Maze Runner Series

5/29/2019
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Maze Runner Series Rating: 8,4/10 9016 reviews
Maze Runner
Directed byWes Ball
Produced by
  • Marty Bowen
  • Lee Stollman
Screenplay byT.S. Nowlin
Based onThe Maze Runner series
by James Dashner
Starring
Music byJohn Paesano
  • TSG Entertainment (1–2)
  • Oddball Entertainment
(3)
Distributed by20th Century Fox
2014–2018
Running time
Total (3 films):
386 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
BudgetTotal (3 films):
$157 million
Box officeTotal (3 films):
$949 million

Maze Runner is an American film trilogy consisting of science-fictiondystopianactionadventure films based on The Maze Runner novels by the American author James Dashner. Produced by Ellen Goldsmith-Vein and distributed by 20th Century Fox, the films star Dylan O'Brien, Kaya Scodelario, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Ki Hong Lee, Dexter Darden and Patricia Clarkson. Wes Ball directed all three films.

The first film, The Maze Runner, was released on September 19, 2014 and became a commercial success grossing over $348 million worldwide. The second film, Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials was released on September 18, 2015, and was also a success, grossing over $312 million worldwide. The film series concluded with the release of the third film, Maze Runner: The Death Cure on January 26, 2018.

  • 1Films
  • 5Reception

Films[edit]

The Maze Runner (2014)[edit]

The film features Thomas, who wakes up trapped in a maze with a group of other boys. He has no memory of the outside world other than dreams about an organization known as WCKD (World Catastrophe Killzone Department). Only by piecing together fragments of his past with clues he discovers in the maze can Thomas hope to uncover his purpose and a way to escape.[1]

Development for the film began in January 2011 when Fox purchased the film rights to Dashner's novel The Maze Runner.[2]Principal photography began in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in May 2013 and ended in July.[3][4] It was released on September 19, 2014.[5]

Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015)[edit]

The film features Thomas and his fellow Gladers as they search for clues about the organization known as WCKD. Their journey takes them to the Scorch, a desolate landscape filled with obstacles. Teaming up with resistance fighters, the Gladers take on WCKD's 'vastly superior' forces and uncover its plans for them all.[6]

Principal photography commenced in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in October 2014 and ended in January 2015.[7][8] It was released on September 18, 2015.[9]

Maze Runner: The Death Cure (2018)[edit]

In the finale to the Maze Runner saga, Thomas leads his group of escaped Gladers on their final and most dangerous mission yet. To save their friends, they must break into the legendary Last City, a WCKD-controlled labyrinth that may turn out to be the deadliest maze of all. Anyone who makes it out alive will get answers to the questions the Gladers have been asking since they first arrived in the maze.[10]

In March 2015, T.S. Nowlin, who co-wrote the first and wrote the second film, was hired to write Maze Runner: The Death Cure based on the novel The Death Cure.[11] In September 2015, Ball was hired to direct the film.[12] Ball said that the film would not be split into two films.[13] Principal photography took place in Cape Town, South Africa between March and June 2017 for a January 26, 2018 release.[14][15][16][17]

Cast and characters[edit]

CharacterFilms
The Maze Runner (2014)Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015)Maze Runner: The Death Cure (2018)
ThomasDylan O'Brien
TeresaKaya Scodelario
NewtThomas Brodie-Sangster
MinhoKi Hong Lee
FrypanDexter Darden
Ava PaigePatricia Clarkson
WinstonAlexander Flores
GallyWill PoulterWill Poulter
AlbyAml Ameen
ChuckBlake Cooper
ZartJoe Adler
JeffJacob Latimore
BenChris Sheffield
ClintRandall D. Cunningham
BrendaRosa Salazar
ArisJacob Lofland
JorgeGiancarlo Esposito
JansonAidan Gillen
VinceBarry Pepper
HarrietNathalie Emmanuel
SonyaKatherine McNamara
Mary CooperLili Taylor
MarcusAlan Tudyk
LawrenceWalton Goggins

Crew[edit]

OccupationFilm
The Maze RunnerMaze Runner: The Scorch TrialsMaze Runner: The Death Cure
DirectorWes Ball
Producer(s)Ellen Goldsmith-VeinWyck GodfreyMarty BowenLee StollmanEllen Goldsmith-VeinWyck GodfreyMarty BowenLee StollmanJoe Hartwick Jr.Ellen Goldsmith-VeinWyck GodfreyMarty BowenJoe Hartwick Jr.Wes BallLee Stollman
Writer(s)Noah OppenheimGrant Pierce MyersT.S. NowlinT.S. Nowlin
Director of photographyEnrique ChediakGyula Pados
Editor(s)Dan ZimmermanDan ZimmermanPaul Harb

Music[edit]

TitleU.S. release dateComposer(s)Label
The Maze Runner — Original Motion Picture Soundtrack[18]September 12, 2014John PaesanoSony Classical
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials — Original Motion Picture Soundtrack[19]September 11, 2015
Maze Runner: The Death Cure — Original Motion Picture Soundtrack[20]January 26, 2018

Reception[edit]

Box office performance[edit]

