequence. Animators used 120 [[terabytes]] of data to complete the film. They used 6 TB for an explosion scene.<ref>{{cite news |first=Theo |last=Boshoff |title=Monsters, aliens come alive|url=http://www.itweb.co.za/sections/computing/2009/0903311157.asp |work=ITWeb |date=March 31, 2009 }}</ref>

Starting with ''Monsters vs. Aliens'', all feature films released by DreamWorks Animation were produced in a [[stereoscopy|stereoscopic]] 3D format, using [[Intel]]'s [[InTru3D]] technology.<ref>{{cite press release |title=Intel, Dreamworks Animation Form Strategic Alliance to Revolutionize 3-D Filmmaking Technology |publisher=Intel |date=July 8, 2008 |url=http://www.intel.com/pressroom/archive/releases/2008/20080708corp.htm |access-date=July 20, 2011 |archive-date=October 26, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111026202056/http://www.intel.com/pressroom/archive/releases/2008/20080708corp.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> 2D, [[RealD 3D]], [[IMAX 3D]], and [[4DX]] versions were released.

==Release==
===Marketing===
To promote the 3D technology that is used in ''Monsters vs. Aliens'', DreamWorks ran a 3D trailer before halftime in the U.S. broadcast of [[Super Bowl XLIII]] on February 1, 2009. Due to the limitations of television technology at the time, [[ColorCode 3-D]] glasses were distributed at [[SoBe]] stands at major national grocers. The Monsters, except Ginormica and Insectosaurus, also appeared in a 3D SoBe commercial airing after the trailer. [[Bank of America]] gave away vouchers that covered the cost of an upgrade to a 3D theatrical viewing of the film for its customers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/whaaat-bailed-out-bank-of-america-paying-for-consumers-to-see-hollywood-toon/|title=Bailed Out Bank Of America Paying Consumers To See Hollywood Film|work=Deadline Hollywood Daily|author=Finke, Nikki|date=Mar 19, 2009|access-date=March 20, 2009|archive-date=March 22, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090322075147/http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/whaaat-bailed-out-bank-of-america-paying-for-consumers-to-see-hollywood-toon/|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Home media===
''Monsters vs. Aliens'' was released to DVD and [[Blu-ray]] in the United States and Canada on September 29, 2009, and on October 26, 2009, in the United Kingdom. The home release for both the DVD and Blu-ray format only contains the 2D version of the movie. However, the release is packaged with a new short, ''[[B.O.B.'s Big Break]]'', which is in the anaglyphic 3D format that requires red and cyan glasses.<ref name="DVD">{{cite web |url=https://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=56968 |title=''Monsters vs. Aliens'' Hits DVD and Blu-ray on Sept. 29 |work=ComingSoon.net |date=July 8, 2009 |access-date=August 13, 2009 |archive-date=July 12, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090712044939/http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=56968 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Also included are four pairs of 3D glasses.<ref name="DVD"/> On January 6, 2010, it was announced that a 3D version would be released on Blu-ray.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://techland.com/2010/01/06/monsters-vs-aliens-becomes-first-3d-blu-ray/|title="Monsters Vs. Aliens" becomes first 3D Blu-Ray|date=January 6, 2010|access-date=February 2, 2010}}</ref> On February 24, a tentative March release date was set for the United Kingdom, where anyone who buys a Samsung 3D TV or 3D Blu-ray player will get a copy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/news/show/3D/Industry_Trends/DreamWorks/Samsung/Monsters_vs._Aliens_3D_Blu-ray_Hits_UK_in_March_%E2%80%93_Only_From_Samsung/4288|title='Monsters vs. Aliens' 3D Blu-ray Hits UK in March – Only From Samsung|date=February 24, 2010|access-date=March 9, 2010|archive-date=March 4, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304002919/http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/news/show/3D/Industry_Trends/DreamWorks/Samsung/Monsters_vs._Aliens_3D_Blu-ray_Hits_UK_in_March_%E2%80%93_Only_From_Samsung/4288|url-status=live}}</ref> On March 8, it was reported that the 3D Blu-ray would be released in the United States, also with Samsung 3D products, on March 21.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hollywoodinhidef.com/2010/03/samsung-3d-blu-rays-dont-work/|title=Samsung 3D Blu-rays don't work?|date=March 8, 2010|access-date=March 21, 2010|archive-date=March 14, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100314044439/http://hollywoodinhidef.com/2010/03/samsung-3d-blu-rays-dont-work/|url-status=live}}</ref> As of February 2011, 9.0 million home entertainment units were sold worldwide.<ref>{{Cite press release|title=DreamWorks Animation Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2010 Financial Results|date=February 24, 2011|publisher=PR Newswire|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dreamworks-animation-reports-fourth-quarter-and-full-year-2010-financial-results-116862013.html|quote=News provided by DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc.|access-date=October 31, 2019|archive-date=October 15, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141015162213/http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dreamworks-animation-reports-fourth-quarter-and-full-year-2010-financial-results-116862013.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In July 2014, the film's distribution rights were purchased by [[DreamWorks Animation]] from [[Paramount Pictures]] and transferred to [[20th Century Fox]]; the rights are now owned by [[Universal Pictures]] following its parent company NBCUniversal's acquisition of DreamWorks Animation in 2016, and the expiration of their distribution deal with 20th Century Fox in 2017.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Chney|first1=Alexandra|title=DreamWorks Animation Q2 Earnings Fall Short of Estimates, SEC Investigation Revealed|url=https://variety.com/2014/biz/news/dreamworks-animation-q2-earnings-fall-short-of-estimates-1201271262/|access-date=July 30, 2014|work=Variety|date=July 29, 2014|archive-date=June 23, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180623141606/https://variety.com/2014/biz/news/dreamworks-animation-q2-earnings-fall-short-of-estimates-1201271262/|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Reception==
