“I didn’t set out to make a children’s movie; I set out to make a movie about childhood,” says director Spike Jonze, whose big-screen adaptation of the captivating Maurice Sendak classic “Where the Wild Things Are” was truly a labor of love.

In it, he further explores the themes Sendak introduced and which Jonze believes remain relevant to every generation.  “It’s about what it’s like to be eight or nine years old and trying to figure out the world, the people around you, and emotions that are sometimes unpredictable or confusing—which is really the challenge of negotiating relationships all your life,” he says.  “It’s no different at that age.”

To be shown exclusively at Ayala Malls Cinemas (Glorietta 4 & Greenbelt 3) starting Feb. 3, “Where the Wild Things Are” offers a fresh look—and for many of us, a look back—into the many facets of childhood.  It invites audiences of all ages to join in the discovery and challenge and pure feral joy of a young boy’s brave journey to the island of the Wild Things, a special place that’s sure to stir thoughts of the wild things that live in all of us.

“In a way, it’s an action movie starring a nine-year-old.  There’s a lot of physical mayhem like dirt clod fights and rampaging in the forest,” says Jonze.  Indeed, the island offers up every youngster’s fantasy: the freedom to run and jump and howl, to build and destroy and wrestle and throw things as far as he can… most of  all, to do only the things he wants to do, with no one saying he can’t.  Resplendent in his wolf costume, young Max soon becomes King of the Wild Things by proving his superior ferocity over the giant creatures who live there.  But it’s an uneasy reign because the Wild Things are just that—wild—and there is always the possibility they might decide to eat him after all, with their great sharp teeth.  Being king just might not be as easy as Max imagined.

At the same time, the story follows Max’s first steps toward growing up as he becomes aware of the complex relationships the individual Wild Things have with each other and with him, and how doing everything he wants isn’t always the best choice.  Told with unabashed honesty from a child’s point of view, “Where the Wild Things Are” reveals Max’s increasing understanding of his own feelings and the feelings of others.

The film began with Jonze’s abiding affection and respect for the book, written and illustrated by Sendak, another strong believer in not talking down to young people.  Published in 1963, it earned a Caldecott Medal and went on to touch millions of readers worldwide, perpetually ranked by Publishers Weekly as one of the 10 all-time best-selling books for children since the 1970s.

Its enduring appeal, notes Jonze, is in how it “taps into genuine feelings that kids have and takes them seriously without pandering.  Kids are given so much material that’s not honest, so when they find a story like this it really gets their attention.  I remember myself, at that age, being so eager to hear that other kids were going through the same things I was and having similar thoughts.”

Max Records, now twelve, made his film debut as Max in “Where the Wild Things Are” and agrees.  “The book reflects what it’s actually like to be a kid.  It’s a book that could not only be respected by kids but it really gets to the heart of everything you feel growing up and even beyond that.”

“Where the Wild Things Are” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

Fans of all ages turned out this weekend for “Where the Wild Things Are,” the big-screen adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s classic tale about childhood, directed by Spike Jonze.  The film, from Warner Bros. Pictures, Legendary Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures, opened at No. 1, earning a weekend total of $32,695,407, the biggest October opening for a Warner Bros. Pictures release.

Continuing strong into Monday, “Where the Wild Things Are” gained an additional $1,974,279 for a current box office total of $34,669,686.

Dan Fellman, Warner Bros. President of Domestic Distribution, said, “We’re proud and very happy that audiences across the country are responding so warmly to the film.  It’s a testament to Spike Jonze’s remarkable vision, and we anticipate that this enthusiastic word-of-mouth will carry ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ into the holiday season.”

Jeff Robin ov, President of Warner Bros. Pictures Group, stated, “It was a privilege to take this Maurice Sendak classic that has delighted generations and bring it to the screen for a new generation of moviegoers.  We’re thrilled that the film has struck a chord with audiences and we congratulate Spike Jonze, Dave Eggers and all the amazing artists who put so much of their heart and soul into it.”

Sue Kroll, President of Worldwide Marketing, Warner Bros. Pictures, added, “Spike Jonze has created a unique film experience with ‘Where the Wild Things Are,’ taking what has always been seen as a children’s story and broadening its scope to delight filmgoers of all ages.  It’s a sophisticated story that speaks not only to children but to the child in all of us.  We extended that point of view to our worldwide marketing materials and feel that we created a campaign for the film that celebrates the wide range of emotions Spike so brilliantly explores on screen.”

Innovative director Spike Jonze collaborates with celebrated author Maurice Sendak to bring one of the most beloved books of all time to the big screen in “Where the Wild Things Are,” a classic story about childhood and the places we go to figure out the world we live in.  The film tells the story of Max, a rambunctious and sensitive boy who feels misunderstood at home and escapes to where the Wild Things are.  Max lands on an island where he meets mysterious and strange creatures whose emotions are as wild and unpredictable as their actions.  The Wild Things desperately long for a leader to guide them, just as Max longs for a kingdom to rule.  When Max is crowned king, he promises to create a place where everyone will be happy. Max soon finds, though, that ruling his kingdom is not so easy and his relationships there prove to be more complicated than he originally thought.

“Where the Wild Things Are” stars Max Records, Catherine Keener, Mark Ruffalo, Lauren Ambrose, Chris Cooper, James Gandolfini, Catherine O’Hara and Forest Whitaker.”