All Systems Go For "TURBO" 3D

Audiences love to root for courageous dreamers who pursue their goals when the odds are stacked firmly against them.   It’s a tradition that has stood the test of time and one that has a powerful appeal for filmmaker David Soren, who tells the story of an unusual underdog – or under snail –in the animated 3Dfilm, “Turbo.”

Voiced by Ryan Reynolds, Turbo dreams of being fast, fast enough to compete against champions in one of the world’s toughest car races.  Defying logic, physics, nature and critics (including his own brother) the small snail sets out on a thrilling adventure.

Director David Soren describes Turbo in the new movie from DreamWorks Animation, as the ultimate underdog’, for obvious reasons. “ Turbo is a snail and snails are constantly faced with challenges. They are smushed, salted and stepped on; they're eaten in some parts of the world,” says Soren who set his story in Southern California where he lives with his family. The filmmaker became fascinated with the snails he observed in his own front yard.  “Mother Nature has dealt them a bad hand,” he says. “When it seems impossible for a character to have any chance of success, that's exactly what makes a great underdog story. And that’s what it is like for Turbo.”

Dreamworks' TURBO Zooming In

Dreamworks is set to change the pace in racing when it finally releases “Turbo” in theaters worldwide on July 19 starring the voices of Ryan Reynolds, Paul Giamatti, Snoop Dogg, Maya Rudolph, Ben Schwartz and Samuel L. Jackson.

In “Turbo,” a snail named Theo (voiced by Reynolds) dreams of being the greatest racer in the world making him an oddity in the slow and cautious community he belongs. An impossible dream of an ordinary snail comes true when luck struck him with an incredible speed one fateful day.

With his dream suddenly within reach, Theo aka Turbo embarks on a journey after being transported to a rundown strip mall where visitors bet on races featuring snails and meets a ragtag of street-smart snails headed by Whiplash (Samuel L. Jackson), Smoove Move (Snoop Dogg), Burn (Maya Rudolph) and Skidmark (Ben Schwartz).

Based on his own original concept, filmmaker David Soren mentioned in an interview with Susan Wloszczyna of USATODAY.Com that “Turbo” was hatched by combining the fascination of his son with race cars and an ongoing infestation of snails on their suburban lawn.“It came purely out of wanting to do an underdog story and combining elements in my life, taking one of the slowest creatures on earth and having him dream of mind-melting speed.”

"Ryan Reynolds' infectious enthusiasm and humor will bring life to the lead role of Turbo and set the tone for this amazing roster of all-star voice talent," said DreamWorks Animation Chief Creative Officer Bill Damaschke. "This high-octane journey will take audiences on the race of their lives and completely re-define the traditional notion of moving at a snail's pace!"