9 Page #4

Synopsis: 9 is a 2009 American computer animated post-apocalyptic science fiction thriller film directed by Shane Acker, written by Pamela Pettler, and produced by Jim Lemley, Dana Ginsburg, Tim Burton, and Timur Bekmambetov. The film stars the voice talents of Elijah Wood, John C. Reilly, Jennifer Connelly, Christopher Plummer, Crispin Glover, Martin Landau, and Fred Tatasciore. It is based on Acker's Academy Award-nominated 2005 short film of the same name. Focus Features released it theatrically on September 9, 2009. The film received generally mixed reviews from critics and it earned $48.4 million on a $30 million budget. It also received an Annie Award nomination for Best Animated Effects in a Feature Production. The film was released on DVD and Blu-ray on December 29, 2009.
Production: Focus Features
  9 nominations.
 
IMDB:
7.1
Metacritic:
60
Rotten Tomatoes:
57%
PG-13
Year:
2009
79 min
$31,691,649
Website
857,796 Views


1

When we woke in this world....

Camera drifts up to the clock... WIPE to WHITE...

...........................................................

SEQ. 053 - War Flashback

ENTER FLASHBACK:
as we see the chaotic inferno of

war.

1 (V.O.) (cont’d)

...it was chaos... Man and Machine

attacked each other with fire and

metal... The earth split and theskies burned...

Ragdolls 2, 5, 6, 8, and 1 hide under an old helmet,

frantically trying to escape the explosions BURSTING aroundthem. 7 appears with 3 and 4. We get the sense that 7 isthe reckless one, the only one determined to SCOUT AROUND andsee what’s out there.

7

(to 1)

I found others...

They are welcomed in by the other dolls. They turn to 1, whois clearly the leader, to see what to do next. 1 decides: he

points forward, and they all run a few feet while underneaththe helmet.

A plane crashes in the background, causing 5 to fall behind(he has both eyes).

Through a dirty MIST we see War Machines enter with their

weapons.

A RESISTANCE FIGHTER throws a Molotov cocktail at one of the

Machines. It turns and SHOOTS a round of gunfire.

A MUSTARD GAS BOMB is launched from the top of the Machine.

It heads straight at 5 but he runs and gets KNOCKED to theground, barely missing it.

The bomb lets out a yellow CLOUD that envelops the area andKILLS PLANTS ON CONTACT.

7 turns and sees 5 lying face-down on the ground. 1 urgesher to stay with the others.

19.

But, again, brave and slightly reckless, she runs through theyellow cloud to help him. She brings him back to the group.

His left eye is damaged. The others cower. 2, the gentlementor of the group, puts a comforting hand on 5’s damaged

eye. 7, always the scout, brave and fearless, points off tothe right, and addresses 1. She knows what’s out there;

she’s seen it.

7 (cont’d)

(to 1)

There’s a path ahead-

1 looks around calculatingly, like Patton: the general takingcharge. He thinks, judiciously, then:

1

(to 7)

Go ahead.

7 nods and darts off. 1 turns to the others, who wait fortheir instructions.

1 (cont’d)

(to the others)

Follow me.

They hurry off, increasingly enveloped by the YELLOW CLOUD.

The yellow CLOUD TRANSITIONS into STEAM...

1 (V.O.) (cont’d)

The gas killed everything.

END FLASHBACK.

...........................................................

SEQ. 057 - 9 Meets 6

SEQ. 057 - INT. CATHEDRAL/CLOCKTOWER - CONTINUOUS

The steam is rising from the small thurible in the CLOCKTOWER.

1 (V.O.)

I led us here...

1 is now standing at the thurible with a torch in his hand.

1 (V.O.) (cont’d)

...to sanctuary. And here we

waited for the war to end.

20.

He puts his hand around 9’s shoulders and walks him over tothe other side of the room.

1 (cont’d)

Slowly, the world became silent.

1 and 9 walk over to a picture of the Cat Beast hanging onthe wall.

1 (cont’d)

The only thing that remains now isthe Beast.

1 faces 9 as the torch slowly fades.

1 (cont’d)

So we stay hidden and we wait forit, too, to sleep.

The torch burns out. 9 looks at 1.

