RISE OF THE GUARDIANS
Written by
David Lindsay-Abaire
Screening script 9/6/12
SEQ. 125 - ALONE IN THE WORLD
DARKNESS
JACK (V.O.)
Darkness. That's the first thing I
remember. It was dark, and it was
cold. And I was scared.
The silhouette of a body appears as it drifts into a ray of
light, refracted through water, which turns into...
A MOON - SEEN IN REFLECTION ON A SHEET OF ICE
The moonlight intensifies almost magically, and the ice above
begins to spider-web and crack.
EXT. FROZEN POND - NIGHT
Snow-covered trees in every direction. The ice in the pond
continues to crack, until finally a hole splinters open. A
young man floats out of the water, bathed in the intense
moonlight. This is JACK FROST - thin, pale, barefoot, his
tousled hair frosted white.
JACK (V.O.)
But then...then I saw the moon. It
was so big and it was so bright,
and it seemed to chase the darkness
away. And when it did...I wasn't
scared anymore.
Jack floats back down onto the ice as the hole closes up
underneath him.
JACK (V.O.)
Why I was there, and what I was
meant to do - that I've never
known. And a part of me wonders if
I ever will.
Jack looks around, confused, then turns toward the moonlight
as it dims a bit.
Jack carefully treads across the ice until he hits something
with his feet. He looks down, and at his feet is a wooden
staff. Curious, he picks it up. Almost immediately the
staff begins to glow a cold blue in his hands. Odd.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 2.
Jack almost drops it as the base of the staff comes in
contact with the ground. Frost shoots out and spreads across
the ice. Jack is visibly confused.
He touches a few trees with his staff sending frost up their
trunks. Then he swings the staff again, more confident, as
he begins to run across the frozen pond.
Another swing, and a gust of wind swirls him high up into the
air. Jack floats for a moment only to fall back down to
earth and into the trees. Jack grabs hold of a tree branch
and pulls himself up to see a small town off in the distance.
EXT. BURGESS SETTLEMENT - TOWN CENTER - CONTINUOUS
A collection of simple timber houses with thatched roofs.
Jack comes in for a landing, and it's a rocky one. He stands
up, still elated, and brushes himself off.
As Jack makes his way into town, settlers are warming their
hands by campfire. Jack doesn't recognize anyone.
JACK
(to the townsfolk)
Hello. Hello. Good evening,
ma'am.
(BEAT)
Ma'am?
The settlers walk past Jack, not noticing him. Jack crouches
down as a YOUNG BOY runs toward him.
JACK
Oh, ah, excuse me, can you tell me
where I am?
The boy runs right through Jack, as if he were a ghost. Jack
staggers back in shock. He's speechless, as if the wind had
been knocked out him. His emotions causing it to snow.
JACK
Hello! Hello!
Townsfolk continue to pass through Jack, unaware of his
presence. Shaken, Jack turns and retreats into the forest.
JACK (V.O.)
My name is Jack Frost -- how do I
know that? The moon told me so.
But that was all he ever told me.
And that was a long, long time ago.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 3.
We pan up as the moon shines down over the snow covered
trees.
CUT TO:
SEQ. 175 - INTRO TO NORTH
EXT. NORTH POLE - DUSK
FIERY GYPSY VIOLIN MUSIC as we move through clouds to reveal
a MASSIVE ICE CANYON, and just around a bend, the incredible
hidden fortress of NORTH, aka SANTA CLAUS.
INT. NORTH'S WORKSHOP - DUSK
We glimpse a familiar-looking RED JACKET and CAP with white
trim on a coat hanger just as a pair of tongs SLAM a block of
ice onto a stone work table--
IN QUICK CUTS: A CHAINSAW shears the block in half, spraying
ice. North lifts up the chainsaw revealing a massive tatoo
on his arm, the word NAUGHTY clearly visible.
Three ELVES huddle in a doorway around a plate of cookies,
each licking their own tasty morsel.
NORTH (O.S.)
Still waiting for cookies!
As North crosses the background, the elves lower the cookies
from their mouths, their faces frozen in fear.
The elves duck out of the way as North launches himself
across the floor on his rolling chair -- CLOSE as his huge
HAND gropes furiously among his WORK TOOLS, finally grabbing
a miniature HAMMER. As North's humming along with his music,
delicately CHISELING into the ice, we see a second arm sleeve
tatoo, the word NICE clearly visible--
His INTENSE BLUE EYE magnified in a JEWELER'S EYEPIECE -- a
delicate SCULPTING TOOL cuts fine details into the ice--
His hands place the finished piece on a curving ICE TRACK: An
ice LOCOMOTIVE. It belches ice vapor and chugs down the
track, picking up speed--
NORTH
Yes!
North's hand grabs a cookie from a plate held up by the two
Elves.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 4.
One of the elves gives his cohort a look and points to the
plate as it chews with a mouth full of food, to which it then
unfurls its tongue and lets the half eaten morsels spill out
onto the plate.
NORTH
Ah, finally!
He takes a bite and leans toward the ice track. He chuckles
as the train hits a loop, and launches off a ramp into midair
-- then WINGS unfold -- JET ENGINES sprout and ignite and the
train lifts off the track--
Suddenly, the DOOR is thrown open by one of North's concerned
YETIS, sending the flying ice locomotive skidding across the
floor in pieces.
YETI
Arghbal...
NORTH
Ach!
The yeti cries out covering his mouth in shame. North cries
out, devastated. The yeti, equally emotional, lets out
another whimper. North looks down at the broken toy and
takes a moment to collect himself.
NORTH
How many times have I told you to
knock?
YETI
Warga blarghgha!
NORTH
What...? The Globe?
North leaps up -- draws a HUGE SCIMITAR from its sheath and
HEADS OUT--
INT. NORTH'S GLOBE ROOM - CONTINUOUS
A sea of tiny BELLS on the heads of panicking elves part as
North's huge boots stomp through.
NORTH
Shoo with your pointy heads. Why
are you always under boot?
He pushes his way past a couple of his YETI WORKERS --
they're looking up in fear at -
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 5.
THE GLOBE OF BELIEF
Covered with LIGHTS blanketing the continents. But North
notices that all at once, HUNDREDS OF LIGHTS suddenly go out.
NORTH
What is this?
Now MORE LIGHTS, in GREATER NUMBERS, as if something is
snuffing them out by the thousands. North's concern grows.
NORTH
(TO YETI)
Have you checked the axis? Is
rotation balanced?
YETI
(SHRUGS SHOULDERS)
Wardle bawddrel.
Before the Yeti can finish, a WIND whips up from out of
nowhere -- North stares in outrage as a blanket of SWIRLING
BLACK SAND, crawls over the lights, and shrouds the ENTIRE
GLOBE in inky DARKNESS--
The elves scurry in a panic, then all at once the BLACK SAND
WHOOSHES UP off the Globe -- rushes up through the ceiling as
the remaining sand bursts into a puff of smoke and dissipates
into the air --
As the wind dies, the scattered pieces of debris settle to
the ground, and the globes lights come back on, North whirls
to see a HUGE SHADOW flash across the floors and curving
walls of his fortress. It quickly disappears, leaving
nothing but the distant ECHO of...LAUGHTER?
North is frozen, looking up into the darkness, gravely:
NORTH
Can it be?
(then calls off)
Dingle!
A group of elves step forward gleefully pointing to
themselves, as if they're all "Dingle". The excitement
quickly turns to confusion.
NORTH
Make preparations! We are going to
have company.
North reaches out for a large EMERGENCY LEVER, TWISTS and
PRESSES IT--
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 6.
The Globe pulses with ENERGY, which lights up and ZOOMS UP
the AXIS SHAFT toward the roof--
EXT. NORTH POLE - CONTINUOUS
From the tallest spire of North's fortress, NORTHERN LIGHT
ENERGY radiates outward: for the first time in decades, the
GUARDIANS' CALL GOES OUT!
CUT TO:
SEQ. 225 - GUARDIANS GATHER
INT. CHILD'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
A little fairy, carrying a coin, flies above the head of a
sleeping child. She quickly ducks under the pillow and comes
out the other side with a tooth in hand.
EXT. TOOTH'S PALACE - DAY
Hundreds of fairies fly toward a hollowed out mountain, this
is Tooth's palace and it's a majestic site.
INT. TOOTH'S PALACE
Dozens of tiny FAIRIES flit about. Teeth are filed away in
tiny wooden drawers. Coins are handed out.
TOOTH (O.S.)
Chicago, Sector 6 -- 37 molars, 22
bicuspids, 18 central incisors.
Moscow, Sector 9 -- 22 incisors, 18
premolars: Uh oh, heavy rain
advisory!
(BEAT)
Des Moines, we've got a cuspid at
23 Maple. Head out!
A hive of activity, and at the center a winged figure barks
out orders like a harried air-traffic controller. This is
TOOTH. A Mini Tooth Fairy flies up to Tooth as thousands of
tiny MINI TOOTH FAIRIES continue their work behind them.
TOOTH (O.S.)
Wait!
And suddenly everything stops. Tooth whips around, and we
finally see her beautiful FACE.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 7.
She's holding up a little tooth, and gazing at it with dreamy
adoration. The surrounding fairies tweet with excitement.
TOOTH (CONT'D)
It's her first tooth. Have you
ever seen a more adorable lateral
incisor in all of your life?!
(GASPS)
Look how she flossed!
The fairies' tweets turn to concern, turning Tooth's
attention to North's AURORA SIGNAL stretching across the sky.
She gasps, and flies off like a rocket toward the source of
the signal, accompanied by a few of her ranking fairies.
NORTH (V.O.)
My fellow Guardians - It is our job
to watch over the children of the
world, and keep them safe - to
bring wonder, hope and dreams.
And so, I've called us all here for
one reason, and one reason only -
the children are in danger.
Much of this we hear over the following...
EXT./INT. CHILD'S BEDROOM
We pull out from the face of a sleeping child to reveal a
stream of sand swirling overhead. It's a dream and it's taken
the shape of a child playing soccer.
We FOLLOW the Dreamsand stream out his window and up into the
sky where we see DOZENS of strands of sand descending to
earth. Keep following up, through majestic CLOUDS...
...to reveal a small, GLOWING GOLDEN CLOUD of Dreamsand
shimmering among the clouds, trailing the golden threads.
The strands are being controlled by a small portly figure,
THE SANDMAN. Suddenly, North's emergency signal zips by. The
Sandman turns to look and his eyes narrow, visibly concerned.
Sandy closes his eyes and in an instant the Dreamsand cloud
suddenly SWIRLS around him, changing form into a small
BIPLANE, with Sandy in the cockpit. He BARREL ROLLS the
plane into a dizzying dive through the spectacular cloudscape
and flies off into the distance.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 8.
NORTH (V.O.)
An enemy we have kept at bay for
centuries has finally decided to
strike back. We alone can stop
him.
Much of this we hear over the following...
INT. EGG TUNNEL
A few EASTER EGGS pop up out of the ground; their little legs
carry them out of the way of a fast approaching object.
Speeding along through a subterranean tunnel, we can barely
keep up with a DIMLY-LIT FIGURE as it races at blinding
speed, leaping and zigzagging through a series of TUNNELS --
EXT. A SNOWY EXPANSE IN THE NORTH POLE
A hole opens in the snow, and a pair of rabbit ears pops out.
A huge rabbit climbs out and brushes off the snow, annoyed.
The six foot tall figure is BUNNYMUND.
BUNNYMUND
Ah, it's freezing.
He shivers with cold, then goes slogging through the snow.
BUNNYMUND (CONT'D)
I can't feel my feet! I can't feel
my feet!
In the distance is North's ornately decorated and dimly lit
palace built into the side of a mountain of ice.
CUT TO:
SEQ. 250 - THE CEREMONY
INT. GLOBE ROOM - NIGHT
Sandy's biplane circles the massive chamber, leaving trails
of Dreamsand.
NORTH (O.S.)
Cookies? Eggnog, anyone?
BUNNYMUND (O.S.)
Oh, this better be good, North.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 9.
TOOTH (O.S.)
(to her fairies)
Montreal, sector six: ten
premolars, eight incisors and
twelve canines. Steer clear of the
wild goose migration.
NORTH
Sandy, thank you for coming.
Sandy descends from the plane and floats to the ground. He
joins North, Bunny and Tooth as they walk through the Globe
Room. Sand glyphs appear above Sandy's head communicating
that he is busy and has a lot of work to do.
NORTH
(TO SANDY)
I know, I know, but I obviously
wouldn't have called you all here
unless it was serious.
North, Bunny, Tooth and Sandy reach the center of the room.
Tooth does her best to shush her mini-fairies.
NORTH (CONT'D)
The Boogie Man was here - at the
Pole.
North points to the globe. The other Guardians turn to look.
TOOTH
(SHOCKED)
Pitch? Pitch Black? Here?!
NORTH
Yes! There was black sand covering
the globe.
BUNNYMUND
(CONFUSED)
What, what...what do you mean black
sand?
NORTH
And then a shadow!
BUNNYMUND
Hold on, hold on, I thought you
said you saw Pitch.
NORTH
Well, ah, not exactly...
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 10.
BUNNYMUND
Not exactly? Can you believe this
guy?
Bunny turns to Sandy, who shrugs while forming a Dreamsand
question mark above his head.
BUNNYMUND
Yeah, you said it, Sandy.
Bunny goes back to painting one of his Easter eggs.
NORTH
Look, he is up to something very
bad. I feel it, in my belly.
BUNNYMUND
(his eyes narrow)
Hang on, hang on, you mean to say,
you summoned me here THREE DAYS
BEFORE EASTER - because of your
belly? Mate, if I did this to you
three days before Christmas--
TOOTH
(to her fairies)
Argentina. Priority alert! A
batch of bicuspids in Buenos Aires.
NORTH
Please. Bunny. Easter is not
Christmas.
BUNNYMUND
Here we go...
North grabs Bunny's painted egg, casually juggling it in his
hand as he walks off. Meanwhile Sandy, who is being served
eggnog by a yeti, suddenly notices something high above.
BUNNYMUND (O.S.)
(LAUGHS)
North, I, I don't have time for
this. I've still got two million
eggs to finish up.
The moon rises into view, high up in the ceiling; its rays of
light begin to shine brightly through as they cascade down
the walls of the globe room.
NORTH (O.S.)
No matter how much you paint, is
still egg!
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 11.
Sandy points to the moon unsuccessfully to get the others'
attention.
BUNNYMUND
Look, mate, I'm dealing with
perishables. Right. You've got
all year to prepare.
TOOTH
(to her fairies)
Pittsburg, boy eight, two molars.
Saltwater taffy.
Sandy puts his fingers in his mouth to whistle, a silent
musical note forming above his head.
NORTH
(TO BUNNY)
Why are rabbits always so nervous.
BUNNYMUND
And why are you always such a
blowhard!
TOOTH (O.S.)
(to her fairies)
Ontario, sector nine: five canines,
two molars, and fourteen incisors.
Is that all in one house?
Sandy waves a sand flag above his head, pointing and jumping
up and down as the moonlight continues to fill the room.
NORTH
(turning his attention)
Tooth! Can't you see we're trying
to argue.
TOOTH
Sorry, not all of us get to work
one night a year. Am I right,
Sandy?
Sandy tries to signal with a golden arrow, pointing toward
the ceiling, but to no avail as the others continue their
bickering. Sandy thinks Tooth has noticed for a split
second, but then -
TOOTH
(to her fairies)
San Diego, sector two! Five
incisors, a bicuspid and a really
loose molar on stand-by.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 12.
BUNNYMUND
(MOCKING)
Come on, mate, Pitch went out with
the dark ages. We made sure of
that - remember?
NORTH (O.S.)
I know it was him. We have serious
situation!
BUNNYMUND (O.S.)
Well, I've got a serious situation
with some eggs.
TOOTH (O.S.)
Hey, I hate to interrupt the, "We
work so hard once a year club" but
could we concentrate on the matter--
Sandy can't take it anymore, grabs an elf by his hat, and
vigorously shakes it's bell. The other Guardians are finally
silenced and all turn to look at Sandy, who points up, a sand
crescent moon forming above his head. The dizzy elf staggers
away. Finally the others turn to see the shaft of moonlight
as it concentrates on the circle between them.
NORTH
Aah! Man in Moon! Sandy, why
didn't you say something?
Sandy gives him a deadpan stare, Dreamsand smoke shoots out
his ears.
NORTH
(to Man in Moon)
It's been a long time old friend!
What is big news?
Everyone looks to the center of the intense spot of
moonlight, the light ebbs away, leaving a dark spot --
-- which resolves into the shadowed silhouette of PITCH. The
Guardians look on, stunned.
BUNNYMUND
It is Pitch.
North pats his belly and gives Bunny a look.
NORTH
(back up to the moon)
Manny...what must we do?
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 13.
In answer, the shadow of Pitch disappears and the circle of
moonlight intensifies and SHRINKS, concentrating further
illuminating an ORNATE SYMBOL on the floor, at the center of
their circle. The symbol rises out of the ground revealing a
large gem at the head of a pillar.
TOOTH
Ah, guys, you know what this means?
The moons light suddenly refracts through the gem casting
light all over the chamber.
NORTH
(AWED)
He's choosing a new Guardian.
BUNNYMUND
What?! Why?
NORTH
Must be big deal! Manny thinks we
need help!
BUNNYMUND
(ANNOYED)
Since when do we need help?!
TOOTH
I wonder who it's gonna be?
A Dreamsand Four-Leaf clover forms above Sandy's head.
TOOTH (CONT'D)
Maybe the Leprechaun?
BUNNYMUND
Please not the groundhog, please
not the groundhog.
Then A BRIGHT FLASH, a rush of WIND - and a FIGURE resolves
over the central pillar: slight, hooded, bearing a familiar
hooked STAFF.
NORTH
Jack Frost.
The Mini-Teeth all sigh and swoon as the Guardians stand
there, stunned.
BUNNYMUND
Ah, I take it back! The
Groundhog's fine!
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 14.
TOOTH
(caught admiring Jack)
Well, ah, as long he helps to
ah...to protect the children,
right?
BUNNYMUND
Jack Frost!? He doesn't care about
children! All he does is freeze
water pipes and mess with my egg
hunts. Right? He's an
irresponsible, selfish...
NORTH
Guardian.
This stops Bunnymund in his tracks.
BUNNYMUND
Jack Frost is many things, but he
is not a Guardian.
As we turn toward the face of the hooded figure.
DISSOLVE TO:
SEQ. 600 - SNOWBALL FIGHT
EXT. ST. PETERSBURG - NIGHT
A hooded figure with a familiar looking staff rests atop a
Post Office box on the opposite end of the street. The man
touches the staff to the ground, sending a streak of frost
across the street.
A RUSSIAN BOY approaches a water fountain, turns the handle
and moves in for a sip. But as he does, the water freezes
magically, and the boy's tongue is stuck to the frozen water.
His friends can't help but laugh.
RUSSIAN BOY
(tongue stuck to frozen
ICE)
Aahhhhh...!
A mail man walks across the street and a PATCH OF ICE
magically appears under his feet. He scrambles, and BOOM! -
lands on his butt. Just behind the man, we see the TRAIL OF
FROST climb up the side of a building. We stay on the frost
as it moves up along a rain pipe, and through the windows we
see...
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 15.
A boy try to feed his gold fish, but a layer of ice suddenly
forms along the water surface and prevents the fish from
reaching its food. We move along the side of the building...
A writer in his study sits next to stacks of papers. The
window suddenly swings open and a gust of wind sends the
pages flying out the window. We move along the building,
across clothes lines and power lines as they freeze.
We continue to move up, and finally discover the culprit.
Jack Frost makes his way atop a cathedral spire and takes in
the view; the full moon bathes the city in moonlight.
JACK
(AMUSED)
Ah, now that, that was fun.
(BEAT)
Hey wind...
Jack chuckles as he calls the wind. The trees begin to sway
and leaves fly into the air. Jack grabs hold of the spire,
smiling as the wind blows past.
JACK
Take me home!