===Box office===
On its opening weekend, the film opened at number 1, grossing $59.3 million in 4,104 theaters.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://movies.yahoo.com/mv/boxoffice/ | title=Weekend Box Office Estimates (U.S.) for March 27–29 weekend | publisher=[[Yahoo! Movies]] | access-date=March 29, 2009 | archive-date=May 12, 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120512000113/http://movies.yahoo.com/box-office/ | url-status=live }}</ref> Of that total, the film grossed an estimated $5.2 million in [[IMAX 3D]] theatres, becoming the fifth-highest-grossing IMAX 3D debut, behind ''[[Star Trek (2009 film)|Star Trek]]'', ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen]]'', ''[[The Dark Knight]]'', and ''[[Watchmen (2009 film)|Watchmen]]''.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=2569&p=.htm | title=Weekend Report: 'Monsters,' 'Haunting' Scare Up Big Business | publisher=Box Office Mojo | access-date=March 29, 2009 | archive-date=March 31, 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090331121625/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=2569&p=.htm | url-status=live }}</ref> The film grossed $198.4 million in the United States and Canada, making it the second-highest-grossing animated movie of the year in these regions behind ''[[Up (2009 film)|Up]]''. Worldwide, it is the third highest-grossing animated film of 2009 with a total of $381.7 million behind ''Up'' and ''[[Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs]]''. It was the highest-grossing film worldwide in Witherspoon's career until ''[[Sing (2016 American film)|Sing]]'' overtook it in 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/people/chart/?view=Actor&id=reesewitherspoon.htm&sort=gross&order=DESC&p=.htm|title=Reese Witherspoon Movie Box Office Results|website=www.boxofficemojo.com|access-date=2019-02-17|archive-date=February 18, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190218021210/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/people/chart/?view=Actor&id=reesewitherspoon.htm&sort=gross&order=DESC&p=.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Critical response===
Based on {{RT data|count}} reviews collected by [[Rotten Tomatoes]], ''Monsters vs. Aliens'' has an overall approval rating from critics of {{RT data|score}} and an average score of {{RT data|average}}. The critical consensus reads: "Though it doesn't approach the depth of the best-animated films, ''Monsters vs. Aliens'' has enough humor and special effects to entertain moviegoers of all ages."<ref name="Reviews">{{cite Rotten Tomatoes|id=monsters_vs_aliens|title=Monsters vs. Aliens |type=m |access-date={{RT data|access date}}}}{{RT data|edit}}</ref> On [[Metacritic]], which assigns a normalized rating from mainstream critics, the film has received a score of 56 out of 100 based on 35 reviews, which indicates "mixed or average reviews".<ref>{{cite Metacritic|id=monsters-vs-aliens | title=Monsters vs. Aliens |type=m | access-date=April 16, 2022}}</ref> Audiences polled by [[CinemaScore]] gave the film an A− grade, on an A+ to F scale.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Rich |first1=Joshua |title=Box Office Report: 'Monsters vs. Aliens' opens at No. 1 with $58.2 mil |url=https://ew.com/article/2009/03/29/borept-monsters/ |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |access-date=June 4, 2022 |date=December 20, 2019 |archive-date=June 4, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220604143311/https://ew.com/article/2009/03/29/borept-monsters/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Roger Ebert]] of the ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]'' gave the film two and a half stars out of four, writing, "I suppose kids will like this movie", though he "didn't find [it] rich with humor".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/monsters-vs-aliens-2009|title=Monsters vs. Aliens|last=Ebert|first=Roger|work=[[Chicago Sun-Times]]|date=March 25, 2009|access-date=June 9, 2017|via=RogerEbert.com|archive-date=July 20, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170720075308/http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/monsters-vs-aliens-2009|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Peter Travers]] of ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' gave the film three-and-a-half stars out of four and wrote that "''[[WALL-E]]'' had more charm, more soul, more everything. But there's enough merry mischief here to satisfy, even if you're way past puberty."<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/movie/26519958/review/26971261/monsters_vs_aliens|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090328115820/https://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/movie/26519958/review/26971261/monsters_vs_aliens|url-status=dead|archive-date=2009-03-28|title=Monsters vs. Aliens : Review : Rolling Stone|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |date=2009-03-28|access-date=2019-02-17}}</ref>