FilmRelease dateBox office grossBox office rankingProduction budgetRef(s)
North AmericaOther territoriesWorldwideAll time
North America
All time
worldwide
The Maze RunnerSeptember 19, 2014$102,427,862$245,891,999$348,319,861580285$34 million[21]
Maze Runner: The Scorch TrialsSeptember 18, 2015$81,697,192$230,627,911$312,325,103810337$61 million[22]
Maze Runner: The Death CureJanuary 26, 2018$58,032,443$230,385,747$288,418,1901,377467$62 million[23]
Total[24]
$242,157,497$706,905,657$949,063,154$157 million

All Maze Runner films opened at number-one at the North American box-office during their opening weekend.[25][26][27] In North America, the Maze Runner film series is the fifth highest-grossing film series based on young adult books, after the film series of Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, The Twilight Saga, and The Divergent Series respectively, earning $242 million.[28] Worldwide, it is the fourth highest-grossing film series based on young-adult books, after the film series of Harry Potter, The Twilight Saga, and The Hunger Games respectively, earning $949 million from a $157 million total production budget.[24]

Critical and public response[edit]

FilmRotten TomatoesMetacriticCinemaScore
The Maze Runner65% (160 reviews)[29]57 (34 reviews)[1]A–[30]
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials46% (137 reviews)[31]43 (29 reviews)[6]B+[30]
Maze Runner: The Death Cure43% (144 reviews)[32]51 (37 reviews)[10]B+[30]

References[edit]

  1. ^ ab'The Maze Runner Reviews'. Metacritic. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
  2. ^Zeitchik, Steven (January 4, 2011). 'Young-adult sensation 'The Maze Runner' gets ready to run the movie gantlet (Updated)'. The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  3. ^'Maze Runner Movie Set'. jamesdashner.com. Archived from the original on September 24, 2014. Retrieved September 12, 2014.
  4. ^'The Maze Runner Movie Release Date, News, and Updates: 2 New Clips Released in Anticipation of The Premiere'. hallels.com. Retrieved September 12, 2014.
  5. ^Busch, Anita (September 21, 2014). 'Box Office Sunday: 'Maze Runner' Finds $32.5M; Liam's 'Walk' Limps In; 'Where I Leave You' No. 3'. Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 21, 2014.
  6. ^ ab'Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials Reviews'. Metacritic. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
  7. ^Maze Runner Official Twitter (October 27, 2014). 'Maze Runner: Scorch Trials begins filming'. Twitter. Retrieved October 27, 2014.
  8. ^Wentz, Brook (January 29, 2015). ''The Maze Runner' sequel 'The Scorch Trials' officially wraps filming'. Hypable. Retrieved January 29, 2015.
  9. ^Dashner, James (September 21, 2014). 'And like that's not cool enough, it's official: THE SCORCH TRIALS movie is coming September 18, 2015. Doesn't this look sweet: #ScorchTrials'. Twitter. Retrieved September 25, 2014.
  10. ^ ab'Maze Runner: The Death Cure reviews'. Metacritic. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  11. ^Busch, Anita (March 4, 2015). ''Maze Runner: The Death Cure' Sets T.S. Nowlin To Pen'. Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  12. ^McNary, Dave; Chi, Paul (September 16, 2015). 'Wes Ball Returning to Direct Third 'Maze Runner''. Variety. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  13. ^Sciretta, Peter (October 9, 2014). ''The Maze Runner' Finale 'The Death Cure' Won't Be Split Into Two Movies'. /Film. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
  14. ^Busch, Anita (August 29, 2016). ''The Maze Runner: The Death Cure' Will Restart Production In February'. Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 30, 2016.
  15. ^Bailey, Ian (September 4, 2016). 'Maze Runner film production leaving B.C. for South Africa'. The Globe and Mail. Retrieved September 5, 2016.
  16. ^D'Alessandro, Anthony (April 22, 2017). 'Deadpool 2', 'New Mutants' & 'Dark Phoenix' Find 2018 Dates Among Fox's Slew Of Release Changes & Additions'. Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 23, 2017.
  17. ^McNary, Dave (August 25, 2017). 'Steven Spielberg's Pentagon Papers Movie Re-Titled 'The Post''. Variety. Retrieved August 26, 2017.
  18. ^'The Maze Runner (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)'. Apple Music. Retrieved September 26, 2017.
  19. ^'Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)'. Apple Music. Retrieved September 26, 2017.
  20. ^'Maze Runner: The Death Cure (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)'. Apple Music. Retrieved January 26, 2018.
  21. ^'The Maze Runner (2014)'. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved November 20, 2015.
  22. ^'Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015)'. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved December 28, 2015.
  23. ^'Maze Runner: The Death Cure (2018)'. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
  24. ^ ab'Maze Runner Movies at the Box Office'. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved December 28, 2015.
  25. ^Subers, Ray (September 21, 2014). 'Weekend Report: 'Maze Runner' Franchise Off to Strong Start'. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
  26. ^Brevet, Brad (September 20, 2015). ''Maze' and 'Mass' Top Box Office, but 'Everest' and 'Sicario' are the Story'. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
  27. ^Brevet, Brad Brevet (January 28, 2018). ''Maze Runner' #1, 'Jumanji' & 'Showman' Hold Strong & 'Padmaavat' Takes Spot in Top Ten'. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
  28. ^'Young-Adult Book Adaptations Movies at the Box Office'. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
  29. ^'The Maze Runner (2014)'. Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved July 1, 2016.
  30. ^ abc'Cinemascore'. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
  31. ^'Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015)'. Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved July 1, 2016.
  32. ^'Maze Runner: The Death Cure (2018)'. Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved March 6, 2018.
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