Jack lets go and the wind carries him into the air and
through the clouds. Night turns to day as Jack flies from
one horizon to the other.
JACK
Woooooohoooooooooo!
EXT. BURGESS - DAY
Jack falls through the clouds, smiling, toward the town of
Burgess.
JACK
SNOOOOOWWWW DAAAAYYYYYY!!!
Jack continues on down and zooms through the streets.
Pedestrians clench their jackets and reach for their hats as
gusts of wind, snow, and streaks of frost are left in Jack's
wake.
EXT. FROZEN POND
Jack flies in, and with the wind behind him skates across an
all too familiar pond. As the wind zips across the pond it
knocks a BOOK out of the hands of a little boy walking alone,
this is JAMIE.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 16.
JAMIE
Whoa, whoa.
Jamie goes to pick up the book and we get a glimpse of the
cover - "THEY'RE OUT THERE! - MYSTERIES, MYTHICAL CREATURES
AND THE UNEXPLAINED PHENOMENA." Jack flies into frame and
lands beside Jamie.
JACK
Huh, that looks interesting. Good
book?
Suddenly twins CLAUDE and CALEB, come barreling past them,
rough-housing and laughing as they slam each other into
drifts (all the boys are 8).
CLAUDE AND CALEB
Alright! Yeah! Waahoo! Snooow
daaaay!!!
Jack calls after the boys...
JACK
You're welcome!
JAMIE
(goes running after them)
Hey guys, wait up! Are you guys
coming to the egg hunt Sunday?
CALEB
Yeah, free candy!
CLAUDE
I hope we can find the eggs with
all this snow!
Caleb stuffs a handful of snow down his brother's Jacket
EXT. JAMIE'S BACKYARD - DAY
The kids arrive at the fence of Jamie's house. Jamie opens
up a secret plank, and heads into his yard. Claude and Caleb
are still messing with each other. Meanwhile, Jack walks
unseen along the top of the fence.
CALEB
(WALLA)
Stop!
CLAUDE
(WALLA)
No, you stop!
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 17.
JAMIE
Whoa, it says here that they found
Big Foot hair samples and DNA, in
Michigan. That's like, super
close!
CLAUDE
Here we go again.
Jamie arrives at his front gate, sled in hand while SOPHIE
(Jamie's 2-year-old sister in fairy wings) sits down on their
Greyhound as it lies in the yard.
JAMIE
You saw the video too Claude, he's
out there!
CALEB
That's what you said about aliens.
CLAUDE
And the Easter Bunny.
JAMIE
(grabs his sled)
Wow, the Easter Bunny is real!
JACK
Oh he's real alright. Real
annoying, real grumpy, and really
full of himself.
Jack hops off the fence and walks amongst the kids, peering
over their shoulders as they play in the yard.
CLAUDE
(LAUGHING)
Come on, you guys believe anything.
SOPHIE
(GIGGLES)
EASTER BUNNY! HOP-HOP-HOP!
(FALLS OVER)
Ow!
Sophie begins to cry.
JAMIE
Mom! Sophie fell again!
JAMIE'S MOM comes outside. Caleb, alongside his brother,
stands at the front gate and calls out to Jamie.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 18.
JAMIE'S MOM
You okay, Soph?
CLAUDE
Are we sledding or what?
JAMIE'S MOM
Jamie, hat? We don't want Jack
Frost nipping at your nose.
Jamie's mom plunks the hat on his head, tweaks his nose.
JAMIE
Who's Jack Frost?
JAMIE'S MOM
No one, honey. It's just an
expression.
JACK
(smile drops - offended)
Hey.
Jack jumps down from the fence as the boys head off.
JACK
(MIFFED)
Who's Jack Frost?
Jack reaches down and grabs a hand full of snow from off the
ground. With his palm open, Jack uses his magic to form the
perfect snowball.
He then puckers his lips, and blows onto it with his icy
breath. The snowball turns a light shade of blue. There's
something going on here.
EXT. SNOWY HILL
WHOOSH! - the snowball goes flying through the air and -
BOOF! - the snowball hits Jamie smack in the back of the
head. Jamie looks up, peeved, and turns.
Then we watch as his face changes...a mischievous sparkle
comes into his eyes. A big smile. Make no mistake,
something magical has just happened.
JAMIE
(LAUGHING)
Okay, who threw that?
Jack flies in and lands amongst the group of kids.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 19.
JACK
Well, wasn't bigfoot kiddo.
Jamie scans the horizon for the culprit. His eyes land on a
couple kids making snow barricades.
MONTY (oddball with big glasses) with his back turned
suddenly gets a snowball to the back of the head, knocking
him face first into the ground.
MONTY
Ow!
PIPPA (brainy, pigtails, pink hat) steps forward and - BOOF!
A magical snowball from Jack hits her, knocking her back.
Pippa's face changes - a mischievous sparkle.
PIPPA
Jamie Bennett! No fair!
JAMIE
(LAUGHS)
You struck first!
CLAUDE
Oh!
Suddenly we see Caleb struck in the side of the head with one
of Jack's snowballs; Claude can't help but laugh.
JACK
Free for all!
And just like that we find ourselves in a take-no-prisoners
snowball fight, the kids pummeling each other mercilessly.
JACK
Alright, who needs ammo?
Jack supplies the kids with more snowballs. The kids are
loving this.
JACK
(WALLA)
Look at that.
The mayhem continues as Jamie, using his sled as a shield, is
knocked backward into a snowman, crushing it underneath him.
A snowball flies overhead and hits CUPCAKE, a tough third
grader as wide as she is tall, in the back of the head.
Dread sets in amongst the other kids, Cupcake squints -
gunslinger eyes.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 20.
CUPCAKE
Grrrrrrrrrrrr...
PIPPA
Crud, I hit Cupcake.
MONTY
She hit Cupcake.
CLAUDE
You hit Cupcake?
Jamie is flat on his back, terrified. He looks up to see
Cupcake standing over him. Then, BOOF! Jack hits Cupcake
with a magical snowball. The kids gasp in horror.
CLAUDE
Oh!
CALEB
Did you throw that?
MONTY
No.
PIPPA
Wasn't me.
A moment, and then Cupcake starts laughing as Jack's magic
takes hold.
Cupcake chases the kids down the hill, holding the head of
her snowman in her hands. Jack, all the while, runs along
side taking pleasure in the excitement.
JAMIE
(WALLA)
Hey, come on. Stop!
CLAUDE
(WALLA)
You can't catch me.
JACK
Ooh, little slippery!
Jack jumps ahead, blasting a sheet of ice behind him. The
kids fall to the ground, except for Jamie, who lands on his
sled, and slides head first down the sheet of ice into town.
JAMIE
Whooaaooah!!!
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 21.
KIDS
(WALLA)
Whoaaa. Jamie, watch out! Stop!
JAMIE
(WALLA)
Aha, whoa!
KIDS
(WALLA)
Jamie! Turn, turn! That's the
street! What are you doing? Stop!
There's traffic!
Jamie suddenly shoots out between the trees and careens past
a set of parked cars.
Jack's path of ice covers the street. As Jamie turns, his
speed only escalates, sending him directly into traffic.
Jamie barely misses a moving truck, spinning it out of
control, sending furniture out the back, and causing a four
car pile up.
JAMIE
Whoa!
JACK
Whoa, don't worry kid, I gotcha.
Jamie looks back, then quickly ahead as terror comes into his
eyes. Jack can't help but smile.
JACK
Hold on. It's gonna be alright.
JAMIE
Ahhhh. No, no, no, no...
JACK
Keep up with me kid! Take a left.
Jamie rockets through a pedestrian intersection, narrowly
missing those in the crosswalk.
DOG WALKER (O.S.)
Hey, slow down!
JAMIE
Whoa, no, no, no, no...
Jack flies over to the far side of the street, sending the
streak of ice and Jamie up onto the sidewalk.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 22.
JACK
Yeah!
PEDESTRIAN #1 (O.S.)
Is that Jamie Bennett?
JAMIE
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa...
PEDESTRIAN #2 (O.S.)
Hey! Watch it!
JACK
There you go!
JAMIE
No! No!
PEDESTRIAN #3 (O.S.)
Look at that dude!
Jamie flies off the sidewalk and back into the middle of the
street, almost knocking over a postman. As Jack flies by
Jamie's side he sees the look of excitement come into Jamie's
face. Jack smiles, knowing he's responsible.
Jack sees an oncoming snowplow and quickly jumps ahead,
carried by the wind, to divert the ice trail.
JACK
Whoa.
Jamie's sled suddenly turns, narrowly missing the oncoming
truck and barrels toward Jack's newly formed ice ramp...
JAMIE
AAAAHHHHHHHH!
Jamie closes his eyes as the ramp launches Jamie over the
street, high into the air, and toward the statue of Thaddeus
Burgess, colonial settler - 1680. Jamie's friends stand in
awe, mouths wide open, as he sails through the air.
Jamie opens his eyes and the look of fear suddenly turns to
joy. Jack looks on smiling.
Jamie lands safely in a large mound of snow. Jack jumps onto
the Statue of Thaddeus Burgess.
PIPPA (O.S.)
Oh my gosh!
JACK
Yeah!
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 23.
Jamie's friends all come running to Jamie's aide, scared.
But Jamie gets up.
KIDS
(WALLA)
Wow, that looks serious! Jamie!
Jamie, are you alright? Is he
okay?
JAMIE
Whoaaa! Did you guys see that? It
was amazing! I slid - I did a jump
and I slid under a car-ERF!!
A sofa from the moving van suddenly knocks Jamie down...
JACK
Whoops.
KIDS
(CRINGING)
Ooooh!
There's a moment of silence as the kids wait to see if Jamie
is okay. Then, Jamie rises up from behind the sofa grinning,
a new gap in his smile. He holds up a tooth.
JAMIE
Cool! A Tooth!
KIDS
(WALLA)
Dude, that means cash! Tooth Fairy
cash! I love the Tooth Fairy!
JACK
(his fun cut short)
Oh, no...
KIDS
(WALLA)
That's totally awesome. You lucky
bug! Lucky!
JACK
No!
JAMIE
I gotta put this under my pillow!
KIDS
(WALLA)
I wish I lost my tooth.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 24.
JACK
Ah, wait a minute! Come on, hold
on, hold on! What about all that
fun we just had? That wasn't the
Tooth Fairy, that was me!
KIDS
(WALLA)
I lost two teeth in one day once -
remember that?! What are you gonna
spend your money on? What are you
gonna buy? How much do you think
she's going to leave?
As Jack looks down from the statue his frustration grows.
Storm clouds overhead rumble and darken. Flurries of snow
begin to intensify.
KIDS
(WALLA)
Let's go...I'm cooold! My ears are
freezing. I can't feel my toes.
Ah, it's hot cocoa time.
Jack jumps down from the statue, trying to engage the kids.
But it's too late, the kids take off. Jack blocks Jamie's
way as the boy comes running at him.
JACK
What's a guy gotta do to get a
little attention around here!
WHOOOSH! Jamie runs through Jack, as if he where a ghost.
Jack is left momentarily shaken, then...
CUPCAKE
(walla; mocking her
FRIENDS)
"Oh, I'm cold, I'm cold, I'm co-
old."
KIDS (O.S.)
(WALLA)
Somebody take a picture. Hey,
stop! That was really awesome.
They're gone. Jack is alone again. His temper subsides.
He whips up a little wind and disappears.
CUT TO:
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 25.
SEQ. 700 - NIGHT FALLS IN TOWN
INT. JAMIE'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Jamie plays with a TOY ROBOT as DRAWINGS AND CHARTS of
mystery creatures hang on the wall behind him: UFO's, aliens,
Bigfoot, you name it. There's even a drawing of Jamie flying
in midair on his sled.
JAMIE (O.S.)
...I did this jump and it was
amazing and I slide under a car and
it was awesome! Then I was flying
down this hill and I was like
whoosh, whoosh, whoosh through all
these cars, and then the sled hit
this, this thing, and I was like
way up in the air.
He mimes flying in the air with his robot, then CRASHING to
the bed as Sophie and their dog sit listening--
JAMIE
-- and then BAM! The sofa hit me,
and, and see?
(opens mouth, tries to say
`my tooth came out!)
Ah hoo hay ow!
We reveal JAMIE'S MOM in the room. Sophie LAUGHS and tries
to stick a finger in the gap in his gums.
JAMIE'S MOM
Alright you, tooth under your
pillow?
Jamie sets the TOY ROBOT on his nightstand, then grabs a
stuffed rabbit next to his pillow to reveal a CAMERA AND
FLASHLIGHT.
JAMIE
Yeah. I'm ready.
JAMIE'S MOM
Now don't stay up trying to see
her, Jamie, or she won't come.
JAMIE
But I can do it this time! You
wanna help me, Soph? We can hide
and see the Tooth Fairy!
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 26.
SOPHIE
(CRAZED)
Hide, hide, hide, hide!
Jamie's Mom picks Sophie up off the bed and lifts her over
her shoulder. Their dog gets up and begins licking Jamie's
face.
JAMIE'S MOM
Uh uh, straight to bed now, mister.
JAMIE
Mom...
...We see Jack Frost, outside, hanging upsidedown watching
them through the window. A pang. The glass frosts over.
EXT. ROOF OF JAMIE'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Jack flips onto the roof, a little pensive. He makes his way
toward the roof's peak and looks up at the MOON, in full
view. It lights up the night sky.
JACK
If there's something I'm doing
wrong, can you, can you just tell
me what it is?
(NO RESPONSE)
Because I've tried everything, and
no one ever sees me.
(NO RESPONSE)
You put me here, the least you can
do is tell me, tell me why.
A beat. The Moon shines silently down. Jack turns away in
frustration.
Jack leaps off the roof, onto a telephone pole, and begins
walking across some telephone wires. A stream of Dreamsand
suddenly zips by behind him, then another, which swoops
around in front of him. Jack turns and looks up, a smile now
on his lips.
JACK
Right on time, Sandman.
The Dreamsand descends from the sky, and drifts into windows
around the town. Jack runs along the telephone wire until he
can reach out and intercept one of the passing streams. An
adjacent stream takes the shape of a dolphin which turns
toward Jack, before continuing on its way to a waiting child.
Then, we follow one of the streams into a window...
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 27.
INT. CUPCAKE'S BEDROOM - BURGESS - CONTINUOUS
Dreamsand floats into a window, where CUPCAKE is in bed,
hugging a stuffed unicorn in her sleep. The Dreamsand swirls
over her head, and morphs into a little girl riding a
unicorn. The girl smiles at the lovely dream as it flies
around the room.
Then the room darkens as a wispy, shadowy figure with a
familiar laugh crawls out from under the bed, and rises up.
It's Pitch. He notices Cupcake's dream.
PITCH
Ohhhh, I thought I heard the
clippity-clop of a unicorn. What
an adorable dream!
His face softens, seemingly moved...
PITCH
(leans down to Cupcake)
And look. At. Her. Precious
child. So sweet, so full of hope
and wonder. Why, there's only one
thing missing...a touch of fear.
Pitch reaches into Cupcake's dream, and touches a bony finger
to the unicorn. It turns ashen and black, and disintegrates.
Cupcake flinches in her sleep. Pitch snickers, delighted.
PITCH
Hahaha! That never gets old!
Pitch swirls the Dreamsand around and it all turns into black
corrupted Nightmare sand.
PITCH
Feel your fear. Come on. Come on,
that's right.
The black sand morphs into a horrific, shadowy bucking horse -
a NIGHTMARE.
PITCH
Yesss. What a pretty little
Nightmare.
Gleefully, he grabs the Nightmare's mane --
PITCH
Now, I want you to go tell the
others the wait is over.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 28.
-- and sends it out the window, where it joins a posse of
other Nightmares coursing through the streets. They take off
and fly into the night sky.
EXT. BURGESS - NIGHT
Pitch steps out into the street from an adjacent alley,
avoiding the rays of moonlight. He looks up to the sky and
stares at the MOON.
PITCH
Don't look at me like that, old
friend. You must have known this
day would come. My Nightmares are
finally ready. Are your Guardians?
EXT. BURGESS - NIGHT
Jack walks along a telephone wire as the Dreamsand disappears
from the sky. Suddenly a shadowy figure and an unfamiliar
noise zips by behind him.
JACK
Whoa!
In the background, residents get ready for the night.
RESIDENTS (O.S.)
(WALLA)
Did you leave the windows open
again? The garage door is wide
open.
Jack leaps over a house to an adjacent tree to investigate
and again, something zooms behind him. Jack jumps down from
the tree and onto a truck in a nearby alley.
EXT. STREETS OF BURGESS - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
Suddenly: WHOOSH! The SHADOW flashes by, knocking over a
trash can.
Jack jumps down from the truck and backs up out of the
alleyway into a clearing...
BUNNYMUND (O.S.)
Hello, mate.
Jack turns around, ready to strike. He squints, as into the
light steps...
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 29.
BUNNYMUND
Been a long time. Blizzard of 68, I
believe? Easter Sunday, wasn't it?
Jack is completely bewildered --
JACK
Bunny? You're not still mad about
that...are yah?
BUNNYMUND
Yes.
Bunny whips out his boomerang and casually looks at it as he
holds it in his hands.
BUNNYMUND (CONT'D)
But this is about something else.
(BEAT)
Fellas...
Before Jack realizes what's happening a HUGE HAND reaches
into frame and lifts him off his feet.
JACK
Hey!
YETI
Durbha wahla.
Jack has been snatched up by two huge YETIS.
JACK
Put me down! What the...
Jack is shoved head first into a sack. A yeti whips out a
snow globe, and smashes it on the ground.
YETI
Durtal bardla burdlew.
A MAGIC PORTAL opens in front of them. The yetis make way
for Bunny to leap in, but he demurs --
YETI
Dwbard urghwetee.
BUNNYMUND
Me?
(LAUGHS)
Not on your nelly. See you back at
the pole.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 30.
He STAMPS HIS FOOT twice on the ground which SWIRLS OPEN -- a
RABBIT HOLE magically appears. Bunny leaps into it and
disappears along with the rabbit hole. In its place, from
out of the ground grows a small green plant.
YETIS
Bwardla arghl.
The yetis throw Jack through the magic portal.
JACK
Ahhhhhhhhh!
The yetis then charge in after and disappear into the portal.
CUT TO:
SEQ. 900 - JACK MEETS GUARDIANS
INT. NORTH'S LIBRARY - DAY
TOOTH (O.S.)
(to a fairy)
Tangiers! Incivie du haut, 421 rue
de Barat! Allez!
The sack flies out of the portal and lands on the floor. In
the darkness, Jack hears --
NORTH (O.S.)
He's here.
Jack struggles out of the sack to see two elves staring at
him.
TOOTH
(to another fairy)
Walla Walla, Washington. We've got
a trampoline mishap at 1340 Ginger
Lane.
NORTH
Quiet.
He then looks up to see North and Sandman looking down at
him. The Tooth Fairy is surrounded by a dozen hovering tiny
fairies who come and go as she blurts out orders.
T0OTH (CONT'D)
Canine, lateral and central
incisor. Ouch!
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 31.
North clears his throat. They all turn to a bewildered Jack.
NORTH
Hey, there he is! Jack Frost!
As North holds out his arms to welcome Jack, a Dreamsand
snowflake appears above Sandy's head.
JACK
Wow, you gotta be kidding me.
Two Yetis suddenly grab Jack by the shoulders and lift him up
onto his feet.
JACK
Hey, hey. Whoa, put me down.
NORTH
I hope the yetis treated you well?
JACK
Oh, yeah. I love being shoved in a
sack and tossed through a magic
portal.
NORTH
Oh, good! That was my idea! You
know Bunny, obviously.
JACK
Obviously.
Bunny stands off to the side, grumbling with his arms
crossed. Jack suddenly notices the MINI TOOTH FAIRIES
hovering near him, staring and twittering.
NORTH
And the Tooth Fairy?
Before Jack can answer, she's gliding toward him.
TOOTH
Hello, Jack. I've heard a lot
about you. And your teeth.
