Over the Hedge (film)

Over the Hedge
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Tim Johnson Karey Kirkpatrick
Produced by	Bonnie Arnold
Written by	Len Blum Lorne Cameron David Hoselton Karey Kirkpatrick
Based on	Over the Hedge by Michael Fry T. Lewis
Starring	Bruce Willis Garry Shandling Steve Carell William Shatner Wanda Sykes Nick Nolte
Music by	Rupert Gregson-Williams
Edited by	John K. Carr
Production company	DreamWorks Animation
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release date	April 30, 2006 (2006-04-30) (Los Angeles premiere) May 19, 2006 (2006-05-19) (United States)
Running time	83 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$80 million
Box office	$336 million

Over the Hedge is a 2006 American computer-animated comedy film, based on the characters from the United Media comic strip of the same name. Directed by Tim Johnson and Karey Kirkpatrick, and produced by Bonnie Arnold, it was released in the United States on May 19, 2006. The film was produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed through Paramount Pictures. The film features the voices of Bruce Willis, Garry Shandling, Steve Carell, William Shatner, Wanda Sykes, and Nick Nolte. It is the first DreamWorks Animation film to be distributed by Paramount Pictures, which acquired the live-action DreamWorks studio in 2006. The film earned $336 million on an $80 million budget.

While scavenging for food, RJ the raccoon enters the cave of Vincent the bear, who has a wagon full of human food taken from a nearby rest stop. RJ accidentally wakes Vincent from his hibernation, and in a race to escape, causes the stash to roll out onto the nearby highway and get run over. To avoid being eaten himself, RJ promises Vincent that he will completely replace the stash within the week.

RJ heads towards a recently built suburban housing development in Indiana, separated from a forest glade by a large hedge. There he discovers a pack of animals recently awoken from their hibernation, led by Verne the turtle; the others include squirrel Hammy, skunk Stella, porcupines Penny and Lou, along with their triplet sons, Spike, Bucky and Quillo; and opossum Ozzie and his daughter Heather. The animals are scared, as the development had been built during their hibernation and they fear they will be unable to forage for food in the small glade. RJ shows them the amount of food humans consume and waste and suggests they forage from the humans. Verne is hesitant but the other animals acquiesce. They make bold attempts to steal food directly from the humans, with RJ secretly guiding them to help collect the food he needs to replace Vincent's stash.