Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked The Movie in Tokyo, Japan

• Info
• Cast & Crew

• Genre: Live action/animated,Adventure,Comedy
  
  Synopsis:
  Chipmunks Alvin (Justin Long), Simon (Matthew Gray Gubler) and Theodore (Jesse McCartney), along with the Chipettes, become marooned on a not-so-deserted island.
  
  Release Date: 12/16/2011
  Running Time: 87
  
  Rating: G - General Audiences
  
  http://www.munkyourself.com/
  
• Cast:
  Dave Seville: Jason Lee,Ian: David Cross,Zoe: Jenny Slate,Voice of Alvin: Justin Long,Voice of Simon: Matthew Gubler Gray,Voice of Theodore: Jesse McCartney,Voice of Eleanor: Amy Poehler,Voice of Jeanette: Anna Faris,Voice of Brittany: Christina Applegate,Voice of Simone: Alan Tudyk,Capt. Correlli: Andy Buckley
  
  Crew:
  Director: Mike Mitchell,Screenwriter: Jonathan Aibel,Screenwriter: Glenn Berger,Producer: Janice Karman,Producer: Ross Bagdasarian,Executive Producer: Karen Rosenfelt,Executive Producer: Arnon Milchan,Executive Producer: Neil Machlis,Executive Producer: Steve Waterman,Cinematographer: Thomas Ackerman,Production Design: Richard Holland,Film Editor: Peter Amundson,Original Music: Mark Mothersbaugh,Costume Designer: Alexandra Welker,Casting: Allison Jones,Art Director: Don MacAulay,Set Decoration: Rose McSherry Marie
  
  Production Companies:
  Bagdasarian Company
  
  Distributors:
  20th Century Fox
  
  Notes:
  Production Notes - Notes provided by 20th Century Fox - In 2007, ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS, a global phenomenon to generations of fans, became a live action/CGI motion picture event with a contemporary comic sensibility. In the holiday season blockbuster, which grossed over $350 million worldwide, songwriter Dave Seville transformed singing chipmunks Alvin, Simon and Theodore into pop sensations -- while the out-of-control trio laid waste to Dave's home, wreaked havoc on his career, and turned Dave's once-orderly life upside-down. Before you could say, ``Alvinnnnn!!! talks began about a new ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS movie. Not content to rest on their laurels, the 'Munks came up with yet another ``first: a ``Squeakquel, in which Alvin, Simon and Theodore finally meet their match - and maybe more - in the newly arrived female trio, The Chipettes. But this holiday season, the Munks are about to unleash their greatest, grandest and most spectacular adventure: ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: CHIPWRECKED, in which the vacationing Chipmunks and Chipettes are turning a luxury cruise liner into their personal playground, until they become 'chipwrecked' on a remote island. As the 'Munks and Chipettes scheme to find their way home, they accidentally discover their new turf is not as deserted as it seems. The new film has it all: Alvin running amok on a luxury cruise liner; an epic salsa dance face-off, an erupting volcano, anthropomorphized athletic equipment; a mysterious castaway; the Munks and Chipettes hurtling through the air via runaway kites and makeshift zip-lines - and the hottest Munk-ified music ever. It's Alvin, Simon, Theodore, Brittany, Jeanette and Eleanor as you've never seen them before. And here to tell the tale, are the film's stars and filmmakers: EPIC ADVENTURE...AND EMOTION ROSS BAGDASARIAN (Producer, and creator of Alvin and the Chipmunks): ``ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: CHIPWRECKED is the biggest canvas we've ever worked on. JANICE KARMAN (Producer, and creator of The Chipettes): ``CHIPWRECKED is both visually grand and yet personally intimate. As the story opens, The Chipmunks, Chipettes, and their eternally beleaguered guardian, Dave Seville, are en route, on a luxury cruise liner, to the International Music Awards. Alvin, of course, cannot resist wreaking havoc on this ultimate playground. He attempts to steer the vessel, takes over the hot tubs, and dons a tuxedo - secret agent style - to work the baccarat and blackjack tables. JASON LEE (who reprises his role as Dave Seville): ``As always, the operative words for Alvin are 'chaos' and 'action.' It's his first time out of the city, and he wants to make the most of it. Dave isn't happy about Alvin's shipboard antics - and lets him know it. It's not easy to be sympathetic, likable and charismatic when you're screaming 'ALVIIIIIN!' so loudly you're breaking windows around you! ROSS BAGDASARIAN: ``Dave thinks he's taking The Chipmunks and Chipettes on a relaxing vacation cruise. Alvin has promised Dave to abide by Dave's rules (after all, Alvin has assured Dave that 'Rules is my middle name!', but of course within two seconds, we see that Alvin is not following anyone's rules but his own). And before long, he, Simon, Theodore and The Chipettes are flying off the ship, and ending up on a