The Great Discovery
Encyclopedia
The Great Discovery is a 2008 film and feature spin-off of the TV series, Thomas and Friends. The film is a follow up, not a direct sequel (though it does feature some of the same characters) to Thomas and the Magic Railroad
and a sequel to Calling All Engines
! The DVD was released on September 9 2008 in the United States and October 6 2008 in the United Kingdom. Pierce Brosnan
was featured as a guest narrator.
Following screenings of Series 11 episodes of Thomas and Friends in 2007, The Great Discovery was given a limited theatrical release on July 1 2008 in the US, and in September 1 2008 in the UK.
and James
are
racing to the wharf to be given a special job by Mr. Percival.
Thomas wins, and is sent into the hills to collect lumber with Duncan. Thomas teases the little engine, who decides to pay Thomas out by sending him on a fool's errand - telling him that an old, disused line will lead him back to the wharf faster. After avoiding going on Rolling River Bridge, an old, collapsing bridge, Thomas takes another route at the old junction, and as he journeys farther down the line, he comes across an old overgrown town.
The news of Thomas' discovery spreads, and eventually reaches The Fat Controller
. He tells Thomas that the town is Great Waterton, which was Sodor's largest town when steam engines first arrived on the island. The Fat Controller decides that the restoration of the legendary town would be perfect for the celebration of Sodor Day, and calls Miss Jenny Packard's construction crew to help with the process.
Thomas is told to take charge of the engines working on the lines around the town. Meanwhile, a shiny new tank engine named Stanley is brought to the railway to perform Thomas' regular jobs. All of the engines take to Stanley, who does a good job and has fun as well. When Thomas sees Stanley doing his jobs and fraternizing with his friends, he becomes jealous. Thomas is furious when Stanley takes his place at Tidmouth Sheds, and the final straw comes when Thomas has a bad accident and Stanley takes his place as the leader of the Great Waterton operation.
When Thomas is mended, he is shunting trucks of stone for Stanley to take away. He decides to make Stanley look foolish by shunting too many trucks, hoping that Stanley would not be able to climb the hill out of the town, in sight of the other engines. The plan backfires, however - as Stanley climbs the hill, a coupling snaps, and the trucks race down the hill. They veer into a siding and crash into the newly-finished tower, which then collapses.
The Fat Controller is cross with Thomas for giving Stanley too many trucks to pull, and the engines are angry when they realize Thomas set up Stanley on purpose. Stanley, however, feels terrible when he realizes that Thomas misses his friends because of him, and wants to set things right. The Fat Controller states that this will likely set back the restoration past Sodor Day. Thomas is miserable, thinking he is no longer wanted.
That night, all the engines are asleep in Tidmouth Sheds, but not Thomas. He decides to clear the trucks of rubble out of the way at Great Waterton so the engines will like him again. Thomas is almost finished shunting when he accidentally bumps a truck into an old mine. Racing in after it, Thomas races into the shaft. The ride is fun and exciting and Thomas enjoys it, until he crashes through some boards, onto a wooden platform and floats down an underground waterway.
The engines arrive at Great Waterton the next day, ready for work. They realize that Thomas is missing, and The Fat Controller organizes a search effort. Stanley goes off to look for Thomas and thinks about when Thomas saw him with Percy, and pulling Annie and Clarabelle, and the evening in Tidmouth Sheds. He thinks Thomas has run away because he thinks no one likes him anymore, so he goes to find him. Meanwhile, Thomas continues floating in the dark tunnel, and the river is moving very fast. Suddenly, he reaches an opening to the mine, is flung across a canyon, and sent rolling down a hill.
Stanley decides to make another search effort all by himself before he has to return to work. He whistles very loudly, and Thomas hears it! With his last bit of steam, Thomas sounds a loud, long whistle. Stanley hears it and hurries to where Thomas is stranded beside the track. The two make up for their quarrel and Stanley pulls Thomas back onto the rails. The strain is too much for Stanley, and a valve in his cab bursts. In an effort to return, Thomas is given some dry coal and his fire is started.