===Accolades===
In 2009, the film was nominated for four [[Annie Award]]s, including ''Voice Acting in a Feature Production'' for Hugh Laurie.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Ellwood|first1=Gregory|title='Up' and 'Coraline' Lead the 2009 Annie Award Nominees|url=http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/awards-campaign/posts/up-and-coraline-lead-the-2009-annie-award-nominees|work=HitFix|access-date=September 27, 2014|date=December 1, 2009|archive-date=April 27, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160427105916/http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/awards-campaign/posts/up-and-coraline-lead-the-2009-annie-award-nominees|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Reese Witherspoon]] and [[Seth Rogen]] were both nominated for best voice actor and actress at the [[2010 Kids' Choice Awards]] for voicing Ginormica and B.O.B,<ref name=Take40KidNominations /> but lost to [[Jim Carrey]] for ''[[A Christmas Carol (2009 film)|Disney's A Christmas Carol]]''.<ref name=TWSJKidsAwards>{{cite news|title=Kids Choice Awards 2010 Winners|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2010/03/27/kids-choice-awards-2010-winners/|access-date=September 27, 2014|work=The Wall Street Journal|date=March 27, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100329151745/https://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2010/03/27/kids-choice-awards-2010-winners/|archive-date=March 29, 2010|url-status=live}}</ref> ''Monsters vs. Aliens'' was also nominated for Best Animated film but lost to ''[[Pixar]]'''s ''[[Up (2009 film)|Up]]''.<ref name=TWSJKidsAwards /> On June 24, 2009, the film won the [[Saturn Award for Best Animated Film]].<ref name=EWSaturnAwards />
{| class="wikitable"
|+style="background:LightSteelBlue;" | Awards
|- 
! Award
! Category
! Name
! Result
|-
|style="border-top:10px black" rowspan=3| [[37th Annie Awards|Annie Awards]]<ref>{{cite web|title=37th Annual Annie Nominations and Awards Recipients|url=http://annieawards.org/37th-annie-awards|publisher=Annie Awards|access-date=September 27, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130102013406/http://annieawards.org/37th-annie-awards|archive-date=January 2, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>
| [[Annie Awards#Individual achievement|Annie Award for Best Animated Effects in an Animated Production]]
| Scott Cegielski
| {{Nom}}
|-
| [[Annie Awards#Individual achievement|Annie Award for Best Storyboarding in an Animated Feature Production]]
| Tom Owens
| {{Won}}
|-
| [[Annie Award for Voice Acting in a Feature Production|Annie Award for Best Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production]]
| [[Hugh Laurie]]
| {{Nom}}
|-
|rowspan="3"|[[2010 Kids' Choice Awards|Kids' Choice Awards]]<ref name=Take40KidNominations>{{cite news|title=Miley Cyrus, Twilight Lead 2010 Nickelodeon Kid's Choice Awards Nominations|url=http://www.take40.com/news/18350/miley-cyrus,-twilight-lead-2010-nickelodeon-kid%27s-choice-awards-nominations|access-date=November 13, 2012|newspaper=Take 40|date=February 15, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130309033200/http://www.take40.com/news/18350/miley-cyrus%2C-twilight-lead-2010-nickelodeon-kid%27s-choice-awards-nominations|archive-date=March 9, 2013|df=mdy-all}}</ref> 
|rowspan="2"|Favorite Voice from an Animated Movie
|[[Seth Rogen]]
|{{nom}}
|-
|[[Reese Witherspoon]]
|{{nom}}
|-
|Favorite Animated Movie
|Rob Letterman<br />Conrad Vernon
|{{nom}}
|-
|rowspan="1"|[[36th Saturn Awards|Saturn Awards]]<ref name=EWSaturnAwards>{{cite magazine|last1=Stransky|first1=Tanner|title=Saturn Awards: 'Avatar,' James Cameron, and 'Lost' take top honors|url=http://news-briefs.ew.com/2010/06/25/saturn-awards-avatar-james-cameron-lost/|access-date=September 27, 2014|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=June 25, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100626215515/http://news-briefs.ew.com/2010/06/25/saturn-awards-avatar-james-cameron-lost/|archive-date=June 26, 2010|url-status=live}}</ref>
|[[Saturn Award for Best Animated Film]]
|Rob Letterman<br />Conrad Vernon
|{{Won}}
|-
|rowspan="2"|[[8th Visual Effects Society Awards|Visual Effects Society]]<ref>{{cite news|last1=Kilday|first1=Gregg|title='Avatar' leads Visual Effects Society noms|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/avatar-leads-visual-effects-society-19633|access-date=September 27, 2014|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=January 18, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110217033444/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/avatar-leads-visual-effects-society-19633|archive-date=February 17, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref>
| Animated Character in an Animated Feature Motion Picture
| Terran Boylan<br />David Burgess<br />Scott Cegielski<br />David Weatherly
| {{nom}}
|-
| Outstanding Effects Animation in an Animated Feature Motion Picture
| David P. Allen<br />Amaury Aubel<br />Scott Cegielski<br />Alain De Hoe
| {{nom}}
|}