seemingly deserted island. JUSTIN LONG (again voicing the role of Chipmunk frontman Alvin): ``Alvin wouldn't be Alvin if he didn't trigger and lead the mayhem. It's the Alvin we know and love...at least, at first glance. He's the reason they become chipwrecked. The unexpected flight is on a runaway kite that whisks the Munks and Chipettes to their new home. In a way, it's a kind of homecoming for the boys, though not necessarily a welcome one. ROSS BAGDASARIAN: ``Being stranded on the island takes the Chipmunks full circle. When we met them in the first movie, they were wild - living in the forest, foraging for nuts - and that all came very naturally for them. Then, they became domesticated, famous, pampered, and civilized. Now, finding themselves on a deserted island after all that domestication, they cannot figure out how to find a nut, or forage for anything but room service. The new home leads to character-changing adventures, on a scale new to the boys and to the ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS films. MIKE MITCHELL (Director): ``It's more of a question of what adventure isn't in this movie. ANNA FARIS (who reprises her voice role of the Chipette, Jeanette): ``This film is full of heroic scrapes, narrow escapes, and huge escapades. It amps up the adventure, and takes the Chipmunks and Chipettes completely out of their element. AMY POEHLER (who reprises her voice role of the Chipette, Eleanor): ``There's lots of jumping, running, wriggling under doors, and flying. Adding to the adventure is the appearance of a character new to the Chipmunks universe - ``Simone, a swashbuckling Frenchman with a taste for adventure and a lust for life. If Simone looks familiar, it's because he's the alter-ego (and polar opposite) of buttoned-up and brainy Chipmunk, Simon, who transforms into Simone after he's bitten by a tropical spider. [Simon is again voiced by Matthew Gray Gubler; Simone is voiced by Alan Tudyk.] MIKE MITCHELL: ``Well, everyone knows that's a common side effect of being bit by a tropical spider; you turn into a swashbuckling French chipmunk. MATTHEW GRAY GUBLER: ``For most of the movie, Simon is not even Simon; he's Simone. But by the end of this adventure, Simon learns there's a little bit of Simone in all of us Simon's transformation leads to changes for Alvin. JANICE KARMAN: ``Simone acts before he thinks; he's very much about derring-do, no matter what the real-world consequences. In a way, he's become like a turbo-charged European version of Alvin. So now, to ensure that The Chipmunks make it off the island, Alvin has to step up and be the logical, responsible one. Alvin becomes Simon -- and a little bit, like Dave. JUSTIN LONG: ``It's a good lesson for Alvin: When push comes to shove, and the stakes are high - you have to step up and take charge. (And by the way, adults need that message more than kids!) Alvin's counterpart, the Chipette Brittany, also undergoes a metamorphosis, of sorts, as does her sister Eleanor. CHRISTINA APPLEGATE (returning as the voice of Brittany): ``Brittany is kind of a control freak and prima donna - she worries that the tropical humidity will frizz her hair - but she changes from her adventure. Brittany is instrumental in their efforts to get off the island. JANICE KARMAN: ``While on the island, Brittany discovers that she's not just 'the pretty one' she's also the 'smart one'. AMY POEHLER: ``Eleanor, who's always the 'can-do' Chipette, sprains her ankle, which sidelines her. That's no small adjustment for Eleanor. Theodore's always-adventurous spirit serves him well in his new locale, but being the youngest brother comes with its own challenges. JESSE McCARTNEY (the voice of Theodore): ``Theodore is always down for a good time, but he's a little more timid than his brothers. On the island, he's trying to keep up with everyone - and avoid falling victim to the island's dangers. ROSS BAGDASARIAN: ``By presenting these new aspects of the characters, the film builds emotional connections. We have a huge canvas, but the film also feels very intimate. Among those dangers is what Theodore first sees as a monster, but who turns out to be a young woman named Zoe. Zoe was ...Cast Away...on the island years before the Chipmunks arrived, but she's been able to make some new friends along the way. Her island pals are: 'Spalding,' 'Calloway,' 'Rawlings', 'Dunlop' and 'Nerf -- respectively, a basketball, golf ball, baseball, tennis ball, and nerf football. She enjoys extended chats with her anthropomorphized sports gear, all of whom have faces presumably drawn by Zoe. Given her vivid imagination, you'd think Zoe would be prepared for some talking chipmunks...but no. Upon her first close encounter with the 'Munks, Zoe says, ``I've been on this island so long I'm now imagining squirrels [yes, she said, 