Thomas pushes Stanley back to Great Waterton, and the word travels across the island that Thomas has been found. As a sign of friendship, Thomas offers Stanley his last job - to bring the mayor to the Sodor Day festivities at Great Waterton. The engines gather at the town for the celebration, and Thomas realizes just how important his friends are.
Diesel 10 appears briefly. Jack and The Pack, introduced in Series 6 and later starring in their own video releases, play prominent roles in the restoration of Great Waterton. The narrow gauge engines, as they appeared from Series 9 through 11, had cameos and ancillary roles.
and Michael Brandon
as the narrators in Britain and the United States, respectively. However, Brosnan, for unknown reasons, did not continue to narrate the TV series, and later releases of the movie credited him as a "Special Guest Narrator." Angelis and Brandon returned as narrators for Series 12 and continue to narrate the series as well as all films after "The Great Discovery."
, and Kidtoons Films and was re-released in May 2009 in the US, again in limited theaters as a Kidtoons Films Golden Classic. Special passes were given at the showing of the re-release, viewers who saw a certain amount of Kidtoons Film in the summer would be granted free admission to the release of the newest Thomas movie, Hero of the Rails
in September 2009.
In the UK, Vue Cinemas, HIT Entertainment
and Lionsgate Entertainment released the film exclsive to Vue Cinemas on September 1 2008. The DVD release was on September 9 2008 in the US and in October 2008 in the UK.
Thomas and the Magic Railroad
Thomas and the Magic Railroad is a 2000 British/American film based on the well-known TV series Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends and the United States TV series Shining Time Station. The film was co-produced by Gullane Entertainment and the Isle of Man Film Commission. It was written, produced...
and a sequel to Calling All Engines
Calling All Engines
Calling All Engines is a straight-to-DVD film, and a feature spin-off of the TV series, Thomas and Friends. The film is a follow up to Thomas and the Magic Railroad. It is not a direct sequel, but features some of the same characters...
! The DVD was released on September 9 2008 in the United States and October 6 2008 in the United Kingdom. Pierce Brosnan
Pierce Brosnan
Pierce Brendan Brosnan, OBE is an Irish actor, film producer and environmentalist. After leaving school at 16, Brosnan began training in commercial illustration, but trained at the Drama Centre in London for three years...
was featured as a guest narrator.
Following screenings of Series 11 episodes of Thomas and Friends in 2007, The Great Discovery was given a limited theatrical release on July 1 2008 in the US, and in September 1 2008 in the UK.
Plot
Sodor Day is coming to the Island of Sodor. The engines are preparing for the celebration of the Sodor Day holiday, and ThomasThomas the Tank Engine
Thomas the Tank Engine is a fictional steam locomotive in The Railway Series books by the Reverend Wilbert Awdry and his son, Christopher. He became the most popular character in the series, and the accompanying television spin-off series, Thomas and Friends.Thomas is a tank engine, painted blue...
and James
James the Red Engine
James the Red Engine is a fictional anthropomorphic tender locomotive from The Railway Series children's books by the Rev. W. Awdry, and the spin-off TV series Thomas and Friends. James is a mixed-traffic engine, which means he is just as capable of pulling coaches as trucks...
are
racing to the wharf to be given a special job by Mr. Percival.
Thomas wins, and is sent into the hills to collect lumber with Duncan. Thomas teases the little engine, who decides to pay Thomas out by sending him on a fool's errand - telling him that an old, disused line will lead him back to the wharf faster. After avoiding going on Rolling River Bridge, an old, collapsing bridge, Thomas takes another route at the old junction, and as he journeys farther down the line, he comes across an old overgrown town.
The news of Thomas' discovery spreads, and eventually reaches The Fat Controller
The Fat Controller
The Fat Controller is the head of the railway in The Railway Series of books written by the Rev. W. V. Awdry. In the first two books in the series he is known as The Fat Director...
. He tells Thomas that the town is Great Waterton, which was Sodor's largest town when steam engines first arrived on the island. The Fat Controller decides that the restoration of the legendary town would be perfect for the celebration of Sodor Day, and calls Miss Jenny Packard's construction crew to help with the process.
