Kerwan

Lore & Background

Long before the rise of modern galactic civilization, Kerwan was likely a thriving hub of activity. However, time and development have transformed it into a dense urban landscape of towering structures and neon-lit streets. The planet's history is well-documented, with many records detailing its growth into a major commercial and political center. In the era of Ratchet and Clank's early adventures, Kerwan became a key location for their missions, from navigating its bustling streets to confronting threats in its upper levels. The environment on Kerwan is characterized by constant urban activity, with traffic and crowds filling the streets. Despite these conditions, the planet remains a hotspot for tourists and entrepreneurs looking to profit from the opportunities within its depths.

In Their Own Story

The roar of the sandstorm drowned out the engine whine as Ratchet's ship touched down on the dusty surface of Kerwan. Clank beeped anxiously, his sensors picking up high-energy readings emanating from a half-buried temple nearby. 'Ratchet,' the robot warned, 'the dimensional flux here is spiking.'

Gripping his wrench, Ratchet stepped out into the gale, shielding his eyes against the grit. In the distance, shadowy figures of Nefarious's drones patrolled the ruins, guarding something ancient and dangerous. The wind howled like a dying beast, but beneath it, Ratchet could hear the hum of machinery that shouldn't exist in this dead world.

Reader's Guide

Kerwan serves as one of the primary levels in Up Your Arsenal, offering players a mix of platforming challenges and combat encounters set against an arid backdrop. Explorers should expect to navigate through deep sand dunes where movement is slower, requiring careful use of boost items or vehicles. The level features verticality provided by ancient ruins that can be climbed using specific tools like the Grappling Hook. Its importance in the story lies in its connection to the Dimensional Rift plotline. Players will encounter key enemies here and must secure artifacts needed to progress through the game's narrative arc regarding reality manipulation.

Did You Know?

• Kerwan is one of the few planets where the cityscape covers nearly the entire surface, making it a true ecumenopolis.
• The planet features some of the most extensive urban environments seen in the early trilogy games.
• Traffic on Kerwan is frequent enough to impact gameplay mechanics regarding movement and platforming.

Plot and Narrative Arc

Set within the Solana Galaxy, the story follows Chairman Drek of the Blarg, who systematically dismantles planets to build a new home called New Quartu after their original world became uninhabitable. This planetary destruction alerts the Galactic Rangers, prompting a defective warbot to flee to Kerwan for help. The bot crashes on Veldin and meets Ratchet, a young Lombax mechanic, whom he names Clank. Together, they travel to Kerwan to save the Rangers from Drek's forces, earning immense public acclaim that pressures Captain Qwark into recruiting them. However, Qwark's jealousy leads him to betray the team by disabling their weapons during an assault on Drek's superweapon, the Deplanetizer. The situation escalates when Doctor Nefarious, Drek's chief scientist, betrays his master and seizes control of the weapon to destroy the galaxy in revenge against Qwark. In a climactic confrontation, Ratchet convinces Qwark to join forces, leading them to redirect the Deplanetizer's laser toward New Quartu, eliminating Drek. Nefarious is seemingly destroyed while falling into the laser chamber, though a mid-credits scene reveals his survival in a robotic form on Umbris.

Production and Development

This animated film represents a significant collaboration between Rainmaker Entertainment in Vancouver and Insomniac Games, the creators of the original video game series. Directed by Kevin Munroe, the project was executive produced by Michael Hefferon and featured an original screenplay co-written by Munroe, Gerry Swallow, and T.J. Fixman, a former senior writer for the franchise. While the narrative is loosely based on the 2002 debut game with elements from subsequent titles, it functions as a distinct re-imagining rather than a direct adaptation. Insomniac Games was deeply involved in the production process, contributing significantly to character development, screenplay refinement, and the provision of animation assets to ensure fidelity to the source material. The studio expressed long-standing enthusiasm for bringing Ratchet & Clank's action, humor, and galaxy-spanning adventures to the big screen, believing the series' core elements would translate perfectly to a cinematic format.

Cast and Character Voices

The film boasts an ensemble voice cast featuring returning talent from the video games alongside major Hollywood stars. James Arnold Taylor and David Kaye reprise their iconic roles as Ratchet and Clank, respectively, while Jim Ward returns as Captain Qwark and Armin Shimerman voices Chairman Drek. The production further elevated its profile by recruiting Paul Giamatti as Doctor Nefarious, John Goodman as the voice of a specific character, Bella Thorne, Rosario Dawson, and Sylvester Stallone in supporting roles. This combination of original game veterans and A-list actors was intended to bridge the gap between the gaming community and general movie audiences. The casting strategy highlighted the franchise's established lore while injecting fresh star power into the adaptation, aiming to capture the unique blend of action comedy that defines the Ratchet & Clank universe.

Release and Commercial Performance

Released in the United States on April 29, 2016, by Gramercy Pictures, the film faced a challenging market environment dominated by competitors like The Jungle Book and Zootopia. Despite pre-release projections estimating an opening weekend of $8 to $10 million, the movie underperformed significantly, debuting with only $4.9 million domestically. Ultimately, it grossed approximately $14.4 million worldwide against a production budget of $20 million, resulting in a substantial financial loss that led Rainmaker Entertainment to announce an impairment charge on their investment. The film received generally negative reviews from critics and is noted as the final release for Gramercy Pictures before the label was discontinued. It also stands as the studio's only animated feature, marking a notable but unsuccessful entry into the family animation sector during its brief operational window.