'squirrels'] can talk. The inadvertent discovery of some long-buried treasure adds to the dynamic - and danger - between Zoe and the Chipmunks/Chipettes. Zoe is portrayed by actor/comedian Jenny Slate, a former cast member of Saturday Night Live. JENNY SLATE: ``I was really impressed by the scale of the production. When I walked onto the set, my heart beat faster because it reminded me of those classic family movies, like 'Swiss Family Robinson.' And the story - domesticated, fancy chipmunks being stranded on a crazy, mysterious island! It's eternally exciting! So where's Dave, while all this epic island action is unfolding? He's searching for his boys and the Chipettes, of course. After hang gliding from the ship to the island, Dave is on a quest. His unexpected ally: arch-nemesis Ian Hawke, the villain you love to hate, who has transitioned from fallen music executive to shipboard entertainer...dressed as a penguin. When Dave is finally reunited with his young charges, he discovers they've changed, in some impressive and relatable ways. MIKE MITCHELL: ``A key theme in this movie is about the Chipmunks growing up, and how hard it is for a parent - in this case, Dave - to let his kids be independent. But kids (and chipmunks) are going to grow up and they're going to be independent. It's inevitable, of course. I think that idea is going to resonate with kids and parents. Everyone can relate to the story, even though it's a singing/dancing/adventure-seeking Chipmunk movie. And, who hasn't gone on family vacations? They're wonderful nightmares! CHRISTINA APPLEGATE: ``This film is the most fun of them all. I love a movie that plunks you into the tropics and makes you feel like you're on vacation with six chipmunks. The story's impressive scale is reflected in the locations where the filmmakers captured the action. Principal photography took place in Hawaii, home to the island sequences; Florida, where cast, crew and Munks boarded a luxury cruise liner; and Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, where interiors (ship's state rooms, casino) were filmed. MATTHEW GRAY GUBLER: For the Chipmunks, Hawaii was the rough part of the shoot. The mix of their fur and the humidity wasn't ideal. AMY POEHLER: ``Hawaii and The Chipmunks are not a good mix. Most of us think of Hawaii as a place of wonderful relaxation, but for the Chipmunks it's much too hot. They do better under a blanket.' Music always plays a key role in an ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS film, and ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: CHIPWRECKED features songs by a number of today's top artists. Alvin, Simon, Theodore and The Chipettes, perform pop favorites, from classics like Vacation (originally immortalized by The Go-Go's) to current hits like S.O.S. (made famous by Rihanna) and Bad Romance (a Lady Gaga favorite). The film's soundtrack album, Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked - Music from the Motion Picture, follows two hugely successful Alvin and the Chipmunks soundtrack collections: 2007's RIAA platinum-certified, Alvin and the Chipmunks - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, and 2009's Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, which became a gold-certified top 10 success on the Billboard 200. A SHORT HISTORY OF THE CHIPMUNKS Alvin and The Chipmunks have been delighting audiences around the world for over 50 years. From the moment they sprung into being with their 1 Christmas hit ``The Chipmunk Song, the creative brainchild of singer/songwriter Ross Bagdasarian, Sr., the 'Munks' catchy sound has been a pop culture mainstay, for both young and old. In 1958, Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. was a down-on-his-luck musician/songwriter with a family to feed. He was signed with Liberty Records, a struggling label desperate for a hit. In the spirit of a true artist, Bagdasarian, Sr. was a risk taker. He cleaned out the family's savings account and bought a state-of-the-art tape recorder, then he sat down and tried to figure out what he would do with it. Looking around his desk, he saw a copy of a book called Duel with the Witch Doctor. That was his inspiration for the number one hit song ``Witch Doctor, an instant smash that everyone knows by its nonsensical refrain: ``OO EE OO AH AH ting tang wal-la wal-la bing bang. Bagdasarian employed a unique technique for the voice of the Witch Doctor. He slowed the tape recording speed down and recorded the lyrics in a slow, low voice, then played it back at regular speed. This technique would later come to define the iconic voices of Alvin, Simon and Theodore. As ``Witch Doctor surpassed the million-selling copy demarcation, Liberty Records found themselves flush with cash. But the money wasn't enough to save the label indefinitely