SKY HIGH

Year: 2005
USA: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
UK: Buena Vista International UK
Cast: Kurt Russell, Kelly Preston, Michael Angarano, Danielle Panabaker, Lynda Carter, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Bruce Campbell, Dave Foley, Steven Strait, Kevin McDonald, Cloris Leachman, Dee-Jay Daniels, Nicholas Braun, Kelly Vitz, Kevin Heffernan, Jim Rash, Jake Sandvig, Will Harris, Khadijah, Malika, Christopher Wynne, Loren Berman, Dustin Ingram, Lucille Soong, Zachry Rogers, Tom Kenny, Jill Talley, Patrick Warburton
Director: Mike Mitchell
Country: USA
USA: 102 mins
UK: 100 mins
USA Rated: PG for action violence and some mild language
UK Certificate: PG contains mild fantasy violence and peril
USA Release Date: 29 July 2005
UK Release Date: 21 October 2005


Synopsis

The everyday reality of ordinary teenagers joins forces with a fantastical super hero world in SKY HIGH, an original Walt Disney action-packed family comedy that meshes teen drama, comic book adventures and inventive special effects with a cast of hot up-and-coming actors to create a thrilling summertime entertainment event. Tomorrow's heroes are led by the legends of today such as the return of Disney icon Kurt Russell - celebrating his 40th anniversary with Disney where he began his career as a child star - as well as Kelly Preston and a host of comic -book icons, ranging from Lynda Carter (TV's WONDER WOMAN) to comic book movie favorite Bruce Campbell.

It all begins at a secret school in the clouds like none on earth: Sky High, the first and only high school for kids with super-human powers going through crime-fighting puberty. At Sky High, the student body throws flames with their footballs; studies Villainy with their Chemistry; and is divided into "Heroes" and "Sidekicks" instead of jocks and geeks. It's an out-of-this-world yet completely recognizable place where cool gadgetry, rampant bravery and awe-inspiring magical skills mix it up with parental battles, peer pressure and dating trouble - with explosively fun results.

This year's class features some of the best, brightest and most powerfully gifted super-teens ever assembled. And then there's Will Stronghold (Michael Angarano). When you're the son of the world's most legendary super heroes The Commander (Kurt Russell) and Jetstream (Kelly Preston), people expect you to live up to the family name. The problem is that Will is starting with no superpowers of his own and, worst of all, instead of joining the ranks of the "Hero" class, he finds himself relegated to being a "Sidekick." Now he must somehow survive his freshman year while dealing with an overbearing gym coach (Bruce Campbell), a bully with super speed and a dangerous rebel with a grudge (and the ability to shoot fire from his hands)...not to mention the usual angst, parental expectations and girl problems that accompany teenage life. But when an evil villain threatens his family, friends and the very sanctity of Sky High, Will must use his newfound superpowers to save the day and prove himself a "Hero" worthy of the family tradition.

SKY HIGH'S SIDEKICKS
HERO SUPPORT SAFETY PRACTICES

1. Report all unsafe condition to your super hero immediately.
2. Be aware of emergency exits from super villains lair.
3. Use only approved super hero costumes and utility belts.
4. Always wear your personal body armour when facing villains.
5. Do not attempt to save lives if under the influence of a super villains spell or potion/power.
6. Remember you are responsible for the safety of your super heroes back as he saves the world!

In the world of SKY HIGH, if you're not a "Hero," you're simply a second-fiddle "Sidekick" destined to provide "Hero Support." After the all-important Power Placement test, Will Stronghold himself is labeled a "Sidekick" and joins a group of other super-kids who haven't quite worked out the full force of their powers. Among his new crew of friends are:

Sidekick: Layla (Danielle Panabaker)
Special Power: Controls Nature
Will's loyal friend Layla hides her superior superpowers during the Power Placement test so that she will become a "Sidekick" just like Will - and winds up helping to lead the "Sidekicks" to unexpected victory. To play Layla, director Mike Mitchell turned to a rising young talent he had worked with in "Surviving Christmas": Danielle Panabaker. Danielle found Layla to be an extremely cool character to play. "She's very funky and upbeat, with her own unique vibe and she definitely marches to the beat of her own drummer," says the young actress. "She's basically Mother Nature's daughter so she's really concerned about the earth and being wholesome - but she also has her own secret: she's in love with Will. And in true male fashion, Will is oblivious to that fact!"

