U.S. Premiere: December 15, 2000

The Original Titles Were
"Kingdom Of The Sun" and "Kingdom In The Sun"

Disney's 39th Feature Animated Film is a story about an arrogant Emperor and a humble peasant and their encounters with a vain priestess, who changes the Emperor into a Llama, the first original story since "The Lion King".

(Spoiler)

THE EMPEROR'S NEW GROOVE is an outrageous and ultimately heartwarming comedy set against the backdrop of a mythical South American land. The story follows the adventures of an unlikely duo: arrogant Emperor Kuzco (David Spade) and Pacha (John Goodman), a humble peasant with a heart of gold.

In honor of his 18th birthday, Emperor Kuzco has decided to build himself a palatial summer getaway, his
"kingdom in the sun", which he plans to build on the very mountaintop where Pacha's family has lived for
generations. Pacha begs Kuzco to spare his village, but his pleas have no effect on the selfish emperor.

In another self-glorifying stroke of power, Kuzco fires his over-the-hill advisor, Yzma (Eartha Kitt). In
retaliation, Yzma and her rather inept henchman, Kronk (Patrick Warburton), plan to poison Kuzco and take
over the empire. The plot thickens when Kronk grabs the wrong poison and manages only to turn Kuzco into a
llama. Kuzco is then knocked unconscious, thrown in a sack and dumped on a peasant's cart headed out of
town. Ironically, the cart is pulled by Pacha.

After recovering from the shock that he has inadvertently brought the emperor home in the body of a llama,
Pacha sees and opportunity: He will help Kuzco return to the city and find the antidote to restore his human
form, but only if Kuzco agrees to spare his village. Meanwhile, Yzma and Kronk search high and low for the
"dangerous talking llama," to do away with him once and for all.

This madcap adventure gets even madder as our two antiheroes join forces to defeat the power-hungry Yzma.
Through their efforts, Kuzco regains the throne and his human form, but more importantly learns the value of
true friendship.

(From The Disney Century Web Site)

Kuzco (emperor) -- David Spade
Yzma (vain Inca priestess) -- Eartha Kitt
Pacha (llama herder) -- John Goodman
Kronk (henchman) -- Patrick Warburton
Chicha (Pacha's wife) -- Wendie Malick
Tipo -- Eli Russel Linnetz
Chaca -- Kellyann Kelso
Bucky -- Robert Bergan
Theme Song Guy -- Tom Jones

Directors -- Roger Allers and Mark Dindal
Executive Producer -- Don Hahn
Producer -- Randy Fullmer
Associate Producer -- Patty Hicks
Production Manager -- Tod Marsden
Written by -- Jonathan Roberts
Chief Writer -- Dave Reynolds
Casting -- Ruth Lambert
Editor -- Tom Finan
Character Designs -- Joe Mossier
Effects Supervisor -- Colbert Fenelly
Music -- Sting and David Hartley
Score Composer -- Marc Shaiman
Postproduction Supervisor -- Berenice LeMartre
Editorial Assistant Production Manager -- Jenni Magee-Cook

Supervising Animation on Kuzko -- Nick Ranieri
Supervising Animation on Yzma -- Dale Baer
Supervising Animation on Pacha -- Bruce Smith
Supervising Animation on Nina -- Mike Show
Supervising Animation on Kronk -- Tony Bancroft
Supervising Animation on Chicha -- Doug Frankel
Supervising Animation on Tipo -- James Lopez
Supervising Animation on Chaca -- Brian Ferguson
Supervising Animation on Bucky -- Brian Ferguson
Supervising Animation on Theme Song Guy -- Sandro Lucio Cleuzo

Home Video May 1, 2001 (Order)

Disney DVD May 1, 2001 (Order)

Two-DVD Collector's Set May 1, 2001 (Order)

TRACKS

1. Perfect World - Tom Jones
2. My Funny Friend and Me - Sting
3. Snuff Out the Light (Yzma's Song) - Eartha Kitt
4. Walk the Llama Llama - Rascal Flatts
5. Perfect World (Reprise) - Tom Jones
6. Run Llama Run (Score)
7. One Day She'll Love Me - Sting and Shawn Colvin
8. A New Hope (Score)
9. Beware the Groove (Score)
10. The Jungle Rescues (Score)
11. Pacha's Homecoming/The Blue Plate Special (Score)
12. The Great Battle/Friends Forever (Score)

Lyrics

More Production Skills

From an article in Cinefantastique (July 1998).

"For his next 'performance,' Ruben Aquino will serve as supervising animator for Pacha, the lead character in Disney's upcoming feature, KINGDOM OF THE SUN, 'It's set in pre-Colombian Peru, where he's a llama herder, poor kid,' laughed Aquino. 'It's a Prince And The Pauper-like like story. He looks just like the prince and there's a princess who doesn't really care for the prince, but finds that, when Pacha takes the prince's place, she starts to like this prince guy. Pacha has a heart of gold, he's a good guy, whereas the prince is sort of a self-absorbed spoiled brat.' KINGDOM OF THE SUN, which will feature songs by Sting, will be produced primarily at Disney's California studio, with Ruben as part of a 'satellite unit' in Florida."