ILLUMINATION'S NEW HOLIDAY COMEDY "MIGRATION" TAKES FLIGHT IN THE 97th MACY'S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE® WITH NEW BALLOON OF THE FILM'S CURMUDGEONLY UNCLE DAN

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Oct 31, 2023, 13:00 ET

Illumination's Migration arrives in theaters Dec. 22

On Thursday, November 23, a towering balloon of Migration character Uncle Dan — an adventure-averse duck holding a gigantic submarine sandwich — will take wing for the first time in the iconic Parade

The massive balloon is as large as a flock of almost 14,000 migrating mallard ducks in flight

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. and NEW YORK, Oct. 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Illumination, creators of this year's record-shattering The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and the blockbuster Minions, Despicable Me, Sing and The Secret Life of Pets films, will introduce a new iconic character to the New York City skies this Thanksgiving.

Universal Pictures logo. (PRNewsFoto/Universal Pictures)

To celebrate the Dec. 22 release of Illumination's new original holiday comedy, Migration, about a family of ducks who embark on a funny, feathered family vacation like no other, the family's adventure-averse Uncle Dan will take to the Manhattan skyline in the 97^th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, holding a submarine sandwich. Sightings of Uncle Dan are rare because this curmudgeonly duck almost never leaves his New England pond.

The massive balloon, measuring 32 feet long, 20 feet wide and 37 feet tall, is the equivalent size of a flock of almost 14,000 migrating mallard ducks in flight.

"We couldn't be more excited to have Uncle Dan join in on the fun and take flight in this year's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade," said Jordan Dabby, producer of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. "I know spectators in New York City and viewers across the country will be delighted to see Uncle Dan fly down the streets of New York City with his sandwich in tow this November."

"We're thrilled to introduce Uncle Dan and the entire Mallard family to audiences everywhere this holiday season," said Illumination founder and CEO Chris Meledandri. "The family vacation is such a universal experience of discovery, laughter, misadventure and wonder for families all over the world, so there's simply no better place for Migration to take flight than at the legendary Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, which brings holiday joy to tens of millions of families every year."

The 97th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade will air nationwide in the U.S. on NBC and stream on Peacock, on Thursday, November 23, 2023. Check local listings for details. For more information visit macys.com/parade. To follow and participate in the excitement, check out @macys on various social platforms and follow #MacysParade.

In Migration, the Mallard family is in a bit of a rut. While dad Mack is content to keep his family safe paddling around their New England pond forever, mom Pam is eager to shake things up and show their kids—teen son Dax and duckling daughter Gwen—the whole wide world. After a migrating duck family alights on their pond with thrilling tales of far-flung places, Pam persuades Mack—against the advice of Uncle Dan—to embark on a family trip, via New York City, to tropical Jamaica.

As the Mallards make their way South for the winter, their well-laid plans quickly go awry. The experience will inspire them to expand their horizons, open themselves up to new friends and accomplish more than they ever thought possible, while teaching them more about each other—and themselves—than they ever imagined.

From a screenplay by Mike White, the Emmy winning creator of The White Lotus and the screenwriter of School of Rock, the film stars a top-flight comedic cast led by Oscar^®and Emmy nominee Kumail Nanjiani (The Big Sick, Eternals) as anxious Mallard dad Mack and Emmy nominee Elizabeth Banks (Hunger Games and Pitch Perfect franchises) as Pam, the Mallards' daring, quick-witted matriarch. Caspar Jennings plays Dax, the Mallards' confident and restless son, and, in her feature film debut, Tresi Gazal plays Gwen, the family's innocent and lovable daughter.

Golden Globe winner Awkwafina (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) voices the scrappy leader of a New York City pigeon gang; Emmy winner and Oscar^® nominee Carol Kane (The Princess Bride) plays Erin the heron, the first friend that the Mallards make on their journey; Emmy winner Keegan-Michael Key (The Super Mario Bros. Movie, The Lion King) voices a homesick Jamaican parrot locked away in a Manhattan restaurant, and BAFTA winner David Mitchell (Peep Show) plays the yogic leader of a mysterious duck farm. Legendary Emmy winner and Oscar^® nominee Danny DeVito (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia) co-stars as Mack's curmudgeonly, adventure-averse Uncle Dan.

Directed by Benjamin Renner, the Oscar^®-nominated filmmaker of Ernest & Celestine and The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales, Migration is a visual spectacle unlike any in Illumination's acclaimed history, featuring elevated, expressionist artistry and Illumination's signature subversive humor and authentic heart, unforgettable characters and joyful soundtrack.

Produced by Illumination founder and CEO Chris Meledandri, Migration is a film about overcoming your fears and opening yourself up to the world and its opportunities. The film is co-directed by Guylo Homsy (Head of Layout and Cinematography for Sing and Sing 2), edited by Christian Gazal (Happy Feet, Peter Rabbit) and the Production Designer is Colin Stimpson (The Secret Life of Pets 2).

About Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is a national icon that has grown into a world-famous holiday event. For nearly 100 years, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade has marked the official start of the holiday season. Growing in size and scale, the Parade features Macy's signature giant character balloons, fabulous floats, incredible marching bands, celebrities, clowns, dance and performance groups, and the one and only Santa Claus, spreading holiday cheer. For more information on the Macy's Parade, please visit www.macys.com/parade. 

About Illumination
Illumination, founded by Chris Meledandri in 2007, is the entertainment industry's leading producer of event-animated films, including The Super Mario Bros. Movie, the first film of 2023 to earn more than $1 billion worldwide, Despicable Me—the most successful animated franchise in cinematic history—as well as Dr. Seuss' The Lorax, Dr. Seuss' The Grinch and The Secret Life of Pets and Sing films. Illumination's revered studio library includes three of the top 10 animated films of all time.

In April 2023, Nintendo and Illumination's The Super Mario Bros. Movie opened to a staggering $377.5 million worldwide—the biggest animated global film opening weekend of all time—and set new records as the biggest opening weekend in Illumination history, the biggest international and global opening of 2023 so far, the biggest Easter weekend opening ever and the biggest video-game adaptation opening ever.

Illumination is now responsible for the two biggest animated opening weekends of the pandemic era, and The Super Mario Bros. Movie is currently the second highest grossing film of 2023 worldwide.

Illumination's iconic, beloved franchises—infused with memorable and distinct characters, global appeal and cultural relevance—have grossed more than $9 billion worldwide. Illumination has an exclusive financing and distribution partnership with Universal Pictures. Illumination's upcoming films include Migration in December 2023 and Despicable Me 4 in summer 2024.

SOURCE Universal Pictures