Sidekick: Ethan (Dee-Jay Daniels)
Special Power: Melts Into Water
Brainy, awkward Ethan is another "Sidekick" who discovers unknown strengths when the going gets tough - and soon realizes the uses for unique superpower: the ability to melt his body into liquid whenever he gets into a tight spot. Playing Ethan is 16 year-old Dee Jay Daniels making his feature film debut.

Sidekick: Zach (Zach (Nicholas Braun)
Special Power: Human Nightlight who can glow at will
Zach is the cocky Freshman who is quickly humbled when he is labeled a "Sidekick" after his power to glow fails to impress. To portray Zach, the filmmakers cast Nicholas Braun, who was previously honored with a Young Artists' Award nomination for his role in Showtime's WALTER & HENRY. Braun related to Zach's split-second journey from In Crowd to outcast. "It happened to me in high school," he notes. "It happens to a lot of kids. You go to school thinking you're so cool and then things happen where you get humbled.

Sidekick: Magenta (Kelly Vitz)
Special Power: Shapeshifter
Magenta, played by newcomer Kelly Vitz in her feature film debut, is a punky young super hero with the power to shapeshift - only she can't seem to turn into anything other than a purple guinea pig! Like her cast-mates, Kelly was immediately drawn into the story's mix of very recognizable high school reality and wild comic book fantasy.

SKY HIGH'S HEROES

Ruling over Sky High's "Sidekicks" are the popular, elite and stunningly powerful "Heroes" who are being honed to become the great crime-fighters of tomorrow - which can sometimes go straight to their heads. Among their ranks are:

Hero: Gwen Grayson (Mary Elizabeth Winstead)
Special Power: A Technopath who can control technology with her mind
Smart and pretty, but with a hidden secret, Gwen Grayson quickly becomes the object of Will Stronghold's affections - as he leaves behind his "Sidekick" friends to date a popular "Hero." To play Gwen, the filmmakers eschewed the usual blonde cheerleader heroine and chose instead the ravishing brunette Mary Elizabeth Winstead, who is already an award-winning young actress.

Hero: Warren Peace (Peace (Steven Strait)
Special Power: Flame Thrower
Warren Peace is Sky High's rebel without an extinguisher - a powerful flame thrower with a super-heated grudge. In looking for someone to play this brooding, misunderstood loner, the filmmakers carried out extensive auditions with no success. With the entire rest of the film cast, Mike Mitchell at last saw the actor he knew could play Warren Peace: Steven Strait, a young Greenwich Village-based actor, model and rock singer who seemed to embody the role.

Hero: Lash (Jake Sandvig)
Special Power: Stretches to any length
An actor since the age of 5, Jake Sandvig plays the role of the troublemaker "Hero," Lash, who uses his stretching super-powers to play practical jokes at Sky High. For Jake it was the overall experience of SKY HIGH that made the film so unique and special. "You had so many great people around, from the big heroes like Kurt Russell and Kelly Preston, to all these young actors making their first movie," he notes.

Hero: Speed (Will Harris)
Special Power: Turbo-charged quickness
The character of Speed lives up to his name in every way - he does everything fast, from eating to running to pulling pranks on "Sidekicks" like Will Stronghold. Playing Speed is newcomer Will Harris, who was chosen for the role after producer Andrew Gunn saw him perform in a high school play. After auditioning, Mike Mitchell liked the humor in the idea of the imposing, 6-foot-plus Will Harris playing one of the fastest kids on earth. Harris had fun with a part that he describes as "your typical school bully."
Hero: Penny (Malika & Khadijah)
Special Power: Can Instantly Multiply Herself
Rounding ourt the cast of "Heroes" is Penny, the girl cheerleader who can multiply herself infinitely - and is appropriately played by identical twin actresses Malika and Khadijah. Malika and Khadijah enjoyed Penny's comically conceited antics. Says Malika: "Penny is sassy, sporty and very trendy. She loves to overpower the younger girls and "Sidekicks." And if there's an empty table in the cafeteria at lunch, she'll multiply herself to sit in every chair so nobody else can sit there!" Adds Khadijah: "She's fun to play because she's the opposite of who I am. We used to be the ones being picked on but now we get to have a little revenge."