JACK
My, my what?
TOOTH
(moves in way too close)
Open up! Are they really as white
as they say? Yes!
(GASP)
(MORE)
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 32.
TOOTH (CONT'D)
Oh, they really do sparkle like
freshly fallen snow.
Several swooning Mini Teeth flutter around a confused Jack,
batting their lashes and screaming like crazed Beatles fans.
Tooth collects herself, and...
TOOTH
Girls, pull yourselves together...
Let's not disgrace the uniform.
NORTH
And Sandman.
(sees Sandy is snoozing)
Sandy! Sandy! Wake up!
Sandy bolts up awake and steps up to Jack, smiling.
JACK
Hey! Ho! Anyone wanna tell me why
I'm here?
The WISP OF DREAMSAND above Sandy's head morphs into a
BARRAGE OF IMAGES.
JACK
That's not really helping. But
thanks, little man.
(TO OTHERS)
I musta done something really bad
to get you four together.
Jack walks away from the group, frosting an elf with a tray
of cookies as it marches past, then turns around.
JACK
Am I on the naughty list?
NORTH
(CHUCKLES)
On naughty list? You hold record!
But no matter. We overlook. Now
we are wiping clean the slate.
JACK
How come?
BUNNYMUND
(more to North)
Ah, good question.
NORTH
How come? I tell you how come!
Because now...you are Guardian!
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 33.
Off Jack's confusion, yetis light CEREMONIAL TORCHES with a
WHOOSH. Elves leap from columns, unfurling homemade,
celebratory BANNERS as they descend. Jack brushes off a few
baby teeth who try to present him with a necklace made of
paper snowflakes.
JACK
What are you doing! Get, get that
offa me!
Jack's voice is drowned out by the sounds of horns and drums.
NORTH
This is the best part!
AN ELF MARCHING BAND strikes up, marching into the room. Two
yetis move Jack on to a designated spot on the floor.
Jack looks down to find an elf pointing at his bare feet.
The elf then directs his attention to two approaching elves,
carrying a pair of ceremonial boots. Jack's confusion
escalates.
JACK
Huh?
A Yeti hands North an old large book. North blows off the
dust, opens it, and begins clearing his throat. Jack
clenches his jaw as he scans the room: The Mini Teeth
continue to fawn, Sandy's smiling, Bunny's apathetic, and
North looks on with pride.
Jack suddenly SLAMS his staff down, sending a blast of FROST
and WIND across the room. The torches go out and everything
stops.
JACK
What makes you think I want to be a
Guardian?
North bursts out in laughter holding the book in his hands
then stops and looks to Jack, stone faced.
NORTH
Of course you do!
(to the elves)
Music!
The elves blare the trumpets again. Celebration!
JACK
No music!
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 34.
The music peters out again. An elf throws his trumpet to the
ground and storms off. North, displeased, glowers.
JACK
Look, this is all very flattering,
but ah...you don't want me. You're
all hard work and deadlines, and
I'm snowballs and fun times. I'm
not a Guardian.
BUNNYMUND
Yeah, that's exactly what I said!
TOOTH
Jack...I don't think you understand
what it is we do.
Tooth swoops in and turns Jack's attention to the massive
globe behind him.
TOOTH
Each of those lights is a child.
Jack looks up at the Globe, taking in the enormity of this.
North suddenly moves to Jack's side.
NORTH
A child who believes. And good or
bad, naughty or nice, we protect
them.
(BEAT)
Tooth...fingers out of mouth.
We cut back to discover that Tooth is examining Jack's teeth.
TOOTH
(REMOVES FINGERS)
Oh, sorry. They're beautiful.
Jack moves away from the Globe and back toward the center of
the room.
NORTH
Okay, no more wishy-washy! Pitch
is out there doing who knows what!
JACK
(SCOFFS)
You mean the Boogeyman?
NORTH
Yes! When Pitch threatens us, he
threatens them as well.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 35.
North points to the lights on the globe.
JACK
All the more reason to pick someone
more qualified!
NORTH
Pick? You think we pick? No, you
were chosen like we were all
chosen. By Man in Moon.
Jack turns and looks to the group.
JACK
(stares, dumbstruck)
What?
TOOTH
Last night, Jack. He chose you.
BUNNYMUND
Maybe.
JACK
The Man in the Moon, he talks to
you?
Jack looks up to the skylight, taking in the awesome sight of
the moon as it shines down on Earth.
NORTH
You see, you can not say no. It is
destiny.
Jack is still confused by the news. What does it mean?
JACK
But why, why wouldn't he tell me
that himself?
(EXASPERATED EXHALE)
After 300 years this is his answer?
To spend eternity like you guys
cooped up in some, some hideout
thinking of, of new ways to bribe
kids? No no, that's not for me.
No offense.
Jack turns to leave, the Guardians are stunned.
BUNNYMUND
How is that not offensive?
Except for Bunny, who is relieved by this turn and looks to
the others.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 36.
BUNNYMUND
You know what I think? I think we
just dodged a bullet. I mean,
what's this clown know about
bringing joy to children anyway?
Jack turns back. A little pissed.
JACK
Uhh, you ever hear of a snow day?
I know it's no hard-boiled egg, but
kids like what I do.
BUNNYMUND
But none of 'em believe in you.
(leans in to him)
Do they? You see, you're
invisible, mate. It's like you
don't even exist.
TOOTH
Bunny! Enough!
Silence. Jack tries not to look stung by this.
JACK
No, the kangaroo's right.
BUNNYMUND
(GLARES)
The, the what -- what'd you call
me? I am not a kangaroo, mate.
JACK
Oh. And this whole time I thought
you were. If you're not a
kangaroo, what are you?
BUNNYMUND
I'm a bunny. The Easter Bunny.
People believe in me.
Sandy nudges North, who acknowledges the tension in the air.
NORTH
(TO JACK)
Jack. Walk with me.
CUT TO:
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 37.
SEQ. 1000 - NORTH'S WORKSHOP
INT. TOY FACTORY - NORTH POLE - DAY
Jack and North ride an elevator, bearing the resemblance of a
Christmas ornament, down to the factory floor.
JACK
It's nothing personal, North. What
you all do, it's just, it's not my
thing.
NORTH
Man in Moon says it is your thing.
We will see!
North storms through factory floor, Jack trying to keep up.
An amazing place.
JACK
Slow down, wouldja? I've been
trying to bust in here for years, I
want a good look.
NORTH
(peeved - still rushing)
What do you mean, "bust in?"
JACK
Oh, don't worry, I never got past
the yetis.
Jack looks over his shoulder; an angry yeti pounds his fist
into his palm.
YETI
Rwwarrrrrr.
JACK
Oh, hey Phil.
NORTH
Keep up, Jack! Keep up!
North charges ahead.
North's factory is bustling with activity: Yeti's are
building toys, moving packages, while Elves are test piloting
the various flying toys.
As Jack walks behind North, surveying the factory, a duck toy
suddenly flies over Jack's head. Jack ducks just in time and
continues after North.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 38.
JACK
Whoa!
(BEAT)
I always thought the elves made the
toys.
NORTH
(WHISPERS)
We just let them believe that.
Jack looks over to see a group of elves eating Christmas
ornaments and another electrocuting himself with Christmas
lights. North smiles and calls to them.
NORTH
Very nice! Keep up good work!
North continues through the factory floor. He passes a yeti
putting the finishing touches on a blue toy robot.
NORTH
(TO YETI)
I don't like it. Paint it red.
The yeti reacts in dismay as we reveal hundreds of finished
blue robots.
NORTH
Step it up, everybody.
As North and Jack move to the opposite end of the chamber, we
finally glimpse the orchestrated chaos of the entire
workshop, in all it's magic and splendor.
INT. NORTH'S OFFICE - A MOMENT LATER
Jack follows North into his office. There are shelves filled
with toys. Sketches and prototypes everywhere.
North dusts his hands and turns to Jack. His sleeves are
rolled. Jack notices that on one of North's forearms is
tattooed the word NAUGHTY, and on the other, NICE. North
grabs a plate from a nearby elf.
NORTH
Fruit cake?
JACK
Ah, no, thanks.
North hurls it - crash! A pause as North looks at Jack.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 39.
NORTH
Now we get down to tacks of brass!
JACK
(TO HIMSELF)
Tacks of brass?
As North cracks his knuckles, Jack stands silent. The wind
suddenly slams North's office door behind them. Jack looks
to the door, it locks itself, and he turns back. North moves
in close to Jack, backing him up against the door.
NORTH
Who are you, Jack Frost? What is
your center?
North pokes Jack in the chest.
JACK
My center?
NORTH
If Man in Moon chose you to be a
Guardian, you must have something
very special inside.
North stands up straight and begins to stroke his beard as he
gives Jack a curious look.
NORTH
Hmmmm?
North is standing in front of a shelf of Russian nesting
dolls. One is carved to look like North himself.
NORTH (CONT'D)
Here. This is how you see me, no?
Very big, intimidating. But if you
get to know me a little--
(hands the doll to Jack)
Well, go on.
Jack gives North a curious look, then sets down his staff.
He twists the doll in half, and inside is another carved
North doll, this one is a more typical Santa Claus - red
cheeked and cheery.
JACK
You are downright jolly.
NORTH
Ah, but not just jolly...
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 40.
The dolls get progressively smaller as he twists them open,
all versions of North, but all slightly different.
NORTH (CONT'D)
I am also mysterious.
(twist - smaller doll)
And fearless.
(twist - smaller doll)
And caring. And at my center...
Twist. As North approaches, Jack looks down and drops the
final Russian doll into the palm of North's hand. It's the
size of a jelly bean.
JACK
There's a tiny wooden baby?
NORTH
Look closer. What do you see?
Jack holds it up to examine it.
JACK
You have big eyes?
NORTH
Yes! Big eyes. Very big. Because
they are full! Of wonder! That is
my center. It is what I was born
with. Eyes that have always seen
the wonder in everything!
North raises his hands, and the toys on the shelves suddenly
spring to life. Jack-in-the-boxes pop, toy trains speed
around the room, soldiers march about, toy planes fly
overhead. An elf gets carried aloft by a balloon.
A flying toy plane glides by and we follow it as it makes its
way around the room. A Christmas tree is ablaze with bright
lights. Two double doors suddenly open as the flying car
enters the factory floor.
NORTH
Eyes that see lights in the trees,
and magic in the air!
As it crosses the frame, dozens of other toys are now flying
around the massive chamber. It's a truly magical moment.
North now stands outside his office, with Jack at his side.
NORTH
This wonder is what I put into the
world, and what I protect in
children.
(MORE)
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 41.
NORTH (CONT'D)
It is what makes me a Guardian. It
is my center. What is yours?
JACK
(BEAT)
I don't know.
Jack looks down into his open palm, the wooden baby stares
back at him. North closes Jack's hand. They exchange a look.
Then, something suddenly jets past a window outside. Almost
simultaneously, Bunny and Sandman come running down the
hallway toward North and Jack.
BUNNYMUND
We have a problem, mate! Trouble
at the Tooth Palace.
CUT TO:
SEQ. 1204 - SLEIGH LAUNCH
INT. LAUNCHING SHED - A MOMENT LATER
North shoves open a set of double doors, followed closely by
Bunny, Sandy, and Jack. Several Yeti's rush by as they
prepare the hangar for launch.
NORTH (O.S.)
(TO YETIS)
Boys, ship shape. As soon as
impossible.
JACK
North, North! I told you, I'm not
going with you guys! There is no
way I'm climbing into some rickety
old...
Suddenly: the SOUND of POUNDING HOOVES. BEASTLY SNORTING.
SANTA'S INCREDIBLE SLEIGH comes into view. It's a huge,
shiny, tricked out, jaw-dropping hot-rod of a sled.
JACK
...sleigh.
Jack is understandably gob-smacked, so much so that he almost
gets knocked over by one of the reindeer.
JACK
Whoa!
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 42.
NORTH
(TO REINDEER)
Hey! Moi deti, moi deti. Quiet,
quiet.
The sleigh comes to a standstill as the Guardians prepare to
climb inside. Several Yetis are still running around making
last minute preparations.
JACK
Okay, one ride, but that's it.
Jack jumps aboard. North smiles knowingly, and climbs
inside. Sandy hops up into the back seat.
NORTH
Everyone loves the sleigh.
North grabs the reigns, wrapping them around his arms. He
turns to see Bunnymund standing there, frozen and unnerved.
NORTH (CONT'D)
Bunny, what are you waiting for?
BUNNYMUND
I think my tunnels might be faster,
mate. And um, and safer.
NORTH
Ah, get in.
(hoists Bunnymund up)
Buckle up!
Bunny desperately looks around his seat.
BUNNYMUND
Whoa, whoa, whoa, where are the
bloody seatbelts?!
NORTH
(LAUGHS)
That was just expression!
North turns to one of the Yetis .
NORTH
Are we ready?
The Yeti throws his hands up in a fit shaking his head no.
NORTH
Good! Let's go! Clear!
(cracks the reigns)
Hyah!
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 43.
The sleigh is off. Elves and yetis scatter out of its path.
Sandy, Bunny, and Jack fly back into their seats. Bunny
clutches the edge of his, terrified. Jack can't help but
laugh.
NORTH
Out of the way!
The sleigh heads down a luge-like track. North and Jack are
enjoying the ride.
NORTH
Hyah!
BUNNYMUND
Ohhhhhh no!
North cracks the reigns, the sleigh plummets, an almost
vertical drop. Sandy grins calmly. Jack loves this.
Bunnymund - not so much.
BUNNYMUND
(WALLA)
Slow down, slow down!
North pulls a lever, kicking the sleigh into overdrive. He
looks back as the sleigh enters a corkscrew.
NORTH
I hope you like the loopty loops!
BUNNYMUND
(NAUSEOUS)
I hope you like carrots.
NORTH
Here we go!
WIDE SHOT as the sleigh reaches the bottom of the ramp, and
shoots upwards, launching them into bright blue sky.
JACK
WOOO-HOOOOOO!!!!!!
EXT. SLEIGH - FLYING THROUGH THE SKY - CONTINUOUS
North, reins in hand, leans into the wind as the reindeer
climb higher.
NORTH
Klasno!
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 44.
Jack, in his element, leaps up onto the rear of the sleigh to
watch the North Pole fade into the distance.
JACK
(LAUGHS)
Whoa!
Bunnymund peaks off the side of the sleigh, then leans back,
and holds on for dear life.
JACK
Hey, Bunny--
Bunny turns to see Jack standing on the back edge of the
sleigh.
JACK
Check out this view--
EEEYAAAAGGHGHH!
Jack is SWEPT OFF the sleigh and disappears! Bunny gasps in
horror and looks over the side...only to see Jack lounging on
the sleigh's skid.
JACK
Awww...you do care.
BUNNYMUND
Ah, rack off you bloody show pony!
Bunny glowers as Jack makes his way back into the sleigh.
NORTH
Hold on everyone, I know a
shortcut.
BUNNYMUND
Oh strewth, I knew we should have
taken the tunnels.
North holds a snow globe up to his face.
NORTH
I say, Tooth Palace.
An image of the Tooth Palace appears inside the snowglobe.
North throws the globe into the air and a giant vortex opens.
NORTH
Hyah!
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 45.
EXT. SKY - SLEIGH JETTING THROUGH THE SKY
A surreal light surrounds the sleigh as it hits HYPERDRIVE
and gets sucked through the snow-globe portal with a WHOOSH.
CUT TO:
SEQ. 1300 - TOOTH PALACE DESTROYED
EXT. SKY - NEAR TOOTH'S PALACE
The sleigh suddenly comes out of HYPERDRIVE at the outskirts
of the Tooth Palace. Streaks of black rapidly approaching.
NORTH
What!?
Suddenly our heroes find themselves in the midst of mayhem,
as hundreds of Nightmares and terrified Tooth Fairies jet
past. It's like a meteor storm. North yanks the reins, and
the sleigh veers sharply, dodging the oncoming Nightmares.
NORTH
What are they!?
Sandy and Bunny duck the onslaught.
BUNNYMUND
Whoa!
Jack now sees that the Nightmares are actually GULPING DOWN
the fleeing fairies and flying off with them. It's chaos.
JACK
They're taking the tooth fairies!
Jack looks up to see a lone fairy with a Nightmare snapping
at its heels. Jack leaps into the air and rescues it before
the Nightmare can snatch it away.
Jack lands back in the sleigh. He opens his hand to reveal
Baby Tooth, who's shaking with fear.
JACK
Hey little Baby Tooth, you okay?
As Baby Tooth nods, North steers the sleigh forward through
the storm toward the entrance of Tooth's Palace.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 46.
INT. TOOTH PALACE - A MOMENT LATER
A vast chamber supported by pillars containing millions of
tiny wooden deposit boxes from floor to ceiling. North spots
a Nightmare up ahead and hands Jack the reigns.
NORTH
Here, take over!
BUNNYMUND
Huh?
Jack, though surprised, quickly grabs the reigns and smiles
as he snaps them.
JACK
Hyah!
North readies his sword and SLICES the Nightmare in half --
NORTH
Yah!
SEVERAL TOOTH BOXES spill out of the split Nightmare and rain
down into the sleigh at the Guardians' feet. The Nightmare
disintegrates into black sand.
BUNNYMUND
They're stealing the teeth!
Sandy looks at his hands and sees the Nightmare sand take
shape and drift away. He and Bunny exchange a look.
The Guardians turn -- they're headed straight for a pillar.
NORTH
Jack, look out!
Jack pulls the reins --
JACK
Aaaahhhh!
-- the sleigh nearly misses the pillar and skids to a rough
stop on a platform. They see Tooth up above.
NORTH
Tooth! Are you alright?
Tooth is flying around, visibly frustrated. This is bad.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 47.
TOOTH
They, they took my fairies! And
the teeth! All of them!
Everything is gone! Everything.
Only then does it hit her. Tooth's wings drop in defeat.
She's completely lost amidst the devastation. The Guardians
rush to comfort her. Jack stays behind as Baby Tooth pops
out from the hood of his tunic and flies over toward Tooth.
TOOTH
Oh thank goodness! One of you is
alright!
PITCH (O.S.)
I have to say, this is very, very
exciting.
Pitch's voice echoes across the open chamber. They look up to
see Pitch, standing high above them with a satisfied smile.
PITCH
The Big Four, all in one place.
I'm a little star-struck.
(BEAT)
Did you like my show on the globe,
North? Got you all together,
didn't I?
Tooth darts after Pitch, but he escapes into the shadows.
TOOTH
Pitch, you have got thirty seconds
to return my fairies!
PITCH (O.S.)
Or what?
Tooth follows the sound of Pitch's voice and finds him near
one of her tooth box columns.
PITCH
You'll stick a quarter under my
pillow?
NORTH
Why are you doing this?
PITCH
Maybe I want what you have. To be
believed in.
Jack takes this in. Pitch moves along the walls and shadows
of the chamber and emerges from behind a column.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 48.
PITCH
Maybe I'm tired of hiding under
beds.
BUNNYMUND
Maybe that's where you belong.
PITCH
Ah, go suck an egg, rabbit!
Bunny looks down past the edge of the platform to find Pitch
upside down, staring him in the face. Pitch disappears again.
PITCH (O.S.)
Hang on, is that...Jack Frost?
(LAUGHS)
Since when are you all so chummy?
JACK
We're not.
PITCH
Oh good.
Jack turns and sees Pitch standing in the middle of a column.
PITCH
A neutral party. Then I'm going to
ignore you. But, you must be used
to that by now.
BUNNYMUND
Pitch! You shadow sneaking rat-
bag! Come here!
Bunny goes after Pitch, but he disappears and reemerges on an
opposite column. Tooth spots him, grabs one of Bunny's
boomerangs and flies at Pitch in a rage...
TOOTH
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
Pitch looks at Tooth with a smile and before she can reach
him, a huge Nightmare darts out of hiding and rears up at
her. Tooth falls back. Baby Tooth hides in Jack's tunic.
