A polar bear is about to go on a very big adventure in Norm of the North. Lionsgate's newest animated feature tells the story of Norm, an animal who travels to New York City after his arctic home is invaded by tourists who threaten the creatures' well being. Of course, this being an animated movie about animals, Norm doesn't travel to NYC alone. He brings with him a trusty trio of lemmings that can, according to the trailer, withstand any amount of crushing, but cannot talk to humans the way Norm can. As with many animated films, Norm of the North comes with the expectation of merchandising in the form of child backpacks and toys, video games and sugary pop themes. But, more than all of that, it comes with the expectation of a Norm of the North sequel — more than one, if possible. But will it happen?
Norm of the North definitely has the potential for a follow-up. Polar bears are adorable, and whole animal out of its environment story line has been proven successful with animated franchises like Ice Age and Madagascar. And, with climate change continuing to pose a threat to the survival of the arctic and polar bears, there's no doubt that there will be more stories for Norm of the North to tell.
That said, not all animated films are bound for sequels, and Lionsgate isn't known for its animated fare as much as Dreamworks or Pixar is. Still, the studio did release 2010's Alpha and Omega, an animated film about two wolves who fall in love, and which spawned a few direct-to-video sequels. So if Norm of the North does also get a sequel, it's unknown whether it'd be in theaters or, like its predecessor, be released directly on DVD and video. Either way, if you want to make sure you don't miss Norm and his lemming pals on the big screen, don't forget to catch Norm of the North on its Jan. 15 release.
Images: Lionsgate
