Synopsis

Z, a neurotic worker ant, questions the rigid collectivism governing his colony. After falling for Princess Bala, he switches places with a soldier and becomes entangled in a military conspiracy. His search for individuality leads him beyond the colony, where he discovers a hidden society and must challenge the leaders planning a devastating scheme.

Factoids & Trivia

• Released on October 2, 1998, Antz was the first feature produced by DreamWorks Animation and one of the earliest fully computer-generated animated features.

• Pacific Data Images, later known as PDI/DreamWorks, handled the computer animation. The film helped establish the studio's feature-animation division alongside the traditionally animated The Prince of Egypt, released later in 1998.

• Antz became part of a highly publicized rivalry with Pixar's A Bug's Life. Both films centered on colonies of ants and opened only weeks apart, with Antz arriving first.

• The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 19, 1998, before its wide U.S. release.

• The character names include references to real ant types and anatomy. Bala refers to the bullet ant, Barbatus to the red harvester ant, and Mandible to the insect's jaw structure.

• Christopher Walken's performance as Cutter led to the character receiving a larger role than originally planned.

• The movie was released on DVD on March 23, 1999, making it the first feature-length computer-animated film issued on the format.