PITCH
(SOOTHING)
Whoa! Hey, easy, girl. Easy.
Pitch draws a wisp of black sand from Onyx's mane, twirls it
in his palm, and turns toward Sandy.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 49.
PITCH
Look familiar, Sandman? Took me a
while to perfect this little trick.
Turning dreams into Nightmares.
Pitch notices the shocked Guardians.
PITCH
Don't be nervous, it only riles
them up more. They smell fear you
know.
BUNNYMUND
What fear? Of you!? No one's been
afraid of you since the Dark Ages!
Pitch's eyes flash with anger. But then he smiles.
PITCH
(NOSTALGIC)
Oh, the Dark Ages.
EXT. VILLAGE - NIGHT - FLASHBACK
A parent and her two children, huddled around a campfire,
scream as a shadow, resembling Pitch, washes over them. It
makes its way up the side of a mountain to reveal Pitch,
smiling as he stares up at the moon.
PITCH (V.O.)
(NOSTALGIC)
Everyone frightened. Miserable.
Such happy times for me. Oh, the
power I wielded!
EXT. VILLAGE - NIGHT - FLASHBACK - CONTINUOUS
PITCH (V.O.)
But then the Man in the Moon chose
you to replace my fear with your
wonder and light!
North's sleigh flies in front of the moon. Tooth and her
fairies flit by while SANDY's Dreamsand dances across the sky
and Bunny leaps across rooftops.
PITCH (V.O.)
Lifting their hearts! And giving
them hope!
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 50.
Pitch, thinner and weaker than he is now, slips back into the
shadows after children run through him while playing in the
streets, laughing as they go.
PITCH (V.O.)
Meanwhile, everyone wrote me off as
just a bad dream! "Oh, there's
nothing to be afraid of! There's
no such thing as the Boogeyman!"
BACK TO THE TOOTH PALACE
Pitch leans toward the Guardians, showing nothing but
contempt.
PITCH (CONT'D)
Well that's all about to change.
A SOUND behind Pitch: one of the COLUMNS of the Palace begins
to crack and crumble, as if decaying. Tooth is stunned...
PITCH
Oh look, it's happening already.
JACK
What is?
Tooth's eyes widen in shock.
VIGNETTES OF CHILDREN AROUND THE WORLD
PITCH (V.O.)
Children are waking up and
realizing the Tooth Fairy never
came.
Lifting pillows and finding their BABY TEETH still there.
PITCH (V.O.)
I mean such a little thing, but to
a child...
PULL OUT from the last VIGNETTE, all the way out of TOOTH'S
WIDE-OPEN EYE, and BACK TO SCENE. Jack, mystified, moves
closer to Tooth as the palace continues to crumble.
JACK
What's going on?
TOOTH
They, they don't believe in me
anymore.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 51.
PITCH
Didn't they tell you, Jack? It's
great being a Guardian -- but
there's a catch. If enough kids
stop believing, everything your
friends protect - wonder, hopes and
dreams - it all goes away. And
little by little, so do they.
Jack's realizes now the magnitude of Pitch's plan.
PITCH
No Christmas, or Easter, or little
fairies that come in the night.
There will be nothing. But fear
and darkness and me! It's your
turn not to be believed in!
Bunny throws his boomerangs at Pitch, who quickly ducks out
of the way as they fly around the chamber columns. Pitch
then jumps onto the back of Onyx down into the depths of the
Palace. The Guardians dive after him, followed by Jack.
Bunny grabs a set of egg bombs and launches them at Pitch,
exploding seconds before Pitch hits the ground.
CUT TO:
SEQ. 1325 - JACK'S DECISION
INT. TOOTH PALACE - LAGOON - MOMENTS LATER
The Guardians land --
NORTH
He's gone.
LATER
Tooth, deflated, sits on the ground with an empty tooth box
in her hands. Baby Tooth, resting on a nearby broken tooth
box, looks to Tooth with concern. Jack walks up and crouches
down alongside Tooth.
BUNNYMUND (O.S.)
Okay, alright I admit it, you were
right about Pitch.
NORTH (O.S.)
This is one time I wish I was
wrong. But he will pay.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 52.
JACK
I'm sorry, about the fairies.
TOOTH
(not her bubbly self)
You should've seen them. They put
up such a fight.
JACK
Why would Pitch take the teeth?
TOOTH
It's not the teeth he wanted. It's
the memories inside them.
JACK
(BEAT)
What do you mean?
Tooth leads Jack across the pond, the water freezing under
his feet as he walks.
TOOTH
That's why we collect the teeth,
Jack. They hold the most important
memories of childhood.
Tooth directs him to a MURAL, which illustrates this.
TOOTH (CONT'D)
My fairies and I watch over them
and when someone needs to remember
what's important, we help them.
Jack takes a second to admire the immense beauty of the mural
before him.
TOOTH (CONT'D)
We had everyone's here. Yours too.
JACK
My memories?
TOOTH
From when you were young. Before
you became Jack Frost.
JACK
(BEAT)
But, I wasn't anyone before I was
Jack Frost.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 53.
TOOTH
Of course you were. We were all
someone before we were chosen.
JACK
What?
NORTH
(CHUCKLES)
You should've seen Bunny.
BUNNYMUND
Hey, I told you never to mention
that!
Jack, confused, is trying to process all this.
JACK
That night at the pond...I just,
why I assumed...Are you saying, are
you saying I had a life before
that? With a home? And a family?
TOOTH
You really don't remember?
Jack's expression says it all. Finally the key to all his
questions.
JACK
All these years, and the answers
were right here. If I find my
memories, then I'll know why I'm
here.
(TO TOOTH)
You have to show me.
Jack, using his control of the wind, lifts up off the ground
and flies across the pond.
TOOTH
I...I can't, Jack. Pitch has them.
Jack floats down onto a rock, overlooking the Guardians.
JACK
Then we have to get them back!
Suddenly, a patch of Tooth's feathers fall out, and
disappears. The Guardians eyes fill with worry.
TOOTH
Oh no!
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 54.
Jack is stricken. He looks back -- the ancient MURAL begins
TO DISINTEGRATE--
TOOTH (CONT'D)
The children. We're too late.
NORTH
No! No! No such thing as too
late!
(GETS IDEA)
Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait,
wait. Idea!! HAHH!!
He's gleeful. The others look at each other as if he's nuts.
NORTH (CONT'D)
We will collect the teeth!
TOOTH
What?
NORTH
We get teeth! Children keep
believing in you!
TOOTH
We're talking seven continents!
Millions of kids!
NORTH
Give me break! You know how many
toys I deliver in one night?
BUNNYMUND
And eggs I hide in one day?
North turns to Jack.
NORTH
And Jack, if you help us, we will
get you your memories.
Jack looks to Tooth, who gives him a reassuring smile. Sandy
gives to enthusiastic thumbs up while Bunny groans. Jack
looks back to North with a smile.
JACK
I'm in.
CUT TO:
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 55.
SEQ. 1350 - TOOTH COLLECTION
EXT. SHANGHAI ROOFTOPS - NIGHT
We transition to the SHANGHAI SKYLINE as North BOOMS up out
of a chimney, dashing along the rooftops.
NORTH
(LAUGHS)
Quickly! Quickly!
North BOOMS down another chimney as Bunnymund races into view
a rooftop away.
BUNNYMUND
Here we go, here we go...
Jack zips into view, calling out to Bunny.
JACK
Hop to it rabbit, I'm five teeth
ahead!
BUNNYMUND
Yeah right, look, I'd tell you to
stay outta my way, but really
what's the point -- because you
won't be able to keep up anyway.
JACK
Is that a challenge, cottontail?
BUNNYMUND
Oh, you don't wanna race a rabbit,
mate.
As we pan across the rooftops, BOOM! North bursts up out of
a nearby chimney.
NORTH
A race? Is it a race??
North jumps into one chimney, then shoots out of another
across the way.
NORTH (CONT'D)
This is going to be...
North disappears down yet another chimney only to emerge with
a bang out the top of another.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 56.
NORTH (CONT'D)
EPIC!!
As North leaps out of frame, Tooth darts into view, in
hummingbird overdrive, dazzled by the lights and traffic.
Baby Tooth struggles to keep up.
TOOTH
Four bicuspids over there! An
incisor two blocks east! Is that a
molar? They're EVERYWHERE!
Tooth, overwhelmed, jets off without paying attention and
SUDDENLY --
THOOMP -- she smacks into a TOOTHPASTE BILLBOARD.
TOOTH
Ow!
Jack jumps up to the billboard to check on her.
JACK
Ah, you okay?
TOOTH
Fine...sorry, it's been a really
long time since I've been out in
the field.
JACK
How long is a long time?
TOOTH
Ah, four hundred forty years...give
or take.
Tooth jerks to attention: suddenly her VIEW ZOOMS IN thru a
LITTLE GIRL'S BEDROOM WINDOW: a tiny GLOW under her pillow
marks a freshly planted TOOTH.
Tooth gasps and her eyes go wide -- she FLIES to the window,
excited. Jack reacts, looks to Baby Tooth: it's gonna be a
long night.
JACK
Hmm...
INT. BOY'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Jack, cocksure, arrives outside an open window. His smile
suddenly disappears when he sees a RABBIT HOLE open up in the
bedroom floor and Bunny hops out.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 57.
EXT. BOY'S BEDROOM - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
Bunny, now holding the tooth in his paw, turns to Jack and
laughs. Jack, not amused, zaps Bunny with burst of frost
from his staff.
BUNNYMUND (O.S.)
Aaahhh!
EXT. MIDDLE EAST - NIGHT
The Guardians fly over a Middle Eastern city in North's
sleigh as the full moon lights up the night sky.
INT. KID'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
North pulls TWO teeth, one with each hand: TWINS.
NORTH
TWINS
(BEAT)
Yipa!!
INT. BOY'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Bunny pulls out his hand from under a pillow revealing
SEVERAL TEETH.
BUNNYMUND
Jackpot!
Pull out wider to reveal HOCKEY TROPHIES, POSTERS and
PARAPHERNALIA EVERYWHERE. Bunny grins.
BUNNYMUND
Looks like you're a bit of a
brumby, hey mate.
INT. BOY'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
North stands at the side of a boy's bed.
NORTH
(LAUGHS)
Is piece of pie!
He falls into a rabbit hole, finding himself face to face
with Bunny. He growls. SANDMAN enters and takes the boy's
tooth for himself.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 58.
BUNNYMUND
Ow!
NORTH
(LOUD WHISPER)
That's my tooth! Sandy! Sandy!
EXT. BEDROOM - NIGHT
Jack parkours between two buildings and into a window.
INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
Jack flies in through the window when suddenly, a rabbit hole
appears. As Jack disappears through the rabbit hole, Bunny
appears through an adjacent hole laughing to himself.
INT. BEDROOM NIGHT
Tooth reaches under a pillow and pulls out a Tooth with a
mouse attached to the other end. Baby Tooth tackles the
mouse.
TOOTH
Whoa, whoa, whoa! Take it easy
there, champ! He's one of us!
Part of the European division.
(to the mouse)
Ca va?
The mouse gestures back angrily.
EXT. SKYLINE - NIGHT
North and the Guardians, riding North's sleigh, exit a
wormhole. North laughs as they fly over the city.
INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT
Bunny pulls a note from under a pillow instead of a tooth.
BUNNYMUND
Huh?
The note shows an arrow, pointing toward the window. He
looks up to the window: North holds up a tooth as he grins,
then leaps off the ledge laughing.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 59.
EXT. ROOFTOP - NIGHT
Bunny lands on a rooftop, holding a tooth in his paw, and
proud of himself. Then, Bunny hears the sound of ice and
FROST--
BUNNYMUND
Crikey!
--and disappears from view. Bunny is now sliding down the
side of a roof on a sheet of ice. Jack grabs the tooth from
Bunny's paw as he slides past and holds it high in the air.
JACK
(LAUGHS)
Yes!
Jack holds up the tooth, but within moments a hand snatches
it. Jack looks to see Sandy waving `bye-bye' as he flies off
on his Dreamsand cloud.
JACK
No!
EXT. ROOFTOP - NIGHT
North dances across a rooftop and quickly drops into a
chimney to enter a house -- we DROP FAST THROUGH THE ROOF AND
CEILING...
INT. HOUSE UNDER ROOFTOP - CONTINUOUS
...to see BUNNY'S PAW as it LIGHTS THE FIREPLACE. Bunny
grins demonically in the firelight.
BUNNYMUND
Haha! Ho, ho, ho!
EXT. PARIS - SKLYLINE - NIGHT
A large burst of fire shoots out the top of a distant
chimney.
NORTH (O.S.)
Ahh!
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 60.
EXT. ROOFTOP - NIGHT
Jack, North, Sandy, and Bunny stand proudly. Each one of
them revealing their own bag filled with teeth to Tooth.
Tooth is overwhelmed by their collective effort.
TOOTH
Wow! You guys collect teeth and
leave gifts as fast as my fairies.
Their eyes widen and Tooth is suddenly panic stricken.
TOOTH (CONT'D)
You guys have been leaving gifts,
right?
The rest of the group turns to each other, sinking their
heads and biting their lips in embarrassment.
EXT. LAUNDROMAT - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
The Guardians stand in line, waiting their turn to put dollar
bills into a coin dispenser.
A SERIES OF CLOSE SHOTS, VERY FAST
- Baby Tooth puts a COIN under a pillow.
- Now Jack puts a coin under a pillow.
- North's hand pulls a Tooth from under a pillow. He
replaces it pair of CANDY CANES and a few COINS.
- Bunny stomps his feet and falls through a rabbit hole to
reveal a pair of Easter Eggs atop a child's bed.
- Sandy walks through a doggy door with a coin in his hand.
In shock, he sees North laughing while arranging Christmas
decorations in the child's bedroom.
INT. BOY'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
A young boy, holding a stuffed animal and a sippy cup to his
mouth, looks out his bedroom window. The Guardians, cast in
moonlight, bound across the adjacent rooftops. The young
boy, dumbfounded, drops his juice.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 61.
EXT. SKYLINE - NIGHT
The Guardians fly across the night sky only to disappear
through a snowglobe portal. Nearby, a Nightmare observes as
the sleigh vanishes. It leaps off the roof, through a drain,
and down into the sewers.
CUT TO:
SEQ. 1650 - PITCH'S LAIR
INT. PITCH'S LAIR - NIGHT
The SPY NIGHTMARE flies down into a dark cavernous space.
Large STEEL CAGES hang all around and trapped inside are the
MINI TEETH.
The Nightmare heads toward Pitch, standing at his own GLOBE,
which is conspicuously covered in lights.
PITCH
The lights...why aren't they going
out?
The Nightmare approaches from behind and lets out a soft
whiney; Pitch stiffens at the news.
PITCH
They're collecting the teeth?
The MINI TEETH perk up at this, and start twittering
excitedly, which echoes throughout the lair.
PITCH
Oh pipe down, or I'll stuff a
pillow with you!
The Mini Teeth begin to settle down. PITCH looks at the
Nightmare, frustrated, and scowls. The Nightmare winces and
disperses into tiny particles.
A strand of NIGHTMARE SAND from the Nightmare twirls in the
air, and Pitch twists it with his fingers, turning it into a
crude image of the SANDMAN.
PITCH
Fine, have your last hurrah. For
tomorrow, all you pathetic
scrambling will be for nothing.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 62.
And he crushes the image in his fist.
CUT TO:
SEQ. 1575 - IN JAMIE'S BEDROOM
INT. JAMIE'S BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS
A cool looking ROBOT TOY rests on Jamie's bedside table.
Jamie is sound asleep in bed. A smile across his face
reveals the recently formed gap between his teeth.
TOOTH (O.S.)
Left central incisor, knocked out
in a freak sledding accident. I
wonder how that could have
happened, Jack?
Jack laughs as he looks at JAMIE'S DRAWING of himself during
the SNOWBALL FIGHT on the wall. He's midair, blasting his
friends with snowballs. He smiles and then turns to Tooth.
JACK
(LAUGHS)
Kids, huh?
He watches as Tooth reaches under the pillow. She hovers
over Jamie as he stirs in his sleep. A dreamy smile comes
over her as she gazes down at the sleeping boy.
TOOTH
This was always the part I liked
most - seeing the kids.
(BEAT)
Why did I ever stop doing this?
A beat; Jack sees how much it means to her.
JACK
It's a little different up close,
huh?
Tooth gives him a look: he's right.
TOOTH
Thanks for being here, Jack. I
wish I had known about your memory,
I could've helped you.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 63.
JACK
Yeah, well, look let's just get you
taken care of. Then it's Pitch's
turn, huh?
A sudden COMMOTION. They both turn to the window.
NORTH
Here you are!
North, carrying a large sack over his shoulder, struggles to
climb in through the small window. Sandman and Baby Tooth
climb in after. Everybody whispers.
TOOTH
SSHHHHHHHH!!
NORTH
Oh, what gives slowpokes!?
Jamie is still sound asleep.
NORTH
How you feeling, Toothy?
TOOTH
Believed in.
NORTH
(LAUGHS)
Haha! That's what I want to hear.
BUNNYMUND (O.S.)
Oh I see how it is...
Bunny comes in through a rabbit hole in the floorboards.
BUNNYMUND (CONT'D)
All working together to make sure
the rabbit gets last place.
North now holds his index fingers up to his lips.
NORTH
SSSHHHHHHHHH!!!
JACK
You think I need help to beat a
bunny? Check it out, Peter
Cottontail.
Jack lifts up his sack of teeth.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 64.
BUNNYMUND
You call that a bag of choppers?
(lifting larger sack)
Now that's a bag of choppers.
NORTH
Gentlemen! Gentlemen! This is
about Tooth. It's not a
competition! But if it was --
(reveals even larger sack)
I win. YEEEEEHAAAHH!
And he strikes a Russian dancing pose as...
Suddenly a bright circle of light is cast on the Guardians.
NORTH (CONT'D)
Oh no...
JAMIE (O.C.)
(SURPRISED)
Santa Claus?
They all turn slowly to see Jamie sitting up in bed, holding
a flashlight, wide awake and beaming in disbelief.
JAMIE (CONT'D)
The Easter Bunny?...Sandman...The
Tooth Fairy! I knew you'd come!
TOOTH
Surprise!
(GIGGLING)
We came!
JACK
He can see us?
Jamie looks around, amazed, he sees everyone but Jack.
BUNNYMUND
Most of us.
TOOTH
Shhh! You guys, he's still awake.
BUNNYMUND
Sandy! Knock him out!
They all look to him, scandalized. Jamie looks concerned.
JAMIE
Huh?
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 65.
BUNNYMUND
With the Dreamsand, ya gumbies.
But then Jamie's GREYHOUND rises up into frame, fully awake,
its nostrils flaring at the scent he's picked up.
JAMIE
No, stop that's the Easter Bunny.
What are you doing, Abbey? Down!
The dog is nose to nose with Bunnymund.
BUNNYMUND
Alright, nobody panic.
JACK
(ENJOYING THIS)
But that's a um, that's a
greyhound. Do you know what
greyhounds do to rabbits?
BUNNYMUND
I think it's a pretty safe bet he's
never met a rabbit like me -
While Sandy forms a Dreamsand baseball, Jack rolls his eyes
and notices an alarm clock on the bedside table.
BUNNYMUND (CONT'D)
Six foot one, nerves of steel,
master of tai-chi and the ancient
ART OF--
Jack can't resist: he reaches over stealthily and SETS OFF
THE ALARM CLOCK with his staff. RRRRRIIIIING!
BUNNYMUND
Crikey.
Bunny is off like a shot, the greyhound right on his tail,
running laps in the small room, the dog barking like crazy.
JAMIE
Stop! Sit!
Sandy, amused, makes a Dreamsand baseball to stop the dog,
but bobbles it as the dog brushes past.
JAMIE
Down girl, down!
The others stand out of the way as Bunny and the dog run up
the walls and over the bed.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 66.