==Expanded franchise==
{{main|Monsters vs. Aliens (franchise){{!}}''Monsters vs. Aliens'' (franchise)}}

=== Canceled sequel ===
In April 2011, [[DreamWorks Animation]] CEO [[Jeffrey Katzenberg]] commented that the studio did not have plans to produce future movie-genre parodies like ''[[Megamind]]'' (2010), ''Monsters vs. Aliens'', and ''[[Shark Tale]]'' (2004), nor sequels to these, saying that these films "all shared an approach and tone and idea of parody, and did not travel well internationally. We don't have anything like that coming on our schedule now."<ref name="nosq">{{cite web|last=Lieberman|first=David|title=DreamWorks Animation Pins Hopes On 'Kung Fu Panda 2′ After 1Q Earnings Fall Short|url=https://deadline.com/2011/04/dreamworks-pins-hopes-on-kung-fu-panda-2-after-first-quarter-earnings-fall-short-125845/|website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|date=April 26, 2011|access-date=February 18, 2020|archive-date=December 24, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224090054/http://www.deadline.com/2011/04/dreamworks-pins-hopes-on-kung-fu-panda-2-after-first-quarter-earnings-fall-short/|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Television series and specials ===
The film was followed by two [[television special]]s titled ''[[Monsters vs. Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins from Outer Space]]'' and ''[[Night of the Living Carrots]]'', respectively, then a [[Monsters vs. Aliens (TV series)|television series]] which started airing on [[Nickelodeon]] on March 23, 2013, and was cancelled after one season due to low ratings and the network's desire to refocus on making the more "Nickish" shows.<ref>{{cite web|last=Schooley|first=Bob|title=Ratings, desire of Nick to get back to the more "Nickish" shows.|url=https://twitter.com/bob_schooley/status/435230104319295490|publisher=Twitter|access-date=June 6, 2014|date=February 16, 2014|archive-date=March 6, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140306224628/https://twitter.com/bob_schooley/status/435230104319295490|url-status=live}}</ref>
<!--==Notes==
{{reflist|group=N}}-->

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons}}
{{Wikiquote}}
* {{Official website}}
* {{IMDb title}}

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