We Bought a Zoo

Name: We Bought a Zoo
Genre: Drama, Comedy, Family
Released: 2011-11-26
Duration: 2 h 4 min
Rating: 7.3
Cast: Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson, Thomas Haden Church, Colin Ford, Maggie Elizabeth Jones

A True Zoo Story

We Bought a Zoo (2011)

Timing: 2:4 (124 min)

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All about film

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Actors and characters

Watch film We Bought a Zoo — Why Did You Buy This Place?

1:10

Photo 42

Release date

2011-11-26

Country

United States

Production

Dune Entertainment, 20th Century Fox, Estrella Media, Vinyl Films

Genre

Drama, Comedy, Family

Budget

$50 000 000

Revenue

$120 081 841

Website

http://www.weboughtazoo.com/

Director

Cameron Crowe

Actors

Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson, Thomas Haden Church, Colin Ford, Maggie Elizabeth Jones, Angus Macfadyen, Elle Fanning, Patrick Fugit, John Michael Higgins, Carla Gallo
All actors and roles (10)

Scenario

Producer

Cameron Crowe, Rick Yorn, Julie Yorn, Ilona Herzberg

Operator

Rodrigo Prieto

Composer

Jon Thor Birgisson

Artist

Clay A. Griffith

Audition

Gail Levin

Editing

Mark Livolsi
All team (52)

Short description

Benjamin has lost his wife and, in a bid to start his life over, purchases a large house that has a zoo – welcome news for his daughter, but his son is not happy about it. The zoo is in need of renovation and Benjamin sets about the work with the head keeper and the rest of the staff, but, the zoo soon runs into financial trouble.

What's left behind the scenes

Besides Scarlett Johansson, other candidates for the role of Kelly Foster were Amy Adams, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and Rachel McAdams.
The entire Mee family—father Benjamin and children Milo and Ella—make cameo appearances in the film. They are the first family in the visitor queue when Matt Damon's character climbs over a tree. Director Cameron Crowe's children, twins William James and Curtis Wilson, who were eleven at the time, can also be seen among the zoo visitors.
In the real story, Benjamin Mee’s children were significantly younger than in the film. At the time of purchasing the zoo, his brother and sister were 6 and 4 years old, respectively.
In addition to Scarlett Johansson, other candidates for the role of Kelly Foster included Amy Adams, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and Rachel McAdams.
The film is based on Benjamin Mee's memoirs published in February 2009, titled 'We Bought a Zoo: The Amazing True Story of a Broken-Down Zoo, and the 200 Animals That Changed a Family Forever.' The film rights to his book were purchased by 20th Century Fox almost immediately.
In August 2006, Benjamin Mee and his family purchased the then-closed Dartmoor Zoo for 1.1 million British pounds. The zoo is located near the village of Sparkwell in Devon, Southwest England. Following a major reorganization and reconstruction, the zoo reopened to the public on July 7, 2007.
In the true story, Benjamin Mee's children were significantly younger than they were in the film. At the time of the zoo's purchase, the brother and sister were 6 and 4 years old, respectively.
In agreement with Benjamin Mee himself, the zoo's location was moved from England to California. This was done to ensure the film's greater success with American audiences. The structure of the zoo and the layout of the main sections were preserved in the movie.
The capuchin monkey Crystal already had extensive experience “working” in films. Before this, she “starred” in such films as “Night at the Museum” (2006), “The Hangover Part II” (2011), and “Zookeeper” (2011).
The entire Mee family – father Benjamin and children Milo and Ella – appear in a cameo in the film. They are the first family in line of visitors when Matt Damon’s character climbs over the tree. The director Cameron Crowe’s children, eleven-year-old twins William James and Curtis Wilson at the time, can also be spotted among the audience at the zoo.