As Tooth tries to silence the alarm clock, Jack can barely
contain his laughter. Sandy takes aim as Bunny and the dog
run circles around him--
NORTH
Sandy, Sandy!
The dog jumps past North, knocking him back.
NORTH
Ah!
As Sandy winds up, the dog suddenly SMACKS right into him.
The Dreamsand goes flying.
TOOTH
Hey, this is not proper Tooth Fairy
behavior!
North ducks out of the way as the Dreamsand sails toward him.
The Dreamsand baseball smacks Tooth right in the face and
explodes into golden dust. Tooth and her fairy fall to the
ground as a golden tooth takes shape above their heads.
Streams of Dreamsand make their way around the room.
BUNNYMUND (O.C.)
Ah, this thing's rabid! Get this
dingo off me!
Bunny gets a whiff of the golden sand. The image of a carrot
quickly takes shape in front of his face.
BUNNYMUND
Oh no.
THUD! Bunny falls over asleep. THUD! So does the dog.
North tries to scramble out of the way, but there's no escape
in this tiny room.
NORTH
Candy canes...
He teeters for a moment as Dreamsand candy canes appear
before him, then falls like a giant Sequoia, landing - THUD! -
on the end of Jamie's bed, which sends Jamie catapulting
through the air.
JAMIE
Whoaaaaaaaaaa!
Luckily he lands -- OOF! -- in Sandy's arms. He starts to
wake up AGAIN, but Sandy is there with a fistful of sand --
BOOF! -- and Jamie too is out cold.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 67.
Jack and Sandy look down at the sleeping boy, relieved. Then
they look around -- a heap of sleeping, snoring bodies.
JACK
Whoops...
Bunny is snuggled up next to North. A carrot and candy
canes, made of Dreamsand, hold hands as they dance above
Bunny and North's head.
Jack comes down off the dresser and turns to Sandy, who has
put Jamie back in bed. Sandy lifts North's arm and lets go,
it's completely limp and falls flat. Sandy smiles at Jack,
who chuckles.
JACK
Oh, I really wish I had a camera
right now.
Sandy eyes suddenly widen. There's a Nightmare behind Jack.
Jack turns to see A NIGHTMARE staring through the window.
Without hesitation, Jack jumps out the window after it.
JACK (O.S.)
(SHOUTS)
Sandy, c'mon! We can find Pitch.
Sandy pauses for a moment, then follows Jack's lead.
BACK IN JAMIE'S ROOM - INTERCUT
The sleeping Guardians are where we left them. Jamie's
bedroom door opens, and Sophie toddles in. She takes in the
scene, amused. She toddles over to North, giggling.
She pokes at his rotund belly. Then she notices something.
She reaches into his pocket and pulls out a snow globe.
SOPHIE
Pretty!
She looks over to see the Easter Bunny, sound asleep on the
floor.
SOPHIE
Bunny! Hop! Hop! Hop!
Suddenly the snow globe lights up. Sophie's eyes widen as
she looks at the beautiful vista inside the globe. It's
Bunny's warren.
She takes the globe and toddles off for the door, when she
trips - again - and the snow globe smashes on the floor.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 68.
SOPHIE
Ow!
BOOMF!! A flash of LIGHT. She looks up to see a magical
portal open in front of her. A GUST WIND comes blowing out
of the portal. Sophie giggles, and toddles through the
portal.
North's bleary EYES pop open mid-snore.
NORTH
Whuh-huh...?
CUT TO:
SEQ. 1600 - SANDMAN ATTACKED
EXT. BURGESS NEIGHBORHOOD - NIGHT
TWO NIGHTMARES zigzag along the rooftops, searching for
victims. Jack, loving the chase, is in hot pursuit with
Sandy, who's riding along on a streak of Dreamsand--
JACK
Wahooo!
(BEAT)
Haha! Yes!
One of the Nightmares splits off, angling for a BEDROOM
WINDOW. Sandy calmly follows--
The Nightmare flies right through the WINDOW and SANDY does
the same -- the OTHER ONE angles up over the house's ROOF to
evade Jack, who PARKOURS over the roof after it--
JACK
Waaahahoooo!
Through the WINDOWS BELOW, FLASHES OF GOLDEN and SICKLY GREEN
LIGHT race through the house as Sandy battles the Nightmare--
The Nightmares and Jack ZOOM away from the house just as
Sandy and the FIRST NIGHTMARE blast out of the window, Sandy
wrestling it until -- POOF! It explodes into golden
DREAMSAND which he quickly transforms into a Sting Ray for
him to ride--
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 69.
EXT. DOWNTOWN BURGESS - CONTINUOUS
Jack flies through town on the heels of the Nightmare. It
makes a sharp turn down an alleyway and Jack is quick to
follow.
The Nightmare then veers up the wall of the alley and onto a
ROOFTOP. Jack whips a blast from his staff and HITS the
Nightmare before it disappears from view.
JACK
(JAZZED)
HAAAH! I got it!
Jack jumps up onto the roof and prods the frozen Nightmare
with his staff.
JACK
Sandy! Sandy, did you see that?!?
Look at this thing!
Jack can barely contain his excitement as he calls out to
Sandy -- but suddenly Pitch lurches out from behind an air
conditioning unit on the rooftop.
PITCH
Frost?
Jack blasts a WAVE OF FROST across the rooftop, but Pitch
easily dodges it, reappearing behind Jack on the adjoining
rooftop.
PITCH
You know, for a "neutral party" you
spend an awful lot of time with
those weirdos.
(BEAT)
This isn't your fight, Jack.
Jack's eyes narrow. He holds out his staff, ready to strike.
JACK
You made it my fight when you stole
those teeth.
Pitch regards him curiously.
PITCH
Teeth? Why do you care about the
teeth?
When he notices something and turns to find Sandy calmly
standing on the rooftop next to him. Pitch quickly
sidesteps, moving away from Sandy.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 70.
PITCH
(CHUCKLING)
Now this is who I'm looking for--
Before Pitch can finish a DREAMSAND STREAM whips around him,
forcing him to duck and dodge Sandy's sudden attack.
PITCH
Whoa--??
Pitch DISPERSES a stream of NIGHTMARE SAND, turning it into a
gigantic sickle and swings it back at Sandy. Jack ducks,
avoiding injury as Sandy's pushed back against a ledge.
Sandy quickly grabs Pitch with another DREAMSAND STREAM and
yanks him off his feet, slamming him repeatedly against the
tops of the buildings until finally throwing him off the
rooftop.
Pitch bounces off the ground as he crashes into an EMPTY
STREET. As Sandy dusts his hands and calmly steps off the
rooftop to follow, Jack looks on, astonished.
JACK
Remind me not to get on your bad
side.
EXT. EMPTY STREET - CONTINUOUS
Pitch shakes off the crash, trying to back up as Sandy
touches down and moves toward him, Jack following. Pitch
cowers on the ground in fear as they approach.
PITCH
(looks up, pleading)
Okay, easy! You can't blame me for
trying, Sandy. You don't know what
it's like to be weak and hated. It
was stupid of me to mess with your
dreams. So I'll tell you what-
Sandy continues forward, grim faced...but suddenly Pitch
stops cowering and stands up. His tone changes.
PITCH (CONT'D)
You can have `em back!
Before Jack and Sandy can react, a Nightmare shoots up
through a storm drain as several other Nightmares gather in
the alley behind him.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 71.
Jack and Sandy look around as hundreds of Nightmares descend
from the surrounding rooftops to encircle them. This doesn't
look good. Jack, worried, looks to Sandy and mutters...
JACK
You take the ones on the left, I'll
take the ones on the right?
Meanwhile, Pitch rises up from off the ground as Onyx takes
shape underneath him.
Pitch grabs onto Onyx's mane as it snorts and snarls. He
then leans forward.
PITCH
Boo!
Pitch's army of Nightmares begin to charge. Then suddenly,
the sound of BELLS and REINDEER echo in the distance--
NORTH'S SLEIGH bursts through the clouds. Jack and Pitch
look up into the sky as it circles overhead. The sleigh
turns toward Pitch, only to fly a few feet over his head.
Pitch turns as it passes over him, slightly confused.
NORTH'S SLEIGH
North's asleep at the wheel, along with Bunny and Tooth.
Suddenly, the sleigh clips one of its skis as it flies over
City Hall, jolting North to attention.
NORTH
Ah!
Bunny awakes with a fright from a bad a dream.
BUNNYMUND
Get outta my warren!
(realizes he's awake now)
Huh?
EXT. EMPTY STREET - CONTINUOUS
Still battling Nightmares, Sandy propels himself and Jack
into the air with a stream of Dreamsand and launches Jack
away from the Nightmares. Jack quickly orients himself and
knocks an oncoming Nightmare with his staff.
Tooth quickly jumps off the side of the sleigh toward Jack
and Sandy.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 72.
Jack, knocks away a few more Nightmares with his staff, and
looks up. Tooth suddenly flies into view through the swarm
of Nightmares, slicing them apart with her wings, causing
them to EXPLODE into BLACK SAND.
PITCH
Pitch gives a signal and leaps into the air, leading another
wave of Nightmares after the Guardians.
SLEIGH
Back in the sleigh, Bunny jumps out and lands on a nearby
roof.
Bunny quickly tosses his boomerang which disintegrates every
Nightmare in its path. Bunny catches the returning
boomerang, leaps off the roof, and grabs the skids of the
sleigh as it passes by.
THE SLEIGH
North stands, drawing both his scimitars, and dices the
oncoming Nightmares to bits as they attack.
NORTH
Ha. Ha. Ha. Come on!
Jack heads back to the sleigh by dodging two Nightmares as
they attack. As he continues his descent, Jack is suddenly
blind sided by another Nightmare, which knocks the staff from
his hands.
For a moment, Jack is in a state of panic as he finds himself
in free fall.
JACK
Aaaaaaaah!
He finally manages to hook onto the staff, control his
descent, and land on the sleigh as it flies past.
BUNNYMUND
(coolly, to Jack)
You might want to duck.
Jack DUCKS as a Nightmare rears up behind him, but one of
Bunny's BOOMERANGS blasts through it and zips back to Bunny's
waiting paw.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 73.
SANDY
Sandy high up in he clouds, does his best to contain the MASS
OF NIGHTMARES that are swirling around him.
PITCH
Pitch rises from behind a group of Nightmares. He stretches
his arms as an ARROW of NIGHTMARE SAND forms behind him.
SLEIGH
Jack and the Guardians watch as more Nightmares speed away to
join their herd. Sandy looks overwhelmed by the onslaught.
JACK
We gotta help Sandy!
NORTH
Hyah!
North cracks the reigns, turns the sleigh, and heads toward
the swirling cloud of yellow and black sand.
PITCH
Pitch takes aim and releases the arrow. It flies through the
air and into SANDY'S back, exploding on impact.
SLEIGH
The Guardians look on, horrified.
JACK
Noooo!
Jack leaps ahead of the sleigh and flies toward Sandy.
NORTH
Jack!
PITCH
Sandy feels the shock and turns around. A patch of blackness
starts slowly spreading across his body. Pitch laughs as he
and Sandy lock eyes.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 74.
PITCH
Hahahahaha!...Don't fight the fear,
little man.
THE SLEIGH
The Guardians continue to speed toward Sandy, but Nightmares
begin colliding with the sleigh, slowing their progress.
NORTH
Hurry, hurry!
PITCH
Pitch relishes this moment of triumph.
PITCH
I'd say sweet dreams, but there
aren't any left.
Sandy, his eyes filled with terror, falls to his knees as the
patch of blackness continues to spread.
JACK
Jack presses on, trying to reach Sandy as fast as he can.
SANDY
Sandy stands up, accepting his fate, and closes his eyes as
he and his Dreamsand cloud are consumed by the writhing
blackness of the Nightmare sand.
THE SLEIGH
NORTH
Sandy...
JACK
Horrified, clenches his staff as he flies toward Pitch.
JACK
No...NOOOOOO!!!!
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 75.
SANDY
Sandy's gone. His beautiful Golden Dreamsand, now black,
merges with the rest of Pitch's Nightmare sand.
PITCH
Is beyond delighted. His plan actually worked!
Pitch then notices Jack flying towards him, glowing energy
emanating from Jack's staff. Pitch raises his hands and
sends a massive wave of Nightmares toward Jack.
THE SLEIGH
The Guardians are stunned.
JACK
Jack quickly realizes that's he's in over his head as the
attacking Nightmares begin to overtake him. He's engulfed by
Nightmares and there is nothing but silence.
PITCH
Pitch looks on with a smile until a bolt of lightning
suddenly erupts from within the writhing black sand.
JACK
JACK
Ahhhhhh!!!!!
A gust of wind blows past Pitch, quickly followed by a
massive wave of ice and frost that rockets back up the stream
of Nightmare sand toward him, culminating in an explosion of
ice and snow.
PITCH
AAAHH!!!!
EXT. BURGESS - NIGHT
Jack free falls back to Earth, unconscious.
NORTH
Jack!
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 76.
Tooth quickly rescues him and sets him back down in the
sleigh.
TOOTH
Jack, how did you do that?
JACK
(REGAINING CONSCIOUSNESS)
I, I didn't know I could.
EXT. BURGESS FOREST - NIGHT
Pitch pulls himself laboriously from the mud and weeds
amongst the trees where he's crash-landed, oddly, he seems
delighted.
He looks up to see a BRIGHT GLOW -- North's SNOWGLOBE PORTAL.
The sleigh zooms into it and it WINKS OUT.
Pitch shakes the FROST from his arms as scores of Nightmares
swarm behind Pitch, regrouping after the blast. Pitch, at
the center, seems as pleased as can be.
PITCH
Finally! Someone who knows how to
have a little FUN!
CUT TO:
SEQ. 1700 - GUARDIANS REGROUP
INT. NORTH POLE - GLOBE ROOM - DAY
We're in the midst of a somber ceremony, marking the passing
of Sandy. Burning candles line the perimeter of Sandy's
stone emblem.
Tooth sets down a candle and stands shoulder to shoulder with
North and Bunny. The three hold hands in solace.
The ringing of somber bells can be heard echoing throughout
the chamber, as we reveal the elves and a yeti ringing the
elf bells as part of a ceremonial dirge.
INT. NORTH POLE - GLOBE ROOM - DAY - MOMENTS LATER
Jack, facing a window, FROSTS OVER THE GLASS with his finger
to form a symbol of Sandy. North slowly walks up behind him.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 77.
NORTH
Are you alright?
Jack remains still, his eyes fixed on the image of Sandy.
JACK
I just, I wish I could've done
something.
NORTH
Done something? Jack, you stood up
to Pitch. You saved us.
JACK
But Sandy wo--
NORTH
(putting his hand on
JACK'S SHOULDER)
Would be proud of what you did.
Jack pulls back his hoodie and stands up.
NORTH (CONT'D)
I don't know who you were in your
past life, but in this life you are
Guardian.
JACK
But how can I know who I am, until
I find out who I was?
NORTH
You will. I feel it, in my belly.
Jack and North approach the globe which is losing lights at
an alarming rate.
TOOTH
Look how fast they're going out.
JACK
(GETTING IT)
It's fear. He's tipped the
balance.
Jack drifts up closer the globe. He looks at the lights
going out, then back to the Guardians. There's a nervous
tension in the room.
BUNNYMUND
(twirling his boomerang)
Hey, buck up ya sad-sacks. Come
on! We can still turn this around!
(MORE)
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 78.
BUNNYMUND (CONT'D)
Easter is tomorrow and I need your
help. I say we pull out all the
stops and we get those little
lights flickering again!
CUT TO:
INT. NORTH POLE - FACTORY FLOOR - DAY
A massive wooden door swings open; North leads Jack and the
Guardians through the doorway, into an elevator, and through
his factory.
NORTH
Bunny is right.
(TO BUNNY)
As much as it pains me to say old
friend, this time Easter is more
important than Christmas!
BUNNYMUND
Hey! Did everyone hear that?!
NORTH
We must hurry to the Warren.
Everyone, to the sleigh!
BUNNY
Ohh no, mate. My warren my rules.
Buckle up.
Bunny directs the groups attention to the ground. He taps
his foot and a rabbit hole opens up under their feet.
NORTH
Shostakovich!
CUT TO:
SEQ. 1775 - PREPARATION FOR EASTER
INT. BUNNYMUND'S TUNNELS - DAY
The Guardians plummet through Bunny's tunnels.
INT. BUNNYMUND'S WARREN
Jack, Bunny and Tooth arrive gracefully in the warren's
antechamber, while North and the yetis comes to a crashing
halt.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 79.
NORTH
(CHUCKLES)
"Buckle up." Is very funny.
BUNNYMUND
Welcome to the warren--
Bunny stands before them when suddenly, he shifts his
attention. He turns, his ears perk up and his nose sniffs
the air.
BUNNYMUND
Something's up.
Something's amiss. A faint scream begins to echo from within
the depths of one of Bunny's egg tunnels. Tiny eggs come
scuttling out from the tunnel.
Bunny grabs his boomerang, North draws his sword, and Jack
readies his staff as the sounds of booming footsteps,
screams, and the rustling of foliage grows louder.
BUNNYMUND
Ahhhh!
Bunny begins to charge toward the tunnel. At his side are
the Guardians, yetis, and sentinel eggs all bellowing their
loudest battle cries until...Sophie bursts out. All momentum
comes to a halt.
JACK
Sophie?
They immediately withdraw their weapons, mildly embarrassed.
Sophie giggles and immediately runs after one of the elves.
SOPHIE
Elf, elf, elf!
BUNNYMUND
What is SHE doing HERE!!?
North looks down at his coat pocket - ooops.
NORTH
(EMBARRASSED)
Ah, snow globe.
BUNNYMUND
Crikey! Somebody do something!
JACK
Don't look at me, I'm invisible,
remember?
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 80.
Sophie giggles as she drags the elf by the bell atop its
uniform.
TOOTH
(CONFIDENT)
Don't worry, Bunny. I bet she's a
fairy fan.
(flies up to Sophie)
It's okay little one.
SOPHIE
(TO TOOTH)
Pretty!
TOOTH
Awww! You know what, I got
something for you. Here it is.
(she pulls something out)
Look at all the pretty teeth with
little blood and gum on them.
Sophie runs away screaming.
JACK
(LAUGHS)
Blood and gums? When was the last
time you guys actually hung out
with kids?
Meanwhile, Sophie is running around the warren, exploring and
playing. Sophie pokes her head into a small tunnel.
SOPHIE
Peek-a-boo.
NORTH
We are very busy bringing joy to
children! We don't have time...
(EMBARRASSED)
...for children.
Jack walks toward her, forming a SNOWFLAKE, which floats over
toward Sophie. She tries to grab at it.
JACK
If one little kid can ruin Easter,
then...we're in worse shape than I
thought.
Sophie follows the snowflake as Jack leads it over to Bunny.
SOPHIE
Weeee! Weee, weee, weee!
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 81.
The snowflake lands on Bunny's nose and his concerns suddenly
seem to slip away. Jack's magic is taking affect.
INT. BUNNYMUND'S WARREN - DAY - MOMENTS LATER
Close up on a flower, that opens to reveal an egg. The egg
stands up wobbly on its spindly little legs. We pull out to
reveal Sophie and Bunny's faces looking on, Sophie amazed,
Bunny proud.
BUNNYMUND
You wanna paint some eggs? Yeah?
SOPHIE
Okay!
BUNNYMUND
Come on then!
We pull out further to reveal a massive stone spire, covered
in moss, as thousands of unpainted eggs stream down the side
of it toward a green meadow. North and Jack stand in the
midst of it all, slack-jawed, as the eggs rush towards them.
NORTH
Rimsky Korsakov! That's a lot of
eggs.
JACK
Uh, how much time do we have?
A GREEN MEADOW
SOPHIE
Weeeeee!
BUNNYMUND
Woooohoooo!
Bunny hops into view, Sophie clinging to his back smiling,
leading a huge mass of eggs down a wide PATH. As he passes,
FLOWERS BLOOM on either side in his wake, BLASTING the
passing eggs with color as they go.
