Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey (found sci-fi animated film; 2010)

Film poster.

Status: Found

Date found: 10 May 2022

Found by: Spencer Wirth-Davis

Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey is a 2010 animated educational sci-fi adventure film, written by Harry 'Doc' Kloor and directed by Kloor and Dan St. Pierre, is unique in that it uses footage taken from the NASA Cassini Huygens mission. Also of note is the voice cast which stars Chris Pine, Amanda Peet, Samuel L. Jackson, Hayden Christensen, James Earl Jones, Sandra Oh, William Shatner, Robert Picardo, Brent Spiner, Mark Hamill, Jason Alexander, Tom Kenny, and Neil Armstrong. Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey was only screened in select IMAX theaters in Asia in late 2010 and at the Kentucky Museum of Science from early to mid-2011. Despite the amount of effort that went into the making of the film, Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey has never been released nor shown since June of 2011. Despite having not been shown since 2011, a few trailers have managed to surface.

Background

On October 15th, 1997, NASA launched the Cassini–Huygens space research mission with the goal to reach Saturn by 2004.^[1] Throughout the mission, the Cassini-Huygens space research mission set out to capture footage of the solar system as well as Saturn's rings. Dr. Harry Kloor had wanted to create an educational movie about the solar system since 1996.^[2] Production for Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey began in 1996 but due to the Cassini-Huygens space research mission not meeting its target for at least eight years, production was slow. By 2008, the Cassini-Huygens mission had transmitted enough data for use in the film and with an all-star cast including Neil Armstrong, the film was ready for release.

Plot

The plot for Quantum Quest revolves around a character named Dave who is a Photon that does not want to grow up and does not want to leave the sun. This all changes when one day a threat from THE VOID threatens to destroy the sun and the Photons. Dave must then go on a quest across the solar system in order to save his fellow Photons, while the best of the Sun's forces are selected to fight THE VOID.^[3]

Cast

Chris Pine - Dave
Amanda Peet - Ranger
Samuel L. Jackson - Fear
Hayden Christensen - Jammer
James Earl Jones - Admiral
Sandra Oh - Gal 2000
William Shatner - Core
Robert Picardo - Milton
Brent Spiner - Coach Mackey
Mark Hamill - Void
Jason Alexander - Moronic
Tom Kenny - Ignorance
Neil Armstrong - Dr. Jack Morrow
Abigail Breslin - Jeana
Doug Jones - Zero / Razer
Jason Harris - Announcer
Casey Kasem - Self
Gary Graham - Green
Spencer Breslin - Anthony
Janina Gavankar - Niki
Herbert Jefferson Jr. - Pilot

Availability

Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey was screened in IMAX theaters in Asia in late 2010. It was last shown at the Kentucky Science Center in Louisville, Kentucky from January until June of 2011.^[4] The film has never received a home video release, digital and physical. While there are claims that the film was available at one point on Netflix in 2015, this has yet to be proven. As of 2020, all that can be found for Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey are a few trailers. In late 2021, Spencer Wirth-Davis started a podcast series called Finding Quantum Quest, in an attempt to seek out the film. The series features interviews with many who worked on the film, as well as those involved in the Cassini-Huygens mission.^[5] On May 10th, 2022, the film was officially released on VOD services by Giant Pictures.