How a prehistoric asteroid collision accidentally birthed the world's first football match
In short: In the 2018 Aardman animation Early Man, a Stone Age tribe discovers football after an asteroid strike leaves behind a perfectly spherical, scorching rock. Forced to defend their valley from bronze-wielding invaders, these cavemen must master the game to survive, blending slapstick prehistoric humor with an unlikely underdog sports narrative.
Directed by Nick Park, Early Man follows a primitive tribe led by Dug and his boar, Hognob. When a Bronze Age governor named Lord Nooth displaces them, Dug challenges the invaders to a high-stakes football match to reclaim their home. The film highlights the contrast between the tribe's uncoordinated, rabbit-hunting lifestyle and the sophisticated, albeit egotistical, Bronze Age city.
The production process was a hallmark of Aardman's meticulous stop-motion style. Thirty-five animators spent over a year on principal photography, which ran from May 2016 to October 2017. Characters were developed in close collaboration with voice actors, including Eddie Redmayne and Tom Hiddleston, to ensure their movements and personalities were distinct. The studio even recorded crowd audio at Bristol Rovers' Memorial Stadium to capture authentic reactions.
Despite generally positive reviews—holding an 80% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes—the film struggled financially. With a budget of $50 million, it grossed $54.6 million worldwide. Its North American release was particularly difficult, as it debuted alongside the blockbuster Black Panther, leading to a disappointing opening weekend. Some critics have interpreted the film's narrative of a small tribe facing external pressure as an allegory for Brexit, though the primary focus remains on the charm of its stop-motion craft.
The film serves as a notable milestone in Aardman's distribution history. It was the final Aardman feature to receive a theatrical release in the United States before the studio shifted its streaming strategy to Netflix. While it may not have reached the commercial heights of previous studio works, it remains a unique entry in the Aardman canon, blending prehistoric absurdity with the universal language of sport.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Early Man (film)
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