Thomas is told to take charge of the engines working on the lines around the town. Meanwhile, a shiny new tank engine named Stanley is brought to the railway to perform Thomas' regular jobs. All of the engines take to Stanley, who does a good job and has fun as well. When Thomas sees Stanley doing his jobs and fraternizing with his friends, he becomes jealous. Thomas is furious when Stanley takes his place at Tidmouth Sheds, and the final straw comes when Thomas has a bad accident and Stanley takes his place as the leader of the Great Waterton operation.
When Thomas is mended, he is shunting trucks of stone for Stanley to take away. He decides to make Stanley look foolish by shunting too many trucks, hoping that Stanley would not be able to climb the hill out of the town, in sight of the other engines. The plan backfires, however - as Stanley climbs the hill, a coupling snaps, and the trucks race down the hill. They veer into a siding and crash into the newly-finished tower, which then collapses.
The Fat Controller is cross with Thomas for giving Stanley too many trucks to pull, and the engines are angry when they realize Thomas set up Stanley on purpose. Stanley, however, feels terrible when he realizes that Thomas misses his friends because of him, and wants to set things right. The Fat Controller states that this will likely set back the restoration past Sodor Day. Thomas is miserable, thinking he is no longer wanted.
That night, all the engines are asleep in Tidmouth Sheds, but not Thomas. He decides to clear the trucks of rubble out of the way at Great Waterton so the engines will like him again. Thomas is almost finished shunting when he accidentally bumps a truck into an old mine. Racing in after it, Thomas races into the shaft. The ride is fun and exciting and Thomas enjoys it, until he crashes through some boards, onto a wooden platform and floats down an underground waterway.
The engines arrive at Great Waterton the next day, ready for work. They realize that Thomas is missing, and The Fat Controller organizes a search effort. Stanley goes off to look for Thomas and thinks about when Thomas saw him with Percy, and pulling Annie and Clarabelle, and the evening in Tidmouth Sheds. He thinks Thomas has run away because he thinks no one likes him anymore, so he goes to find him. Meanwhile, Thomas continues floating in the dark tunnel, and the river is moving very fast. Suddenly, he reaches an opening to the mine, is flung across a canyon, and sent rolling down a hill.
Stanley decides to make another search effort all by himself before he has to return to work. He whistles very loudly, and Thomas hears it! With his last bit of steam, Thomas sounds a loud, long whistle. Stanley hears it and hurries to where Thomas is stranded beside the track. The two make up for their quarrel and Stanley pulls Thomas back onto the rails. The strain is too much for Stanley, and a valve in his cab bursts. In an effort to return, Thomas is given some dry coal and his fire is started.
Thomas pushes Stanley back to Great Waterton, and the word travels across the island that Thomas has been found. As a sign of friendship, Thomas offers Stanley his last job - to bring the mayor to the Sodor Day festivities at Great Waterton. The engines gather at the town for the celebration, and Thomas realizes just how important his friends are.
Characters
The members of the "Steam Team" are all featured in the film at some point. Various supporting characters from recent seasons make cameo appearances, and Thomas and the Magic Railroad'sThomas and the Magic Railroad
Thomas and the Magic Railroad is a 2000 British/American film based on the well-known TV series Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends and the United States TV series Shining Time Station. The film was co-produced by Gullane Entertainment and the Isle of Man Film Commission. It was written, produced...
Diesel 10 appears briefly. Jack and The Pack, introduced in Series 6 and later starring in their own video releases, play prominent roles in the restoration of Great Waterton. The narrow gauge engines, as they appeared from Series 9 through 11, had cameos and ancillary roles.