9

But where did it come from? Why isit hunting us?

1

Questions like that are pointless.

We need to protect ourselves. Keepourselves out of danger.

9

But one of us is in trouble... he

could still be rescued...

1 turns and walks to a tattered calendar page on the wallwith the days 3, 4, and 7 crossed off.

1

Too many of us have already beenlost.

1 crosses 2’s number off the calendar with the burnt end of

his torch.

9

No! You’re not listening. He maystill be alive! Why won’t you tryto save him? Why won’t you-

1 angrily SMACKS HIS STAFF ON THE FLOOR.

21.

1

Enough! Enough of this madness!

(to 5, annoyed)

Go to the watch tower and take our

guest with you.

5 meekly immediately obeys, gesturing to 9 to follow him.

We hear a strange WHISPERING SOUND, and CAMERA, instead offollowing 5 and 9, stays behind and moves in on a shadowylittle area. There, we see 6. 6 is ink-stained and has a

strange quality, as though he sees and hears things insidehis head that only he experiences. He has a SMALL SKELETON

KEY around his neck, and his fingers are made of PEN NIBS.

He is drawing on a piece of paper and WHISPERING TO HIMSELF.

6

(muttering, whispering)

The source.... The source...

We see he is drawing the TALISMAN. In fact his whole area is

covered with drawings of the TALISMAN.

CUT TO:

...........................................................

SEQ. 060 - Telescope

SEQ. 060 - EXT. WASTELAND - DAY

OVERHEAD SHOT - THE CATHEDRAL

From a high angle we see the nave of the Cathedral. It hasbeen bombed and attacked, and there is a plane intersectingthrough the side.

The Camera moves to the left and what seems like a prow of aboat comes into frame. We find ourselves in...

SEQ. 060 - INT. WATCHTOWER - DAY

2 had created a sort of LOOKOUT. A rickety, jury-riggedspyglass points out of a hole in the wall. A half-drawn mapis pinned up next to the spyglass. Everything is piecedtogether from the sorts of bits and pieces we saw 2scavenging. Around the space, we also see more bits andpieces that 2 has found out in the wilderness.

5 sighs sadly. He touches the spyglass sadly.

22.

5

This was the first thing we builttogether.

(looking around at themap, bits and pieces,

etc.)

All his work... trying to makesense of everything.

He looks out into the wilderness.

5 (cont’d)

Is he out there? Is he still

alive?

9

Yes. He could be.

5 looks out in fear. We see the conflict on his face: fear

of going out there but a desperate longing to see his oldfriend again.

9 (cont’d)

(conspiratorially; lookingaround to make sure

they’re not being spiedon)

We could go after him.

5

(shocked; and amazed, thisis impossible)

Us?

9

No one else will.

(imploring him)

We MUST go.

5 is silent, afraid.

9 looks through the spyglass.

POV spyglass:
the THREE TALL SHAPES in the distance.

9 (cont’d)

Look. That’s where the creature

took him. Out towards those three

tall shapes.

23.

5

(horrified)

Ohhhh... no... we can’t... not

there. We need to stay here.

(as though repeatingsomething he’s heard from1)

We have rules.

9 looks at him. He recognizes 1’s words.

9

(quietly)

Why do you listen to 1?

5 looks at 9.

5

(repeating what he’s been

indoctrinated with)

A group must have a leader.

9 looks at him for a beat.

9

(gently)

But what if the leader is wrong?

5 looks a little shocked. He never thought of this. We see

in 5’s face that he is considering 9’s question, but he stillcan’t bring himself to disobey 1.

5 hesitates again. 9 sees he is having an effect on 5.

9 (cont’d)

(suddenly, firmly)

I’m going. I’m going to look forhim.

He turns to 5.

9 (cont’d)

(coaxing)

Come with me. I can’t do it alone.

5 is terribly torn. He wants to, but he’s never doneanything like this before. He’s always done as he’s told.

He hesitates:

5

(hesitating)

I... I...

(MORE)

24.

5(cont'd)

Rate this script:3.2 / 10 votes

Pamela Pettler

Pamela Pettler is an American screenwriter, television producer and television writer. more…

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Submitted by acronimous on March 14, 2016

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