The Tale of Despereaux Movie Cast, Plot and Everything to Know

Plot

Once upon a time, in the faraway kingdom of Dor, there was magic in the air, laughter aplenty and gallons of mouthwatering soup. But an accident left the King broken-hearted, the Princess filled with longing and the townsfolk without their soup. Sunlight disappeared. The world became gray. All hope was lost in this land...until Despereaux Tilling was born.

A modern fairy tale from visionary filmmaker Gary Ross, together with directors Sam Fell & Rob Stevenhagen, The Tale of Despereaux tells the story of several unlikely heroes: Despereaux (Matthew Broderick), a brave mouse banished to the dungeon for speaking with a human; Roscuro (Dustin Hoffman), a good-hearted rat who loves light and soup, but is exiled to darkness; Pea (Emma Watson), a Princess in a gloomy castle who is prisoner to her father's grief; and Mig (Tracey Ullman), a servant girl who longs to be a Princess, but is forced to serve the jailer (Robbie Coltrane).

Tiny and graced with oversized ears, Despereaux was born too big for his little world. Refusing to live his life cowering, he befriends a Princess named Pea and learns to read (rather than eat) books—reveling in stories of knights, dragons and fair maidens. Banished from Mouseworld for being more man than mouse, Despereaux is rescued by another outcast, Roscuro, who also wants to hear the tales. But when the Princess dismisses Roscuro's friendship, he becomes the ultimate rat and plots revenge with fellow outsider Mig.

After Pea is kidnapped, Despereaux discovers he is the only one who can rescue her...and that even the tiniest mouse can find the courage of a knight in shining armor. In this tale of bravery, forgiveness and redemption, one small creature will teach a kingdom that it takes only a little light to show the truth: what you look like doesn't equal what you are.

Adventure Drama Family Animated Kids

• 
  Emma Watson

  This is the End, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II

• 
  Matthew Broderick

  Bee Movie, The Lion King

• D
  Dustin Hoffman

  Kung Fu Panda, Kung Fu Panda 4

• 
  Sigourney Weaver

  Avatar: Fire and Ash, Avatar 4

• 
  Christopher Lloyd

  Nobody 2, Nobody

• 
  William H. Macy

  Soul On Fire, The Running Man

• 
  Stanley Tucci

  The Devil Wears Prada 2, What Is Life Worth

• 
  Kevin Kline

  The Good House, Beauty and the Beast

• 
  Ciaran Hinds

  John Carter, Is This Thing On?

• R
  Robbie Coltrane

  Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II, Brave

• T
  Tracey Ullman

  Steve , The Actor

• 
  Tony Hale

  Toy Story 5, Inside Out 2

Who is making The Tale of Despereaux – Crew List

A look at The Tale of Despereaux behind-the-scenes crew and production team. The film's director Sam Fell last helmed Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget and ParaNorman. The film's writer Kate DiCamillo last penned Because of Winn-Dixie.

Director

Sam Fell
Gary Ross
Robert Stevenhagen

Screenwriters

Kate DiCamillo
Will McRobb
Gary Ross

Producers

Gary Ross
Tracy Shaw
Allison Thomas

Production – What we know about the The Tale of Despereaux

Copy link to Production – What we know about the The Tale of Despereaux

Key Facts

• Adaptation of Kate DiCamillo's book "The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread."

Movie Filming Timeline: Production Status Updates

Dec 2008

Completed

Changed The Tale of Despereaux movie production status. The movie is ready for release.

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Additional Information

Q&A: Asked about The Tale of Despereaux

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