Synopsis

Jess Aarons, a lonely young artist, befriends Leslie Burke, a spirited new neighbor who shares his imagination. Together, they create Terabithia, a magical kingdom hidden in the woods, where they escape school pressures and family troubles. Their friendship gradually teaches Jess about courage, creativity, love, and loss, changing the way he sees himself and the world around him.

Factoids & Trivia

• The film adapts Katherine Paterson's 1977 Newbery Medal-winning novel. The book was inspired by a traumatic event involving Paterson's son, David, who later co-wrote the screenplay for the movie.

• Principal photography took place in Auckland, New Zealand, over approximately 60 days. The film's New Zealand locations included the Auckland War Memorial Museum.

• Cinematographer Michael Chapman retired after completing the film, making it his final feature.

• AnnaSophia Robb wrote to director Gabor Csupo after learning about the project, expressing her enthusiasm for the novel. The letter helped her obtain the role of Leslie.

• Robb also devised the name "Dark Master." During early production, the character had been called the "Key Monster."

• Because filming was done out of sequence, Josh Hutcherson used a scale measuring how much computer-generated imagery Jess would encounter in a scene. Jess's view of Terabithia from the treetops was rated at the highest level.

• New Zealand has no native squirrels, so the squirrel shots were created using prerecorded footage or digital effects.

• The name "Terabithia" was inspired by Terabinthia, an island mentioned in C.S. Lewis' *The Chronicles of Narnia*.

• The film won all five awards for which it was nominated at the 2008 Young Artist Awards, including Best Family Feature Film and acting honors for Josh Hutcherson, AnnaSophia Robb, and Bailee Madison.