and Liberty soon needed another hit ... so once again they called on Bagdasarian. Tapping back into his surroundings for inspiration, Bagdasarian found himself listening to the insistent refrain of his four-year-old son begging to know when it would be Christmas - this was in the heat of summer 1958 - and he penned the perennial Christmas favorite, ``The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late) ... but he didn't title it that because The Chipmunks didn't exist yet. Bagdasarian loved the voice he created for the Witch Doctor, but he wanted to take it somewhere new, imbue it with personality, he just didn't know in what way. One day, as he drove through Yosemite National Park, a chipmunk ran in front of his car, stopped in the road, rose up on its haunches and seemed to challenge Bagdasarian to pass. The rest is history ... as that little chipmunk became Alvin. Bagdasarian created two sidekicks for the mischievous Alvin: Simon, the intellectual and practical one; and Theodore, the giggling one that loved to eat. Together they were Alvin and The Chipmunks, deriving their names from three of the executives at Liberty: Al Bennett, Si Waronker and Theodore Keep. A few years before, Bagdasarian began recording under the stage name, David Seville. So this new musical act was born, David Seville and The Chipmunks. Although it was a bit of a struggle to get ``The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late) radio air play in the beginning, Bagdasarian found a small station in Minneapolis willing to play it before the Christmas season officially began. The switchboards lit up like a you know what, and word of mouth got the song rotation on more and more stations until it became the fastest-selling number one hit single up to that time, over four and a half million copies in seven weeks (that milestone was eventually surpassed by The Beatles with ``I Want to Hold Your Hand in 1964), and would go on to win three Grammy(R) Awards and be nominated for a fourth. The Chipmunks made their network television debut - as puppets performing with ``Dave Seville (Bagdasarian) - on ``The Ed Sullivan Show. Again, they were an immediate success. People were clamoring for more of the 'Munks, and a look was designed that was very different than what we have come to associate with The Chipmunks. In the beginning, The Chipmunks looked, well, very much like chipmunks ... not quite photo-realistic, but based more on the animal than on a plushy derivative. A cottage industry ensued with all kinds of 'Munk toys and memorabilia, and of course, records. The Chipmunks were huge. People couldn't get enough of them. After the 1960 release of the single ``Alvin for President, Bagdasarian received a letter of support from then senator John F. Kennedy, a Presidential candidate. Kennedy wrote back to Bagdasarian saying that he was glad to know he had at least one worthy opponent. There seemed to be no limit to their popularity. In three short years, The Chipmunks had sold sixteen million records, won several Grammys among numerous nominations, and were riding the crest of an unprecedented merchandising campaign. It was time to bring them to life in a dynamic, visual medium. The Alvin Show debuted on television in the fall of 1961 and with it, a new look for Alvin, Simon and Theodore - and for that matter, Bagdasarian since the character of Dave Seville was now born into the world of animation. MUNKOGRAPHY: A CHIPMUNK TIMELINE - HIGHLIGHTS 1958 - ``Witch Doctor released ``The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late) released Chipmunks first appear as puppets on The Ed Sullivan Show 1959 - ``The Chipmunk Song is nominated for 4 Grammys and wins 3 of them Chipmunks release their first album Let's All Sing with The Chipmunks Chipmunk merchandise licensing campaign launched 1960 - ``Alvin's Harmonica wins a Grammy(R) ``Alvin for President released; JFK writes to Bagdasarian, Sr. 1961 - ``The Alvin Show debuts in prime time on CBS ``Let's Sing with The Chipmunks wins Grammy ``Alvin for President nominated for two Grammys 1962 - The Alvin Show album nominated for a Grammy 1963 - The Chipmunk Songbook nominated for two Grammys 1964 - The Chipmunks Sing the Beatles' is released and goes multi-Platinum. 