The film received mixed reviews from critics, with praise aimed at the vocal performances, animation, and humor, but criticism for its dialogue and script, its lack of faithfulness to the source material and the execution of its premise. It was also the last film role by Ricardo Montalbán, before his death on January 14, 2009. Shortly before its release, most of the DNA employees were laid off and the studio was closed (as the result of their second and final film to be made after Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius). After being shrunk by Zoc, Lucas Nickle must join forces with his new friends to defeat Stan Beals, an exterminator who threatens their colony. He attacks the nearby ant colony out of frustration, but Zoc, a wizard ant, creates a potion to shrink Lucas. Set in suburban Las Vegas, The Ant Bully follows Lucas Nickle, a 10-year-old destructive boy who is neglected by his family and bullied by Steve and his friends.
Starring the voices of Julia Roberts, Nicolas Cage, Meryl Streep, Paul Giamatti, Regina King, Bruce Campbell and Lily Tomlin, it was produced by Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman's Playtone, Davis and Keith Alcorn's DNA Productions, and Legendary Pictures in their first animated film, and distributed by Warner Bros.
Davis and based on the 1999 children's book of the same name by John Nickle. The Ant Bully is a 2006 American computer-animated fantasy adventure comedy film written and directed by John A.