Recurring
- Thomas
- Edward
- Henry
- Gordon
- James
- Percy
- Toby
- Emily
- Arthur
- Duncan
- Jack
- Alfie
- Max and Monty
- Madge
- Harold
- Cranky
- The Fat Controller
- Lady Hatt
- Miss Jenny
- Mr. Percival
- Bill and Ben (do not speak)
- Harvey (does not speak)
- Molly (does not speak)
- Mavis (does not speak)
- Salty (does not speak)
- Skarloey (does not speak)
- Rheneas (does not speak)
- Sir Handel (does not speak)
- Freddie (does not speak)
- Mighty Mac (do not speak)
- Annie and Clarabel (do not speak)
- Troublesome Trucks (do not speak)
- Rocky (does not speak)
- Terence (does not speak)
- Bertie (does not speak)
- Oliver the Excavator (does not speak)
- Ned (does not speak)
- Jeremy (does not speak)
- The Mayor of Sodor (does not speak)
- The Duke of Boxford (does not speak)
- Rosie (cameo)
- Whiff (cameo)
- Peter Sam (cameo)
- Rusty (cameo)
- Diesel (cameo)
- Iron 'Arry and Bert (cameos)
- Diesel 10 (cameo)
- Dennis (cameo)
- George (cameo)
- Butch (cameo)
- Buster (cameo)
- Stephen Hatt (cameo)
- Bridget Hatt (cameo)
- Jem Cole (cameo)
- The Refreshment Lady (cameo)
- Lord Callan (cameo)
- Sodor Brass Band (cameos)
- Henrietta (music video cameo)
- Elizabeth (music video cameo)
- Kelly (music video cameo)
Production
The Great Discovery was the last Thomas and Friends production to rely exclusively on practical effects, in Series 12, CGI faces and people were mapped onto the live-action stories. This method acted as a trial run for the show's change to CGI animation in 2009. The film was narrated by Pierce Brosnan, who was originally intended to become the show's narrator in all future episodes, succeeding both Michael AngelisMichael Angelis
Michael Angelis is an English actor and voice actor.Michael Angelis was one of the stars of the famous 1982 BBC drama serial Boys from the Black Stuff and another Alan Bleasedale drama G.B.H.. He also starred in comedies such as Luv and The Liver Birds, in which he appeared between series 5 and 9...
and Michael Brandon
Michael Brandon
Michael Brandon is an American actor who resides in the United Kingdom and United States.-Life and career:Brandon was born Michael Feldman in Brooklyn, New York to Miriam and Sol Feldman...
as the narrators in Britain and the United States, respectively. However, Brosnan, for unknown reasons, did not continue to narrate the TV series, and later releases of the movie credited him as a "Special Guest Narrator." Angelis and Brandon returned as narrators for Series 12 and continue to narrate the series as well as all films after "The Great Discovery."
Releases
The Great Discovery was released given a limited US release on July 1 2008 by National Amusements, HIT EntertainmentHIT Entertainment
Hit Entertainment is a British-American entertainment distribution company established in 1989, and originally the international distribution arm of Jim Henson Productions called Henson International Television...
, and Kidtoons Films and was re-released in May 2009 in the US, again in limited theaters as a Kidtoons Films Golden Classic. Special passes were given at the showing of the re-release, viewers who saw a certain amount of Kidtoons Film in the summer would be granted free admission to the release of the newest Thomas movie, Hero of the Rails
Hero of the Rails
Hero of the Rails is a 2009 animated film and feature spin-off of the TV series, Thomas and Friends. The film is a follow up, not a direct sequel to Thomas and the Magic Railroad and a sequel to Calling All Engines! and The Great Discovery...
in September 2009.
In the UK, Vue Cinemas, HIT Entertainment
HIT Entertainment
Hit Entertainment is a British-American entertainment distribution company established in 1989, and originally the international distribution arm of Jim Henson Productions called Henson International Television...
and Lionsgate Entertainment released the film exclsive to Vue Cinemas on September 1 2008. The DVD release was on September 9 2008 in the US and in October 2008 in the UK.
UK DVD Features
- Introducing Stanley
- Select a Song
- "Racing to the Wharf"
- "Jobs a Plenty"
- "Where, Oh Where Is Thomas?"
- "New Engine Roll Call"
- "Thomas, You're the Leader"
- The Whistle Game
US DVD Features
- "Thomas You're the Leader" Music Video and Karaoke
- Behind the Scenes with Pierce BrosnanPierce BrosnanPierce Brendan Brosnan, OBE is an Irish actor, film producer and environmentalist. After leaving school at 16, Brosnan began training in commercial illustration, but trained at the Drama Centre in London for three years...
- Learning Activities with Thomas & Friends:
- Spot the Difference
- Tough Trucks!
- Thomas' Puzzle Parts
- Trailers