1965 - ``The Chipmunks Sing The Beatles wins Grammy (for best engineered recording- special or novel effects) 1966 - ``Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious is nominated for a Grammy 1972 - Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. passes away 1978 - Ross Bagdasarian & Janice Karman plot the rebirth of The Chipmunks 1980 - ``Chipmunk Punk is released goes Platinum and wins NARM's Best Selling Children's Album 1981 - ``A Chipmunk Christmas animated special airs on NBC. The companion soundtrack album goes Platinum. ``Urban Chipmunk is released goes Platinum and wins NARM's Best Selling Children's Album 1983 - ``Alvin and The Chipmunks animated television show debuts on NBC and is immediately a runaway 1 hit seen by more than 10 million viewers per week. The Chipettes are introduced 1985 - ``Alvin and The Chipmunks is nominated for an Emmy(R) 1987 - ``The Chipmunk Adventure animated theatrical feature is released ``Alvin and The Chipmunks is nominated for a second Emmy ``Alvin and The Chipmunks is nominated for a Young Artist Award 1988 - ``Alvin and The Chipmunks is nominated for a third Emmy ``The Chipmunk Adventure is nominated for a Young Artist Award 1990 - ``Rockin' with The Chipmunks special for NBC features Will Smith. 1992 - ``Chipmunks In Low Places is released and goes Platinum. It features Alan Jackson, Charlie Daniels, Waylon Jennings, Tammy Wynette, Aaron Tippin and Billy Ray Cyrus. 1994 - ``A Very Merry Chipmunk is released. It features Celine Dion, Alan Jackson, Kenny G, Gene Autry and Patty Loveless. 1995 - ``When You Wish Upon A Chipmunk is released 1996 - ``Club Chipmunk: The Dance Mixes is released 1998 - ``The A-Files: Alien Songs is released 1999 - Alvin and The Chipmunks Meet Frankenstein video is released 2000 - ``Alvin and The Chipmunks Meet Frankenstein wins Golden Reel Award ``Alvin and The Chipmunks Meet the Wolfman video is released 2007 - ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS live-action film w/ redesigned CGI Chipmunks becomes a blockbuster motion picture event. 1 Family/Comedy DVD of 2008 (and 2 overall) Platinum soundtrack album. Wins Best Soundtrack Album at the 2008 American Music Awards Wins Favorite Movie at 2008 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards, beating out the likes of Transformers and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. 2008 - 50th Anniversary of The Chipmunks 2009 - ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: THE SQUEAKQUEL grosses over $440 million worldwide 2011- ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: CHIPWRECKED in theaters everywhere ABOUT THE CAST JASON LEE (Dave), with a flourishing career that includes an Independent Spirit Award for his performance in writer-director Kevin Smith's Chasing Amy, and memorable roles in features for Smith, Cameron Crowe and Lawrence Kasdan, has solidly established himself among critics, directors and peers. In 2007, Lee starred in the blockbuster Alvin and the Chipmunks, which grossed over $350 million worldwide, then made a cameo appearance in the hit Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, released in December 2009. In the can is the indie thriller Columbus Circle, written by Kevin Pollack. The film centers on a reclusive heiress in an upscale Manhattan apartment building who is brought face-to-face with her fears when a detective shows up to investigate a homicide that occurred in the apartment next door. Lee and Amy Smart play a couple who end up moving into the now empty apartment. The film, directed by George Gallo (Bad Boys), also stars Selma Blair and Giovanni Ribisi. Currently, Lee can be seen on NBC's new hit comedy Up All Night. The series revolves around new parents Reagan (Christina Applegate) and Chris (Will Arnett). Chris is a stay-at-home dad, and Reagan produces a talk show for host and best friend Ava (Maya Rudolph). Lee plays the role of Kevin, their next door neighbor who unexpectedly sweeps Ava off her feet. Lee starred for two seasons on the TNT series Memphis Beat. The guitar-laced sounds of Memphis set the stage for the hour-long show, in which Lee played Dwight Hendricks, a Memphis police detective with a deep connection to the city and its music. Prior to Memphis Beat, Lee starred in and produced the NBC comedy series, My Name is Earl, about a hapless crook who has an epiphany after winning a small fortune in the lottery. Determined to change his karma, Earl sets out to right all the wrongs he has inflicted on others. Lee received two Golden Globe(R) nominations and two SAG Award(tm) nominations for his role of Earl Hickey. In addition, the show won the People's Choice Award for Favorite New Television Comedy. My Name is Earl was produced by 20th Century Fox Television and ran for four seasons. Lee co-starred as the voice of Syndrome in Walt Disney Pictures' and Pixar's Award-winning animated feature The Incredibles. He voiced a character in Sony's motion-capture feature Monster House, about three teenagers who discover their neighbor's house is a monster. Additionally, Lee voiced the title character in Underdog, Spyglass Entertainment and Walt Disney Pictures' live-action adaptation of the classic 1960s cartoon. Born and raised in Huntington Beach, CA, Lee turned a childhood pastime of skateboarding into a professional career. After moving to Los Angeles