BUNNYMUND (V.O.)
Alright troops, it's time to push
back. That means eggs!
Everywhere!
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 82.
THE SORTING STONES
North looks out over the eggs as they get sorted.
NORTH
(WALLA)
Single file!
Sophie, on her back, is carried by the eggs through the
sorting stones. She giggles as North waves at her while she
passes by.
BUNNYMUND (V.O.)
Heaps of you in every high-rise,
farm house and trailer park!
Baby Tooth flies across the screen, diverting our attention
to a multicolored stream off in the distance.
BUNNYMUND (V.O.)
In tennis shoes and cereal bowls!
Baby Tooth joins an elf, who stands alongside an egg at the
edge of a cliff. The elf pushes the egg over the cliff, into
the stream, and celebrates with a victory dance.
BUNNYMUND (V.O.)
Oh, there will be bathtubs filled
with my beautiful googies!
The elf turns just in time to see a stampede of colored eggs
come barreling toward him. They knock him off the cliff as
he and the eggs spill into the multi-colored stream below.
A SPARKLING STREAM
Colored eggs wade through the water, emerging with SECONDARY
COLORS and intricate PATTERNS of all kinds.
An unlucky egg veers off and gets stuck in a WHIRLPOOL. We
see a hand fish it out to reveal North, who looks at the egg
curiously. It's now got a SPIRAL PATTERN on it and its
little LEGS kick madly.
NORTH
Okay, that's little strange.
BUNNYMUND
Naw, mate --
Bunny's surrounded by butterflies and cute little eggs.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 83.
BUNNYMUND (CONT'D)
That's adorable.
As a technicolored elf climbs out of the stream, North sets
the egg down and lets it rejoin the herd.
A GREEN MEADOW
As Sophie leads a parade of eggs, Bunny jumps to an adjacent
rock and sits up to address the eggs as they walk in stride.
Meanwhile, Jack rides atop a group of sentinel egg that are
marching in the back ground.
BUNNYMUND
There will be springtime! On every
continent! And I'm bringing hope
with me!
A GREEN MEADOW - CONTINUOUS
CLOSE ON: a line of eggs running down curled vines as yetis
sprinkle them with glitter. They continue on down various
vine corkscrew-like shoots, decorating the eggs with stripes.
A confused elf emerges from the vines, striped with paint and
walks off.
A GREEN MEADOW - CONTINUOUS
The striped elf walks past a Yeti, painting a mound of eggs
red. Bunny enters frame and hops across the screen.
BUNNYMUND
Too Christmas-y, mate, paint `em
blue.
The Yeti throws its arms up in defeat and tosses the eggs.
A GREEN MEADOW - MOMENTS LATER
A beautifully painted egg hides in the grass.
BUNNYMUND (O.S.)
Oh, what's over there?
Sophie appears, spots the egg, and delicately lifts it out of
the grass. She holds it close to admire the intricate detail
of its shell. Sophie brings the egg to Bunny for him to
inspect.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 84.
BUNNYMUND (CONT'D)
That's a beauty!
Bunny takes Sophie by the hand and leads her through a stone
archway.
BUNNYMUND (CONT'D)
Now all we gotta do is get him and
his little mates through the
tunnels, to the top, and we'll have
ourselves Easter.
THE STREAMS OF COLORED EGGS
Bunny looks out proudly at the eggs gathered in front of the
TUNNELS in the distance.
Jack approaches from behind and makes his way alongside
Bunny, who holds Sophie in his arms. Its our first real
vista of the whole warren. It's a spectacular sight.
JACK
Not bad.
Sophie yawns and begins to fall asleep. Bunny turns to Jack
with a smile.
BUNNYMUND
Not bad yourself.
JACK
Look, I'm sorry about that whole,
you know, the "kangaroo" thing.
BUNNYMUND
It's the accent, isn't it?
North comes up from behind with Tooth at his side. They turn
toward Bunny, marveling at the sight of Sophie, fast sleep.
It's touching. Bunny's face softens, as if remembering a
distant memory.
BUNNYMUND
Ah, poor little ankle-biter. Look
at her, all tuckered out.
TOOTH
I love her!
They look up from the sleeping toddler toward Jack. He's
taught them something today.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 85.
TOOTH
I think it's time to get her home.
Bunny hands the sleeping Sophie over to Tooth.
JACK
How about I take her home?
TOOTH
Jack, no! Pitch is--
JACK
--no match for this.
(twirls his staff)
BUNNYMUND
Which is why we need you here, with
us.
The Guardians look at Jack with concern.
JACK
Trust me, I'll be quick as a bunny.
CUT TO:
SEQ. 1804 - RETURNING SOPHIE
INT. SOPHIE'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Jack tries to lay a sleeping Sophie down in her bed, but she
won't let go of his neck. Finally, she releases her grasp
only to roll over and fall out of bed. Baby Tooth gives Jack
a scornful look.
JAMIE'S MOM (O.S.)
Sophie? Is that you?
Jack and Baby Tooth's eyes widen. Sophie, asleep on the
floor, is quickly covered with a blanket and given a squeaky
stuffed animal.
EXT. SOPHIE'S BEDROOM WINDOW - CONTINUOUS
Jack closes the window and looks to Baby Tooth with a sign of
relief.
JACK
We should get back.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 86.
Baby Tooth nods, when...
VOICE FROM A MEMORY (O.S.)
(LAUGHING)
Jack...
Jack stops, confused. Where is that voice coming from? He
looks out across the town, toward the woods, and the sound of
the echoed voice.
JACK
That voice, I know that voice...
Baby Tooth looks to him, worried.
VOICE FROM A MEMORY (O.S.)
Jack...
With that, Jack leaps off the window ledge.
EXT. BURGESS - A MOMENT LATER
Jack, carried by the wind, flies across town toward the sound
of the eerie voice. Baby Tooth follows, trying to keep up.
Jack takes a moment to orient himself and lands, settling on
a rotating vent; as the momentum slowly spins him around, the
voice calls out to him again.
VOICE FROM A MEMORY (O.S.)
Jack...
Jack turns, looks to the woods, and takes off.
EXT. WOODS - BURGESS - A MOMENT LATER
Jack and Baby Tooth land in the middle of a thickly wooded
area. It's spooky. Jack scans the forest when again he
hears...
VOICE FROM A MEMORY (O.S.)
Jack...
Jack gives chase. He sprints through the thickets and enters
a clearing only to find the decrepit remains of a rotting
frame from a child's bed. Very creepy. What would that be
doing in the woods, and how long has it been here?
JACK
Don't worry, there's still time.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 87.
Baby Tooth desperately tries to get Jack's attention by
tugging at his tunic, and tweeting desperately.
Jack takes his staff, and breaks through the damaged frame,
revealing a hole leading deep underground.
VOICE FROM A MEMORY (O.S.)
Jack...
What to do? Jack jumps down the hole, reluctantly followed
by Baby Tooth.
CUT TO:
SEQ. 2100 - PITCH TRICKS JACK
INT. PITCH'S TUNNELS
Jack continues along a long dark tunnel with Baby Tooth close
behind. Eventually the labyrinth opens up to reveal a huge
underground cavern. Baby Tooth continues to tug at Jack's
tunic.
JACK
(waving Baby Tooth off)
Baby Tooth, Baby...come on!
(BEAT)
I have to find out what that is.
INT. PITCH'S INNER SANCTUM - CONTINUOUS
Jack can't believe his eyes. Dozens of huge bird cages
hanging from the ceiling, and in them are the mini tooth
fairies. They see Jack, and immediately perk up, tweeting
and flitting like crazy.
Jack jumps up onto one of the cages, then quickly leaps and
holds onto the side of another one.
JACK
(WHISPERS)
Shhhh! keep it down.
(leaps to another cage)
I'm gonna get you out of here, just
as soon as I --
VOICE FROM A MEMORY
Jack...
Jack turns away from the fairies, distracted.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 88.
VOICE FROM A MEMORY
Jack...
JACK
(under his breath)
As I can --
Jack looks down and sees the tooth drawers from Tooth's
Palace. Mounds of them heaped to the ceiling. And inside
the drawers are the missing baby teeth. He drops down to a
mound and begins rummaging through the drawers, looking at
the names on the boxes.
In an instant he forgets his duties, and the fairies, and the
Guardians and everything except those teeth, and the chance
to finally get his memory back.
The cavern suddenly goes darker than it already was. Jack
finally looks up, as a shadow of Pitch crawls up a nearby
column.
PITCH (O.S.)
Looking for something?
Jack swings around with his staff, shooting off a blast of
ice, but Pitch isn't there. Jack takes off, following the
sound of Pitch's cackle as it echoes throughout the chamber.
Jack rounds a corner as he sees Pitch's shadow glide across
the walls into a shadowed corridor.
PITCH (O.S.)
Don't be afraid, Jack. I'm not
going to hurt you.
Jack continues along a shadowed corridor.
JACK
Afraid?
Jack sees Pitch on a bridge across the cavern and heads after
him.
JACK (CONT'D)
I'm not afraid of you!
PITCH
Maybe not. But you are afraid of
something.
Jack steadily approaches, cautious and alert.
JACK
You think so, huh?
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 89.
PITCH
I know so. It's the one thing I
always know.
Pitch finally turns to face Jack.
PITCH (CONT'D)
People's greatest fears. Yours is
that no one will ever believe in
you.
Panic flashes in Jack's eyes. As he backs away, the chamber
fills with shadows, and Jack is spun around. He's
disoriented as he thuds into a wall, which flips to reveal
that it's actually the ground.
Pitch, unseen now, chuckles.
Jack's unsure of where he is. He looks back to see the
cavern entrance -- he's right back where he started.
PITCH (O.S.)
And worst of all, you're afraid
you'll never know why. Why you?
Why were you chosen...to be like
this?
Jack discovers that the entrance has been blocked with bricks
as Pitch's shadow encroaches on him.
PITCH
Well fear not, for the answer to
that...
Pitch is now directly in front of Jack, holding out a tooth
box.
PITCH (CONT'D)
Is right here.
Jack's eyes widen at the sight - the face of a young boy
etched into the box, and under it is the name "Jack Frost."
PITCH
Do you want them, Jack? Your
memories?
He holds them out to Jack. Jack stares, fighting the impulse
to grab them. He closes his eyes, struggling to make a
decision, but when he opens them again, Pitch has
disappeared.
Pitch's shadow moves across the pillars of the cavern.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 90.
Jack heads down a corridor, cast shadows from the Mini Tooth
cages everywhere.
PITCH (O.S.)
Everything you wanted to know...
Pitch's face moves in and out of the shadows over the
following.
PITCH
...in this little box.
Every time Jack turns, Pitch disappears. It's like Jack's
trapped in a fun house.
Multiple Pitch shadows have appeared on the wall around Jack.
They're closing in on him.
PITCH
Why did you end up like this?
Unseen. Unable to reach out to
anyone.
(BEAT)
You want the answers so badly. You
want to grab them, and fly off with
them. But you're afraid of what
the Guardians will think.
Jack's breath quickens. He's been pushed into a corner.
PITCH
You're afraid of disappointing
them.
(SMILES)
Well let me ease your mind about
one thing. They'll never accept
you. Not really.
The shadows have overcome Jack.
JACK
(trying to scramble away)
Stop it! Stop it!
Almost reluctantly, the shadows back away and Pitch appears
before Jack.
PITCH
After all, you're not one of them.
Jack aims his staff at Pitch.
JACK
You don't know what I am!
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 91.
PITCH
Of course I do. You're Jack Frost.
You make a mess wherever you go.
Why, you're doing it right now.
Pitch tosses the box to Jack, who instinctively catches it.
Jack looks up. Terror comes into Jack's eyes, as he
realizes...
JACK
What did you do?
PITCH
More to the point Jack, what did
you do?
Pitch begins to back away, becoming one with the darkness,
laughing as he disappears. Jack charges towards him only to
be swallowed whole by one of Pitch's black holes.
CUT TO:
SEQ. 2200 - GUARDIANS BREAK WITH JACK
INT. EGG TUNNEL - DAY
Jack flies out of Pitch's shadow, ready to strike. Suddenly,
Jack realizes he's forgotten something.
JACK
Baby Tooth!
He turns to re-enter the hole in the wall only to find
himself face to face with one of Bunny's stone emblems.
PITCH (O.S.)
Happy Easter, Jack.
Jack turns around. Suddenly, his eyes fill with dread as he
realizes where he is. Thousands of broken egg shells lay
strewn about, forming a path toward the light at the end of
the tunnel.
JACK
No.
EXT. PARK - ENGLAND - DAY
Bunny peaks through the bushes to take in the scene - an
Easter Egg hunt.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 92.
BRITISH KIDS
(WALLA)
There are no eggs. There's none
anywhere. I give up. Come on,
let's go. I don't understand.
Bunny checks the eggs in his basket, then looks back toward
the kids.
BRITISH GIRL
Maybe he just hid them really well
this year.
Bunny, egg basket in hand, approaches a group of kids who
seem to be wandering around searching halfheartedly,
disappointed and listless.
BUNNYMUND (O.S.)
Kids! Oi!
BRITISH BOY
I checked everywhere! There's
nothing!
BUNNYMUND
(steps towards them)
Yes there is! There is! I mean
these aren't my best lookin'
googies, but they'll do in a pinch!
He holds out a broken Easter egg. The kids just stare.
BRITISH GIRL
I can't believe it.
BUNNYMUND
I know.
BRITISH GIRL
There's no such thing as the Easter
Bunny.
The girl turns to leave.
BUNNYMUND
What?
BRITISH KIDS (O.S.)
(WALLA)
Easter's over. Forget this.
It's only then that we realize he's too late. The spark of
childhood has already been extinguished in all of them.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 93.
BUNNYMUND
No! Wrong! Not, not true! I'm
right in front of ya, mate!
BRITISH KIDS
(WALLA)
There's no such thing. I know.
The kids walk through Bunnymund as if he were a ghost. Bunny
is stunned by this, and finally realizes...
BRITISH KIDS (O.S.) (CONT'D)
(WALLA)
Now come on. I don't understand.
Why wouldn't he come? Let's get
out of here. Easter Bunny, where
are you? This is the worst Easter
ever.
BUNNYMUND
They don't see me.
(BEAT)
They don't see me.
JACK's watching this all unfold and it's heartbreaking,
because he knows it's his fault. Tooth flies to Bunny's
side. Jack hears a rustle in the bushes behind him.
NORTH (O.S.)
Jack, where were you?
Jack sees North, with his scimitars drawn and having just
come from battle. He's exhausted, wild-eyed, distraught.
NORTH (CONT'D)
The Nightmares attacked the
tunnels. They smashed every egg,
crushed every basket. Nothing made
it to the surface.
TOOTH (O.S.)
Jack!
Tooth rejoins the group from off screen.
TOOTH (CONT'D)
(GASPS)
Where did you get that?
Jack looks down at the tooth box in his hand, then back to
Tooth.
JACK
I was...it's...
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 94.
TOOTH
Where's Baby Tooth?
(FEELING BETRAYED)
Oh Jack, what have you done?
NORTH
That is why you weren't here?
North steps forward to confront Jack.
NORTH (CONT'D)
You were with Pitch?
JACK
No, listen, listen...I'm sorry. I
didn't mean for this to happen.
BUNNYMUND (O.S.)
(TO OTHERS)
He has to go.
Jack turns to see Bunny, disheartened.
JACK
(STUNNED BEAT)
What?
BUNNYMUND
We should never have trusted you!
(FORLORN)
Easter is new beginnings, new life.
Easter is about hope.
(BEAT)
And now it's gone.
Bunny turns away and moves toward the park, looking at the
sign that reads, `Easter Egg Hunt.'
This is like a punch in Jack's gut. He looks back to Tooth
and North, both of whom look away, too hurt by Jack. He
looks at them with a pained expression. This is exactly what
Pitch said would happen.
Jack reaches into his pocket, pulls out the tiny Russian
nesting doll that North had given him, drops the doll to the
ground, and takes off.
As Jack leaves, carried off by the wind, we see the tiny
Russian nesting doll laying on the ground.
CUT TO:
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 95.
SEQ. 2600 - JAMIE STILL BELIEVES
EXT. JAMIE'S HOUSE - DUSK
Jamie, atop a ladder, strains for what looks like an Easter
egg, hiding in the rain gutter. The ladder totters and Jamie
loses his balance, beginning to fall.
JAMIE
Whoaaa, whoa, whoa...aaaah!
Jamie grabs the gutter but it breaks loose, sending Jamie
crashing down into a mound of snow.
As Jamie gets up off the ground, he sees that the Easter egg
was in fact a dirty old tennis ball. Jamie stands up,
bewildered, and dusts himself off as his friends LAUGH. A
few have empty EASTER BASKETS.
JAMIE
Let's check the park again.
CALEB
Really?
CLAUDE
(ANNOYED)
For what, the Easter Bunny?
JAMIE
Guys, I told you - I saw him! He's
way bigger than I thought, and he's
got these cool boomerang-things-
CALEB
Grow up, Jamie.
CLAUDE
(SIGHS)
Ah man, seriously.
JAMIE
What's happened to you guys?
CALEB
It was a dream. You should be
happy you still get dreams like
that and not...
They begin to turn away from him.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 96.
CUPCAKE
(HAUNTED)
Nightmares.
Pippa's the lone straggler. She looks tired, depressed, and
hands Jamie her basket as she leaves.
PIPPA
Forget it, Jamie. There's just no
Easter this year.
CALEB (O.S.)
I can't believe this.
JAMIE
He really is real!
Pippa walks away, trailing the others. Jamie doesn't know
what to believe. He hangs his head and looks into the Easter
basket, it's empty.
JAMIE (CONT'D)
I know he is.
INT. NORTH POLE - GLOBE ROOM - DAY
Yetis stare at the globe of belief, in shock as more and more
lights begin to fad away. We push in toward Antarctica as we-
DISSOLVE TO:
SEQ. 2304 - JACK IN ANTARCTICA
EXT. ICEBERG - ANTARCTIC CIRCLE - DAY
Jack runs to the edge of a floating iceberg, ready to throw
his tooth box into the ocean. He resists, looking down at
the box as he clutches it in his hand. He's never been more
alone in his life.
PITCH (O.S.)
I thought this might happen.
Pitch is revealed, standing not far behind Jack.
PITCH (CONT'D)
They never really believed in you.
I was just trying to show you that.
But I understand.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 97.
Jack whips around and shoots a burst of frost at Pitch, but
it's quickly deflected by the Nightmare sand.
JACK
You don't understand anything!
Jack continues to attack, lashing out with his staff. Pitch
blocks the attacks of ice and frost -- his control over the
Nightmare sand has gained considerable strength.
PITCH
(SHOUTING)
No? I don't know what it's like to
be cast out?
Pitch strikes back, putting Jack on the defense. Jack jumps
in the air. Their show of force escalates until they're
shrouded in a blanket of snow, ice, and wind. As the wind
and snow settle, Jack looks around stern and alert.
PITCH (O.S.)(CONT'D)
To not be believed in. To long for
a family.
Jack turns around to find Pitch. There's a look of
compassion on Jack's face as he listens.
PITCH (CONT'D)
All those years in the shadows I
thought, no one else knows what
this feels like. But now I see I
was wrong.
They lock eyes. A moment of true connection between them.
PITCH (CONT'D)
We don't have to be alone, Jack.
This isn't a trick Pitch is making a real offer here.
PITCH (CONT'D)
I believe in you. And I know
children will too.
JACK
In me?
PITCH
Yes! Look at what we can do!
Pitch gestures to a fantastical ice and nightmare "sculpture"
that was created (off-screen) when Jack attacked him.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 98.
PITCH (CONT'D)
What goes together better than cold
and dark?
Jack looks at the fractured reflections of themselves cast in
the icy sculpture.
PITCH (CONT'D)
We can make them believe. We'll
give them a world where everything,
everything is...
Jack turns to face Pitch.
JACK
(DEADPANS)
Pitch black...
Pitch, realizing how this looks, clarifies...