during his early twenties, he began developing an interest in acting. Lee's big break came in 1995 with the lead role in writer-director Kevin Smith's comedy, Mallrats, in which Lee deftly portrayed the inconsiderate slacker, Brodie. Lee went on to star in Smith's Chasing Amy, for which the actor won an Independent Spirit Award for best supporting male for his role as Ben Affleck's insecure, outspoken roommate Banky. Lee went on to showcase his intuitive timing as the demonic Azrael in Smith's supernatural comedy, Dogma. He reunited with Smith in the comedies Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Clerks II, and Cop Out. In 2006, Lee wrote and directed the short film, The White Door, starring Giovanni Ribisi and Beth Riesgraf. Lee starred in writer-director Cameron Crowe's ensemble feature, Almost Famous, in the role of Jeff Bebe, the lead singer of a 1970s rock band called Stillwater. The film won the Golden Globe award for Best Film. He then re-teamed with Crowe on Vanilla Sky, for Paramount Pictures. Lee played the best friend to Tom Cruise's character. After working with director Lawrence Kasdan in the ensemble comedy, Mumford, Lee reunited for the director's suspense thriller, Dreamcatcher. Other film credits include writer-director Rebecca Miller's The Ballad of Jack and Rose, with Daniel Day-Lewis and Catherine Keener, director Barry Sonnenfeld's ensemble comedy, Big Trouble, Enemy of the State, and Kissing a Fool. Lee is a professional photographer, as well as an avid supporter and collector of the arts. He is also actively involved with his skateboard company, Stereo Sound Agency, which recently celebrated its 15-year anniversary. DAVID CROSS (Ian) is an Emmy(R) Award winner and Grammy(R) Award nominee, and an inventive and funny performer on stage and screens, both big and small. Cross created, co-wrote and produced the original series, The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret, and stars in the title role as a witless temp who inadvertently finds himself heading up a UK energy drink company. The first six episodes debuted on IFC in October 2010 and will be released on DVD on December 27, 2011. The final six original episodes of the series will premiere on IFC on January 6, 2012. Cross recently completed production on the independent feature, It's a Disaster, alongside Julia Stiles and America Ferrera, for writer-director Todd Berger. As a stand-up comic, Cross was named by Comedy Central as one of the 100 greatest stand-ups of all time. In 2009, he embarked on his first stand-up comedy tour in six years in support of his first book, entitled I Drink for a Reason, which was released by Grand Central Publishing. The book spent several weeks on The New York Times bestseller list, and the tour played to packed venues in cities across the United States. The hugely successful comedy show was filmed at Boston's Wilbur Theater and premiered on EPIX on April 10, 2010. This marked Cross' first broadcast stand-up special in ten years. His previous special, David Cross: The Pride is Back, aired on HBO in 1999. The new special, entitled Bigger and Blackerer, was released on CD and DVD by Sub Pop on May 25, 2010. Cross released two comedy CDs on the Sub Pop label: Shut Up You F***ing Baby!, which was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album in 2004, and It's Not Funny. In 2003 he released the DVD, Let America Laugh, a documentary film of the stand-up comedian's tour of small alternative rock clubs. In 2009, Cross starred as Cain, opposite Paul Rudd's Abel, in the Harold Ramis comedy, Year One. His additional film credits include Christopher Guest's Waiting for Guffman, the sci-fi comedies Men in Black and Men in Black II, the indie cult comedy Ghost World, Michel Gondry's Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Todd Phillips' School for Scoundrels, the independent feature I'm Not There, and the children's films Megamind, Kung Fu Panda, Kung Fu Panda 2, and Curious George, for which he provided his vocal talents. Cross starred in Alvin and the Chipmunks, and the ``squeakquel, as villainous music executive Ian Hawke. Cross is probably best known for his role as Dr. Tobias Fünke on the critically acclaimed Emmy-winning comedy series, Arrested Development. As part of the ensemble cast, Cross was twice nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award(R) for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series. His introduction to the TV scene came on The Ben Stiller Show, where Cross honed his comedy writing chops and shared a 1993 Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Writing in a Variety or Music Program. Cross would go on to earn three more Emmy nominations as one of the creators and writers, along with Bob Odenkirk, of the groundbreaking HBO comedy