PITCH
And Jack Frost too. They'll
believe in both of us.
Jack stares at him, considering the offer. Then finally...
JACK
No, they'll fear both of us. And
that's not what I want.
Jack turns and walks away.
JACK (CONT'D)
Now for the last time, leave me
alone.
Pitch looks confused and hurt. This is not the response he
was expecting. Then...his eyes flame with anger. He made
himself vulnerable, and Jack rejected him. No more
negotiating now.
PITCH
Very well. You want to be left
alone? Done. But first...
Suddenly Jack hears a familiar twitter. Pitch reaches into
his coat to pull out...
JACK
Baby Tooth!
Jack charges forward. There's terror in Baby Tooth's eyes.
She squeaks as Pitch clenches her tight with his fist.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 99.
PITCH
The staff, Jack.
Jack settles and the winds and snow subsides.
PITCH (CONT'D)
You have a bad habit of
interfering. Now hand it over.
(BEAT)
And I'll let her go.
BABY TOOTH
(twitters - Don't give it to him!)
Baby Tooth struggles to get loose, but Pitch only tightens
his grip. She can hardly breathe. Jack has no choice.
Jack...hands over...the staff.
Pitch twirls the staff.
JACK
(re: Baby Tooth)
Alright, now let her go.
PITCH
No. You said you wanted to be
alone.
(BEAT)
So be alone!
Baby Tooth squirms until she's finally able to peck Pitch in
the hand with her beak. Pitch shrieks and throws Baby Tooth
in the air and down into the mouth of a crevasse.
JACK
No!
Jack, enraged, can't believe what he's seeing. Pitch lifts
the staff, and breaks it over his knee, cracking it in two.
Light EXPLODES from the staff and terror comes into Jack's
eyes, clutching his chest as if in pain.
Suddenly, Pitch sends a burst of Nightmare sand, blasting
Jack and slamming him into the iceberg wall behind him. As
the ice cracks, Jack comes loose and falls forward into the
chasm below.
Pitch looks down into the ice fissure chuckling. He throws
the broken shards of Jack's staff down into the crevasse and
casually walks away, disappearing on the horizon.
CUT TO:
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 100.
SEQ. 2308 - JACK'S MEMORY
EXT. ICE FISSURE - NIGHT
It's cold and dark down here, and Jack is more alone than
he's ever been. Battered from the fall, Jack slowly looks up
and notices Baby Tooth, lying lifelessly on the ground.
JACK
Baby Tooth!
He pulls himself to her and cradles her in his hands.
JACK
You alright?
Baby Tooth nods, but she's hurt, and cold. Jack does his
best to shield her from the cold.
JACK
Sorry, all I can do is keep you
cold.
Jack sits up and holds Baby Tooth in his hands.
JACK
Pitch was right - I make a mess of
everything.
Jack is devastated. Baby Tooth's never seen him like this;
it's heart breaking...then she gets a thought. Her
expression hardens with determination.
She wriggles deep into his pocket.
JACK
Hey?
Jack leans back and begins to close his eyes when he hears
SOMETHING --
VOICE FROM A MEMORY
Jack... Jack...
-- and then he FEELS something. Looks down: There's a SOFT,
GOLDEN GLOW coming from his pocket.
Jack jumps, taken aback. He reaches in and pulls out the
TOOTH BOX -- it's pulsing with light.
VOICE FROM A MEMORY
Jack...
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 101.
Baby Tooth gives him a reassuring look.
Baby Tooth motions to the box, then looks back at Jack. Jack
reaches to touch the box, but as he does its top magically
UNFOLDS to reveal a handful of BABY TEETH - then the box and
everything else glows BRIGHT WITH INTENSE LIGHT -
The WALLS of the fissure seem to suddenly fall away. In
brief FLASHES we see: The COLONIAL SETTLEMENT Jack visited.
Children running playfully down a hill.
JACK'S MOTHER
Come on Jack, you can't have fun
all the time.
CHILDREN'S LAUGHING FACES as a familiar BOY hangs upside down
from a tree limb.
JACK'S SISTER
Jack, get down from there!
A HAPPY FAMILY at a roaring fire as the same boy jokes around
with antlers on his head.
COLONIAL BOY (O.S.)
You're funny, Jack.
Jack walks toward the woods with his sister. His mother,
face unseen, calls out to him.
JACK'S MOTHER
Be careful.
Jack shakes his head like he's heard it a million times but
never pays it any mind.
JACK
(LAUGHING)
We will.
AND THEN--
START JACK'S MEMORY
We are on an eye, a familiar eye but this one is brown not
blue. PULL BACK to reveal young JACK, brown hair, brown
eyes. He is staring directly at the camera, a look of...what
is it? It's hard to read but it's VERY intense. We keep
pulling back to reveal him dressed as we first saw him in
16th century clothes. Behind him, dark winter trees and snow
come in to focus.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 102.
EXT. FROZEN POND - BURGESS - DAY
JACK
(calm, serious)
It's okay. It's okay. Don't look
down, just look at me.
Jack reaches slowly down and removes the second of two
rudimentary ice-skates, leaving him BAREFOOT on the surface
of a familiar FROZEN pond. And now we see what he sees, a
girl of about FOUR (with an uncanny resemblance to Jamie's
sister Sophie) stands in her skates, rooted to the spot. A
spider's web of cracks emanates from where she stands.
JACK'S SISTER
Jack, I'm scared.
CRACCKKK! The ice below her splinters more. She wobbles as
it starts to separate.
JACK
I know, I know...but you're gonna
be alright. You're not gonna fall
in. We're gonna have a little fun
instead.
JACK'S SISTER
No we're not!
JACK
Would I trick you?
JACK'S SISTER
(fighting back tears)
Yes! You always play tricks!
JACK
(CHUCKLES)
Well, alright. Well, not, not this
time. I promise. I promise,
you're gonna be...you're gonna be
fine.
Jack fixes her gaze...holds it...there's nothing but the two
of them.
JACK
You have to believe in me.
Jack's sister pauses a moment, then smiles through her fear.
And just like that, Jack's demeanor changes. A light is
switched on inside him and the last thing that could be
happening is what is actually happening.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 103.
JACK (CONT'D)
(casual, playfully)
You wanna play a game? We're going
to play Hopscotch! Like we play
every day!
Jack's sister looks more reassured.
JACK (CONT'D)
It's as easy as...one...whoaaaa...
And Jack shows his sister the first leap, but mugs for her,
almost losing his balance then catching himself. She laughs.
JACK (CONT'D)
Two...
(the next jump)
Three!
He turns toward her with his arms spread out.
JACK
Alright...
He reaches down to pick up a familiar-looking stick lying on
the ice. He extends it towards her --
JACK (CONT'D)
Now it's your turn.
Jack's sister looks down. She is trying to gather her
courage. Jack, never breaking his gaze with her,
JACK (CONT'D)
(SOFTLY)
One...
She hops, wobbling, but catching her balance.
JACK
That's it, that's it...two...
She's almost there, Jack's staff just beyond her reach.
JACK
Three.
She grabs hold of Jack's staff and in one massive effort he
slings her with all his might to safety. But the movement
propels him into the cracked ice. He looks up to see his
sister safe - smiles - and then plunges into the dark cold
water.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 104.
JACK
Whoa...
JACK'S SISTER
Jack!
Jack falls back into the icy water. SPLASH!
UNDERWATER
We're looking up at the hole in the ice, descending into the
dark icy depths...then THE FULL MOON appears from behind the
clouds as Jack's hands claw through the water towards it, but
it's helpless. The MOON glows bright...brighter...
Jack's BODY begins to glow, bathed in MOONLIGHT. PUSH IN on
his FACE, becoming brighter and brighter until his brown hair
turns white and JACK'S BRIGHT BLUE EYES flash open --
EXT. MOUNTAIN FISSURE - NIGHT
The icy walls rush back in as we pull out from Jack, reeling
from the memory. He sees Baby Tooth.
JACK
Did you -- did you see that?
She shakes her head `no', tweets `of course not'!
JACK
It -- it was me! I had a family!
I had a sister!
His excitement suddenly turns to realization.
JACK
I saved her!
He looks up at the opening above. The MOON peeks out from
behind the clouds.
JACK
(whispers up to Manny)
That's why you chose me.
(TO HIMSELF)
I'm, I'm a Guardian.
The Moon seems to shine a little BRIGHTER. Baby Tooth tries
to take flight but she sputters and lands back in the palm of
Jack's hand.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 105.
JACK
We have to get out of here.
Jack looks down at the two halves of his staff, and picks
them up. He tries to fit them back together, but nothing
happens. He tries again, this time using every ounce of
strength left in him. Baby Tooth watches, her eyes widening
as, a SPARK of blue light shoots off the staff.
Jack continues to push, until a the icy blue light spreads
and melds the two ends of the staff back together. Jack
smiles.
EXT. ICEBERG - DAY
Suddenly Jack, with Baby Tooth tucked safely in his tunic,
SHOOTS UP out of the fissure, high into the sky and through
the clouds.
JACK
Come on Baby Tooth! I owe you one.
CUT TO:
SEQ. 2500 - THE LAST LIGHT
INT. PITCH'S LAIR - NIGHT
A SERIES OF QUICK CUTS: The Mini Teeth TWITTER as Jack jumps
from CAGE to CAGE, opening them as he goes. Jack opens
another cage and notices the fairies standing still.
JACK
Come on, let's go.
Jack looks around and notices that all of the Minis are still
in their cages.
JACK (CONT'D)
What's wrong?!
The fairies are just standing around, listless.
JACK (CONT'D)
None of you can fly?
Baby Tooth directs Jack's attention to the Globe at the base
of Pitch's lair.
JACK
The lights...
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 106.
INT. NORTH POLE - FACTORY FLOOR
A Yeti very carefully sets the last of a group of newly
painted red robot dolls on a shelf. He breathes a sigh of
relief.
Suddenly, the entire factory begins to shake, knocking the
robot doll to the ground. He dives after it, juggles it in
the air, and catches it just before it hits the ground.
Suddenly, streaks of BLACK SAND whoosh up into and around the
factory. The dark sand snakes its way up and around the
globe, causing the Yetis and Elves to scatter and knocking
TOYS to the floor.
The Yetis and Elves look up in horror as the black sand, now
covering the globe, gives rise to Pitch, who stands before
them cackling.
PITCH
You're all free to go! We won't be
needing any Christmas toys this
year, thank you! Nor ever again!
The yeti with the robot dolls sinks his head and sighs in
defeat.
INT. PITCH'S LAIR - NIGHT
Jack lands on the ground, now standing before PITCH'S GLOBE --
and it looks almost completely devoid of light.
JACK
They're all going out...
INT. NORTH POLE - DAY
Pitch is practically dancing across North's globe, he's so
giddy, counting down as the last few lights go dark.
PITCH
Only six left! Six precious
children who still believe in the
Guardians with all their h--
(a lights blinks out)
Make that, five.
(ANOTHER)
Oo! Four!
(MOUNTING)
Three!
(ECSTASY)
TWO!
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 107.
His eyes widen as he snaps his fingers with anticipation and
glee. All of his hard work and planning - finally paying
off!
Pitch stares down at the one last light, waiting for it to go
out. He snaps his fingers a few more times. Still nothing.
His smile fades. His face goes cold as he realizes...
PITCH
(TO HIMSELF)
One.
INT. PITCH'S LAIR - NIGHT
Jack jumps up onto the globe to closely inspect the last
light. The light is brought into full view. Jack smiles.
JACK
Jamie!
We're tight on the globe, where the LAST LIGHT flickers. We
PUSH IN to the light and...
EXT. BURGESS - NIGHT
...down onto the streets of Burgess. We race over the town
until we land on Jamie's house, a single light shining from
his bedroom window.
DISSOLVE TO:
SEQ. 2000 - JACK AND JAMIE
INT. JAMIE'S ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Jamie is sitting up in bed, talking to an old stuffed rabbit,
and whispering.
JAMIE
Okay look, you and I are obviously
at what they call a crossroads, so
here's what's gonna happen -
Jack appears outside Jamie's window and moves closer to get a
better look.
JAMIE (CONT'D)
If it wasn't a dream and if you are
real, then you have to prove it.
Like right now.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 108.
Jamie waits. He looks around expectantly. Jack looks on
from outside the window, wondering if anything will happen.
JAMIE
(desperation creeping in)
I've believed in you for a long
time, okay? Like my whole life in
fact. So you kinda owe me now.
Jamie picks up his stuffed rabbit and holds it close.
JAMIE (CONT'D)
You don't have to do much, just a
little sign so I know. Anything.
(BEAT)
Anything at all.
He waits. It's excruciating.
JAMIE
(A WHISPER)
I knew it.
Jamie lets the stuffed animal fall to the floor. Jack comes
into the room and watches as the light slowly fades from
Jamie's eyes, disbelief setting in.
Jack doesn't know what to do. He takes a moment to
concentrate, then enters the room.
Then, Jamie notices the window as the panes of glass freeze
over. The image of an Easter egg suddenly appears...
JAMIE
(seeing the window)
Huh?
Jamie looks down at the stuffed rabbit on the floor. He can
barely comprehend what he's seeing. Jamie looks back to the
window as more of the window panes frost over. Jamie's eyes
get huge with amazement.
JAMIE
He's real.
Jack, excited, continues to exert himself trying to bring
life to his drawing. And when he does, the frost rabbit
comes leaping off of the window.
JAMIE
Whoa...
The rabbit hops around Jamie's room, bursting like a snowball
over Jamie's head, the snowflakes sprinkling down on him.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 109.
JAMIE
Whoa!
Jack is as amazed as Jamie. But Jamie's amazement turns to
confusion.
JAMIE
Snow?
A snowflake lands on the tip of Jamie's nose. The snowflake
glows a magic blue. And in that moment a light comes into
Jamie's eyes - an idea starts to take hold.
JAMIE
(WHISPER)
Jack Frost?
JACK
(a stunned beat)
Did he just say--?
Jamie stands up on his bed.
JAMIE
Jack Frost.
JACK
(DISBELIEF)
He said it again. He said --
(BEAT)
You said...
Jamie turns around and suddenly his eyes go wide...
JAMIE
Jack Frost.
JACK
That's right! But-but that's me!
Jack Frost! That's my name! You
said my name!
Jamie's mouth drops open. Only then does Jack realize...
JACK
Wait, can you hear me?
(JAMIE NODS)
Can you... Can you see me?
(JAMIE NODS)
He sees me. He sees me!
Jack leaps for joy, and the room suddenly explodes with snow.
Jamie can't believe it.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 110.
JAMIE
You just made it snow.
JACK
I know!
JAMIE
In my room.
JACK
I know!
JAMIE
You're real?
JACK
Yeah! Who do you think brings you
all the blizzards and snow days,
and you remember when you went
flying on that sled the other day?!
JAMIE
That was you?
JACK
That was me!
JAMIE
Cool!
JACK
Right?!
JAMIE
But what about the Easter Bunny and
the Tooth Fairy I mean--
JACK
Real-real-real! Every one of us is
real!
JAMIE
I knew it!
Jamie's mom calls from down the hall...
JAMIE'S MOM (O.S.)
Jamie, who are you talking to?
JAMIE
Um...Jack Frost.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 111.
JAMIE'S MOM (O.S.)
(a little chuckle)
...okay.
Suddenly, the sound of thunder and North's sleigh as Jack and
Jamie look to the open window.
SMASH CUT TO:
SEQ. 2800 - JACK AND GUARDIANS REUNITE
EXT. STREETS OF BURGESS - NIGHT
NORTH (O.S.)
Whoa, whoa, whoa...
NORTH AND TOOTH arrive on the sleigh completely out of
control, and crash land outside Jamie's house.
The reindeer are separated from the sleigh and run into the
woods. A disheveled Tooth and North emerge from the
wreckage.
NORTH
Ah, moi deti! Come back!
As North stands, his back suddenly gives out.
TOOTH
North! Are you okay?
NORTH
Is official. My powers are kaput.
TOOTH
Look!
(GASP)
Jack!
Jack comes flying toward them.
TOOTH
(flies to him)
Jack--!
Tooth falters and falls to the ground.
JACK
You okay?
They greet each other with a smile as North draws near.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 112.
NORTH
What are you doing here?
JACK
Same as you.
Jack looks off to the side as Jamie appears from out of his
backyard.
NORTH
The last light!
JAMIE
(to North and Tooth)
Wow! It is you! I mean it is you!
I knew it wasn't a dream.
NORTH
Jack! He sees you!
Jack puts a protective hand on Jamie's shoulder. Jamie looks
up at him and smiles. Jack and North exchange a look.
JACK
Wait, but, where's Bunny?
NORTH
Losing Easter took its toll on all
of us. Bunny most of all.
Jack's face goes pale. North lowers his head in sadness.
Then a twitchy-nosed LITTLE BUNNY appears on the sleigh.
JACK
Oh...no...
JAMIE
(CHUCKLES)
That's the Easter Bunny?
BUNNYMUND
Now somebody sees me! I mean,
where were you about an hour ago,
mate?
JAMIE
What happened to him? He used to be
huge and cool! And now he's cute.
Jamie gently tickles Bunny under his chin. Bunny begins
involuntarily thumping his paw.
BUNNYMUND
Oh, that's good.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 113.
Bunny catches himself and pushes Jamie's hands away.
BUNNYMUND (CONT'D)
(TO JACK)
Did you tell him to say that?
(hops over to Jack)
That's it! Let's go! Me and you!
Come on!
JAMIE
No! Actually he told me you were
real. Just when I started to think
that maybe you weren't.
Bunny stops. Did he just hear that right?
BUNNYMUND
He made you believe? In me?
A moment of reconciliation between them, broken by the sounds
of THUNDER. The Guardians look to the sky to see Pitch
enveloped by dark clouds as he stares down at them from atop
a writhing mass of Nightmare sand.
JACK
(to the others)
Get Jamie out of here.
NORTH
Be careful, Jack!
Jack leaps into the air, and goes flying directly at Pitch.
Meanwhile, the Guardians take Jamie to find shelter.
ON PITCH
His eyes flash with anger at see Jack coming toward him.
PITCH
Jack Frost! Let's end this, shall
we?
Pitch sighs as he rolls his eyes and flies down to meet Jack
head on.
EXT. STREETS OF BURGESS - NIGHT
Jack sends a blast of ice and frost at Pitch as he barrels
toward him. Pitch easily absorbs the attack with his
Nightmare sand.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 114.
PITCH
That little trick doesn't work on
me anymore.
Jack's plan backfires as Pitch charges ahead and unleashes a
roaring fury of Nightmare sand that knocks Jack out of the
sky.
EXT. STREETS OF BURGESS - MOMENTS LATER
Jamie and the Guardians do their best to avoid the patrolling
Nightmares. North struggles to keep up.
BUNNYMUND
Quick, this way this way!
Bunny leads them down an alley, but it's no use.
BUNNYMUND (CONT'D)
Dead end. Other way other way!
Jack suddenly falls from the sky, lands on a dumpster, and
falls limp to the ground. THUD! The others turn their
attention and wince.
JAMIE
Jack!
They rush to Jack and help him to his feet.
NORTH
That was good try, Jack! A for
effort!
JACK
(groaning in pain)
He's stronger. I can't beat him.
North and Tooth trade looks of concern. Then, a menacing
chuckle. The Guardians keep a watchful eye as Nightmare
shadow streaks across the alley.
PITCH (V.O.)
All this fuss over one little boy.
And still he refuses to stop
believing.
A CRACK of Thunder reveals the shadow of an approaching
Nightmare as the sounds of hooves clacking against the ground
echoes from the opposite end of the alley.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 115.
PITCH
Very well. There are other ways to
snuff out a light.
Bulbs start bursting as the arm of a shadow moves across the
remaining lights in the alley. Terror in Jamie's eyes. What
does that mean?
BUNNYMUND
If you want him, you're gonna have
to go through me!
With a finger raised, the shadow arm glides along the floor,
curling around the back of Bunny.