series, Mr. Show with Bob & David. The series ran on the cable network for four years and gained a huge cult following. More recently Cross starred opposite Will Arnett in the FOX comedy, Running Wilde, and wrote, produced and starred in the Comedy Central animated series Freak Show, which he co-created with H. Jon Benjamin. JENNY SLATE (Zoe) is a longtime fixture on the downtown and Brooklyn alt-comedy scenes, and a durable standup with long stands at UCB, Rififi, Comix, Piano's, and the P.I.T. In 2009, Jenny presented her one-lady show, Jenny Slate: Dead Millionaire, to sold-out audiences in New York and Los Angeles, and revived it at UCB in 2010. Last season, Jenny joined the Saturday Night Live cast as featured performer and created such memorable characters like ``Tina Tina, the doorbell saleslady. Before joining SNL, Jenny was cast in the HBO comedy series Bored to Death, as Stella, the stoner girlfriend to Jason Schwartzman. Most recently, Jenny shot a supporting role in This Means War, to be released by Twentieth Century Fox. Additionally, Jenny is developing Marcel the Shell into a book series and TV show. JUSTIN LONG (Voice of Alvin) has established himself as a natural talent in film and television. Last year, Long was seen in the films, The Conspirator, directed by Robert Redford, Going the Distance, in which he stars opposite Drew Barrymore, as well as The Weinstein Company's Youth in Revolt, where he starred alongside Michael Cera and Steve Buscemi. Long also appeared in After Life, starring opposite Liam Neeson and Christina Ricci, as well as in New Line's adaptation of the popular book, He's Just Not That Into You, as part of the ensemble cast including Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore, Ginnifer Goodwin and Scarlett Johansson. Long can be seen in the films Drag Me to Hell, Zack and Miri Make a Porno, Funny People, and Serious Moonlight. He was the voice of Lem in Planet 51, released in November 2009. In 2007, Long starred in the blockbuster hit Live Free or Die Hard, opposite Bruce Willis. As a member of Vassar College's comedy troupe, Laughingstock, Long got his start in the comedy world, which led to his first starring roles in films such as Galaxy Quest and Jeepers Creepers. He then shifted to the small screen for his role on the quirky NBC series Ed and ventured into the world of offbeat comedies with his first box-office success, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story. From there, Long had roles in comedies such as Accepted, produced by Tom Shadyac, and The Break-Up opposite Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston. He also appeared in the Adam Sandler-produced Strange Wilderness, along with Steve Zahn, and had a cameo in Vince Vaughn's Wild West Comedy Show. In addition to his film career, Long has established himself as a household name with his portrayal as the Mac Guy in the Apple Mac versus PC commercials. MATTHEW GRAY GUBLER (Voice of Simon), a native of Las Vegas, is an accomplished filmmaker, model and actor. He attended NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, where he majored in film. Since graduating, he has directed the short films The Cactus That Looked Just Like a Man, Claude: A Symphony of Horror, Life Aquatic: Intern Journal, and Tippi's Picnic. Gubler starred opposite Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt in the Fox Searchlight Pictures comedy 500 Days of Summer. His earlier film credits include R.V, Wes Anderson's The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, The Great Buck Howard, and How to be a Serial Killer. In 2007, Gubler voiced the role of Simon in Twentieth Century Fox's blockbuster Alvin and The Chipmunks, reprising the voice role in 2009's Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel. Gubler is a series regular on Criminal Minds, where he plays Dr. Spencer Reid. In his spare time on set, he directed and starred in Matthew Gray Gubler: The Unauthorized Documentaries, which can be seen on YouTube. He also directed, edited, and co-produced The Killer's Don't Shoot Me Santa music video, is an accomplished water color painter, and recently started his own music label, Cornstalk Recordings. As a model, Gubler walked the runway for such fashion designers as Marc Jacobs, Burberry and Louis Vuitton. He was featured in Paper Magazine's 8th annual Beautiful People issue. JESSE McCARTNEY (Voice of Theodore) is an internationally acclaimed, best-selling musician, and actor. With his musical accolades cemented with platinum albums and a number one hit, McCartney is making a successful turn into acting, appearing in, and providing vocal talent for, some of the most successful films, television shows, and Broadway shows of the past few years. McCartney was last seen in the independent film, Beware the Gonzo