PITCH
(laughing, genuinely)
Look how fluffy you are! Would you
like a scratch behind the ears?
Bunny jumps back into North's arms.
BUNNYMUND
Don't you even think about it!
Pitch comes into view, riding atop Onyx. A gleeful smile
strewn across his face.
PITCH
I can't tell you how happy it makes
me to see you all like this. You
look awful.
They are weak and defenseless. But still the Guardians
gather around Jamie, to shield him from whatever may come.
JAMIE
Jack, I'm scared.
There's a sudden moment of realization. Jack has heard these
words before.
JACK'S SISTER (V.O.)
Jack, I'm scared.
CUT TO:
EXT. FROZEN POND - FLASHBACK - DAY
We pan up from the ice to find his sister as he saw her in
his memory. She is smiling.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 116.
JACK (V.O.)
I know, I know. But you're gonna
be alright...
CUT TO:
EXT. STREETS OF BURGESS - NIGHT
Jack, wide eyed.
JACK
We're gonnna have a little fun,
instead.
(BEAT)
That's it. That's my center.
Jamie gives Jack a questioning look. What does Jack have in
mind? Pitch gets closer.
PITCH
So what do you think, Jamie? Do
you believe in the Boogiema...
BOOF! A snowball suddenly hits Pitch in the face. Two
Nightmares look at each, unsure how to react. Jamie can't
help but snicker and North lets out a chuckle.
Jack looks around the alley. He spots a wooden crate, a
trash can lid and a discarded wok amidst a pile of trash.
JACK
Now let's go get your friends.
Pitch wipes the snow from his face and looks up to see a
track of ice leading out of the alleyway. Jack, Jamie and
the Guardians are gone.
SMASH CUT TO:
EXT. THE STREETS AND ROOFTOPS OF BURGESS - NIGHT
An aerial view of Burgess. The streets are empty and the
city is quiet. Suddenly a streak of blue begins to
materialize, making its way through the tranquil suburb.
A man walks his dog across an empty street when suddenly a
cold wind blows behind him. Jack and Jamie come flying past,
leaving a trail of ice in their wake. And on that ice - the
Guardians careen along in make-shift sleds. They are scared
and thrilled, but they're having fun.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 117.
JACK
Yeah! Come on!
JAMIE
Whoa! Cool!
INT. CUPCAKE'S BEDROOM - NIGHT - MOMENTS LATER
A terrified Cupcake lies in bed awake. The Guardians'
reflections streak across the window when suddenly, BOOF! A
snowball strikes the pane of glass.
Cupcake pulls the covers down to find that it's suddenly
SNOWING inside! As the snow circles around Cupcake's head,
she sits up and smiles.
EXT. PIPPA'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Pippa sits in bed amazed as it snows in her room. She hears
a KNOCK at her window and moves toward it to find Jamie
floating outside.
She throws open her window and looks down to the ground to
reveal that they are two stories up.
PIPPA
Jamie, how are you doing that?!
JAMIE
Jack Frost! Come on, we need your
help!
Jamie takes off flying down the street, and as a snowflake
lands on her nose she suddenly sees him.
PIPPA
Hey is, is that?
MONTY (O.S.)
Jack Frost!
Pippa looks up to see Monty across the street with his head
out the window and snow coming down in his room, a gaping
smile across his face.
EXT. CLAUDE AND CALEB'S HOUSE - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
Caleb and Claude sit up in bed in amazement, staring at the
snowflakes as they stream down from the ceiling.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 118.
CLAUDE
Huh?!
THUD! The twins look down to find neatly wrapped gifts at
the feet of their beds as a jolly voice bellows in the
distance.
NORTH (O.S.)
Merry Christmas!
The twins open their window, amazed to see their heroes sled
past.
BUNNYMUND
Happy Easter!
TOOTH
Don't forget to floss!
Caleb looks to his brother, dumbfounded. Suddenly Cupcake
skids past, laughing and screaming on her own sled.
CLAUDE
Cupcake?
And so it goes through the town.
CLAUDE
(WALLA)
Yeah!
PIPPA (O.S.)
Jamie you were right!
CALEB
The Easter Bunny's real!
PIPPA (O.S.)
And the Tooth Fairy!
CLAUDE
And Santa!
MONTY (O.S.)
They're all real!
CUT TO:
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 119.
SEQ. 2900 - SHOWDOWN
EXT. STREETS OF BURGESS - MOMENTS LATER
Jack, the Guardians, and the children all come to gliding
halt on their sleds. They look up to see Pitch standing atop
a building with a confident smile, while the clouds stir
behind him.
Monty, late to the party, comes running joyously past Jamie
and the Guardians who stand in silence as they stare up at
the sky.
MONTY
Whoa, yeaaaaaaaah!!!
(sees Pitch, makes U-Turn)
Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!
PITCH
You think a few children can help
you? Against this!
The Nightmare sand storm descends from the sky. North draws
his sword, but the weight of the blade pulls him down. He
can barely stand. Jack moves to North's side as they look
back to Jamie, noticing the concern on his face.
JACK
They're just bad dreams, Jamie.
BUNNYMUND
And we'll protect you, mate.
PITCH
Aww, you'll protect them.
(SMILES)
But who will protect you?
Jamie takes a moment to reflect while his friends look up at
the sky in fear. Jack looks down, surprised, to see that
Jamie has taken a position in FRONT of him.
JAMIE
I will.
Suddenly, Jamie's friends move to join him.
CUPCAKE
I will.
CALEB AND CLAUDE
I will.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 120.
PIPPA
And me.
MONTY
(RELUCTANT)
I'll try.
The Guardians, amazed, watch as the kids squeeze past them.
PITCH
Still think there's no such thing
as the boogeyman?
Pitch's wave of Nightmare sand snakes its way through town
causing destruction wherever it goes and converges toward a
single point as it heads straight toward the kids.
JAMIE
I do believe in you. I'm just not
afraid of you.
Jamie thrusts out his hand toward the Nightmare wave. His
friends follow suite, just as the Nightmare sand smashes into
them. As it makes contact, the black sand...bursts into
streams of GOLDEN DREAMSAND.
KIDS
(WALLA)
Whoa...whoaaaa!
Everyone is amazed, hardly believing their eyes. Streams of
Dreamsand swirl around the children. And then it's
pandemonium. The Nightmares buck and jump as the sand makes
its way past them.
ON PITCH
He watches, aghast, as his precious Nightmares transform back
into golden Dreamsand and makes its way across town.
EXT. STREETS OF BURGESS - NIGHT
Tooth, amazed, watches as her wings suddenly flutter with a
resurgence of strength and energy. She takes off and flies
past the kids who cheer her on.
CUPCAKE
(WALLA)
Yeah, Tooth Fairy! Whooaaa!
North's eyes widen. He straightens his back and unsheathes
his scimitars.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 121.
MONTY
(WALLA)
Whoa, yeah!
ON PITCH
PITCH
No! Get them!
Pitch gives a signal and sends another wave of Nightmares
toward the Guardians.
PITCH (CONT'D)
Do your jobs!
ON BUNNY
The petite rabbit looks at himself, waiting to be
transformed.
BUNNYMUND
Oh yeah, come on, come on!
When suddenly he's pursued by a snarling Nightmare.
BUNNYMUND (CONT'D)
Oh, crikey!
Bunny takes off running.
ON NORTH
North throws two snowglobes down to the ground, through which
an army of yetis and elves emerge.
CALEB AND CLAUDE
No way!
ON BUNNY
Bunny tries to scurry under a parked car in order to evade
the attacking Nightmare, but he is snatched by his tail
before he can get away.
BUNNYMUND
I'm just a bunny!
Suddenly, Bunny transforms back to his normal size and whips
out his boomerangs while being held upside down.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 122.
BUNNYMUND (CONT'D)
G'day, mate!
Bunny kicks the Nightmare, flips into the air, and throws his
boomerangs which slice through two more Nightmares, turning
them to dust.
Bunny drums his feet on the ground and an army of sentinel
eggs suddenly rise up out of the earth. Caleb finds himself
riding on top of one as they join the yetis and elves in
battle.
CALEB
(WALLA)
Whoa!
BUNNYMUND
(WALLA)
Come on! Wooooohoooo!
Elves riding toy ducks and planes come flying in overhead
like bombardiers, turning Nightmares into puffs of black sand
as they fly through them.
The kids look to see a Nightmare charging toward them, only
to stop in it's tracks once the kids turn to face it.
CUPCAKE
Let's get `em!
KIDS
Aaaaaahhhhhh!
The kids, accompanied by two elves in a bike and side car,
charge an incoming Nightmare. The elf behind the wheel
lunges toward it, biting at its haunches.
CUPCAKE
(WALLA)
Come on guys, we can do it!
The kids put their hands on the Nightmare, turning it to
Dreamsand.
CUT TO:
EXT. BUILDING ROOFTOP - NIGHT
Pitch looks down with a smile at the chaos in the streets
below. Suddenly, a THUD! Pitch turns toward the noise to
see Jack on the roof.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 123.
Jack quickly sends a streak of frost toward Pitch's
Nightmares, disabling a few of them.
CUT TO:
EXT. STREETS OF BURGESS - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
The Guardians turn toward the explosions of ice and snow
taking place atop the surrounding buildings.
CUT TO:
EXT. BUILDING ROOFTOP - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
Pitch begins to charge and responds with an attack of his
own. Jack jumps to an adjacent roof and lets out another
blast of ice.
CUT TO:
EXT. STREETS OF BURGESS - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
BUNNYMUND
(TO NORTH)
All yours, mate.
Bunny taps his foot on the ground and creates a rabbit hole
for North and himself to travel through.
CUT TO:
EXT. BUILDING ROOFTOP - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
Jack runs into Pitch as he rounds the corner of a chimney.
Pitch let's a Nightmare arrow fly, which is suddenly
deflected by Tooth as she flies through the area and takes
out a few Nightmares of her own.
JACK
Thanks, Tooth!
Suddenly, Bunny comes flying out of a nearby chimney, drawing
his boomerang as he lands.
BUNNYMUND
(THROWING BOOMERANG)
Ho, ho, HO!
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 124.
The Nightmares surrounding Pitch explode into dust as the
boomerang tears through them.
CUT TO:
EXT. BUILDING ROOFTOP - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
North shoots out of a bunny hole, his scimitars at the ready,
only to have landed on a roof some distance from the
Guardians.
NORTH
Hyah!
(LOOKS AROUND)
Wrong roof.
CUT TO:
EXT. BUILDING ROOFTOP - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
Pitch tries to escape the attacking Guardians and slips into
a nearby shadow, emerging through the side of the building.
North jumps off the roof to greet him mid-air with his
scmitars.
CUT TO:
EXT. STREETS OF BURGESS - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
Pitch is knocked to the ground. As he gets to his feet he
forms a scythe with his Nightmare sand and begins crossing
swords with North.
In an instant Pitch finds himself surrounded by the
Guardians. Each of them take their turn to deal Pitch a few
humiliating blows.
EXT. STREETS OF BURGESS - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
Jamie looks over Caleb's shoulder as a wisp of Dreamsand
leaves his palms and rises into the air.
CALEB
Look at that!
JAMIE
(gets an idea)
I got it.
(off their confused looks)
(MORE)
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 125.
JAMIE (CONT'D)
I know what we have to do! Guys,
come on!
Jamie leads his friends as they follow the streams of
Dreamsand down the street toward the growing mass of golden
sand.
CUT TO:
EXT. STREETS OF BURGESS - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
The Guardians advance toward Pitch.
JACK
It's over Pitch! There's no place
to hide.
Pitch give them a wry smile and quickly descends into the
shadows, casting multiple versions of himself along the alley
walls.
Suddenly, in their moment of distraction, Pitch rises up
behind Jack, his Nightmare sand AXE in hand.
BUNNYMUND
Jack, look out!
The other Guardians look on in horror as--
A golden whip wraps itself round Pitch's hands. We follow
the whip to reveal Sandy, coalescing from the funnel cloud of
Dreamsand. He gives Pitch a look, wags his finger, and then
uppercuts him into the air.
KIDS (O.S.)
(WALLA)
Whoa! The Sandman!
Sandy looks off to the side to where Jamie and his friends
have gathered. He forms a Dreamsand hat and tips the cap to
Jamie. Jamie, gleeful, waves back to Sandy as his friends
stand behind him in awe.
KIDS
(WALLA)
Man, this is so cool! Yeah,
alright! Wahoo! Wow!
Sandy then looks to his whip and tugs on it, slamming Pitch
into the ground and knocking him out. The Guardians cheer as
they welcome Sandy's return.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 126.
NORTH
Welcome back, old friend!
JACK
(STUNNED)
Sandy.
TOOTH
Oh, Sandy. You're alright!
BUNNYMUND
Sandy, come here!
JACK
Yeah!
BUNNYMUND
Mate, you are a sight for sore
eyes!
Sandy floats into the air, and shoots streams of Dreamsand in
every direction.
INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
A wisp of Dreamsand floats into a child's bedroom and touches
his forehead while he sleeps. Suddenly, a Dreamsand figure
forms above the child's head, it's the Tooth Fairy.
INT. PITCH'S LAIR - CONTINUOUS
Lights begin to appear on the globe. Baby Tooth notices
this, and perks up. Her wings start to flutter.
Other fairies begin to fly. They shoot down to the tooth
boxes and begin opening them. We see one of the faces on a
box, and transition to the actual child who she goes from sad
to happy as her fondest memories flood back. We zoom out of
her face to see thousands of fluttering fairies and...
CUT TO:
EXT. STREETS OF BURGESS - NIGHT
Sophie peers out of her bedroom window, watching as streams
of Dreamsand dance along the Burgess skyline.
SOPHIE
Pretty!
CUT TO:
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 127.
EXT. STREETS OF BURGESS - NIGHT
More and more windows begin to shine bright with gold as
swirls of Dreamsand fill the night sky. We pull back to
reveal the globe in North's sleigh, now decorated with spots
of yellow light.
CUT TO:
EXT. STREETS OF BURGESS - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
A Nightmare comes barreling towards Cupcake. It screeches to
a halt, inches from the girl's face. She gently taps the
creature on the nose and turns into a Dreamsand Unicorn.
CUPCAKE
Whoa...
A gigantic Dreamsand dinosaur foot comes down revealing a
Dreamsand brontosaurus. As Dreamsand creatures fill the
streets, the Guardians and children rejoice.
MONTY
(WALLA)
Yeah!
Jamie stands in awe of a school of beautiful Dreamsand fish
as they float by. Suddenly, he's hit in the head with a
snowball. He turns to look and sees Jack, smiling. Jamie
picks up a snowball and throws it at his friends. Almost
instantaneously, a snowball fight ensures.
CLAUDE
(WALLA)
Oh yeah? Bring it on!
Sandy salutes Jack and North, who are standing off to the
side while the snowball fight escalates.
NORTH
Your center?
JACK
It took awhile, but I figured it
out.
North tosses Jack a small item. Jack catches it and looks to
his open palm, it's a Russian nesting doll in the image of
Jack, similar to those found in North's workshop. Jack
smiles and North gives him a wink in return.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 128.
BOOF! North is suddenly hit by a snowball and turns. He
sees Claude, Caleb, and an elf; they immediately point
fingers at each other.
CALEB AND CLAUDE
Ooohhh.
A beat, until North bursts out in laughter.
NORTH
(LAUGHING)
You're all on naughty list.
(TO BUNNY)
Bunny, think fast!
He throws a snowball, which hits Bunny smack in the face.
Pitch groans in pain, and rises up to see the town crawling
with Dreamsand creatures, snowballs flying and yetis playing.
PITCH
(TO HIMSELF)
No.
He whips around to see the kids - having the time of their
lives - and no fear in their eyes. He rises up, his entire
body shaking with rage, and screams at them.
PITCH (CONT'D)
You dare have fun in my presence!
I am the Boogeyman! AND YOU WILL
FEAR ME!
He lunges at Jamie who come running toward him, Pitch's hands
outstretched as if he's going to grab him by the throat. But
Jamie runs right through him, laughing, joyous.
PITCH (CONT'D)
Noooo!
Pitch gasps, realizing that he no longer has any power over
the children. The devastation plays across his face.
PITCH (CONT'D)
(under his breathe)
No.
He sees the Guardians approach, standing side by side with
one another. Pitch turns and flees into the forest.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 129.
EXT. POND - NIGHT
Pitch runs through the shadows in terror. He comes crashing
through the trees of the forest, and out onto the ice of the
pond. He looks over his shoulder to see if the Guardians are
on his tail, when BOOM! He runs smack into North's chest.
Pitch slips on the ice, and falls backwards. He looks up to
see North smiling down at him.
NORTH
Leaving the party so soon?
TOOTH
You didn't even say goodbye.
Tooth tosses something to Pitch which he catches. He looks
down. It's a quarter.
PITCH
A quarter?
BLAM. A fist punches him right in the jaw, and a single
tooth goes skittering across the ice. Tooth shakes out her
hand.
TOOTH
And that's for my fairies.
PITCH
(SCOWLS)
You can't get rid of me! Not
forever! There will always be
fear!
NORTH
So what? As long as one child
believes, we will be here to fight
fear!
PITCH
Really? Then what are they doing
here?
Hundreds of Nightmares emerge from the woods, surrounding the
pond. It's terrifying, but the Guardians seem unphased.
NORTH
They can't be my Nightmares, I'm
not afraid.
JACK
Looks like it's your fear they
smell.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 130.
Suddenly, Pitch's eyes get huge with terror as the Nightmares
move in on him. He begins to back away, but the Nightmares
pick up speed as they charge toward him.
PITCH
Ahhh, no....AAAAAHHHHHH!!
He tries to run, but it's impossible to get his footing on
the ice. He falters, and is swept up in the stampede of
Nightmares. The streaks of black whip and latch themselves
onto Pitch as the black cloud carries him through the forest.
PITCH (CONT'D)
No, no, nooooooo!
Pitch struggles to escape, but the mass of black sand pulls
him deep into the forest, under the frame of the broken bed,
and back down into the dark depths of the underground. He
looks up at the moon as he disappears and the hole in the
earth seals itself up.
CUT TO:
SEQ. 3200 - THE OATH
EXT. POND - THE MOON
Pale and faint in the day, but oddly close and welcoming. It
can't be, but -- is that the barest hint of a FACE on the
Moon? Jack smiles as he looks up at it. He hears Tooth's
laugh and turns to find North, Tooth, Bunny and Sandy, their
faces shining with pride.
Tooth comes flying in to give Jack a hug. She lifts him off
the ground as they embrace. They share a moment and she soon
recoils with giddy embarrassment as Baby Tooth interjects.
Jack acknowledges Baby Tooth and gently pats her on the side
of her face as North steps forward.
NORTH
Are you ready now, Jack?
(BEAT)
To make it official.
Jack looks over, a stern elf is hitting a horn against his
palm. A Yeti hands North the book we saw when Jack and the
Guardians first met. Sandy and Bunny share a boastful look.
NORTH (CONT'D)
Then is time you take Oath.
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 131.
North opens the book, flips through several pages, and takes
a moment before he speaks.
NORTH (CONT'D)
(TO JACK)
"Will you, Jack Frost...vow to
watch over the children of the
world?
Jamie and his friends along with a crowd of yetis, elves, and
eggs all make their way across the pond to the rest of the
group. As they approach we see settle on Jamie, who stands
at the center of the group.
NORTH (CONT'D)
To guard them with your life -
their hopes, their wishes, and
their dreams? For they are all
that we have, all that we are and
all that we will ever be."
Jack takes a second to look back at Jamie, then back to
North.
JACK
I will.
NORTH
Then congratulations, Jack Frost -
for you are now and forevermore...a
Guardian.
Jamie and the kids erupt in a CHEER, as do the Yetis and
Eggs.
KIDS
(WALLA)
Oh man! Woo! Yeah, Jack! Yeah,
Jack! Yeah! Wooo!
NORTH
(WALLA)
Yippa!
BUNNYMUND
(WALLA)
Yeah! Wooo! Good job, mate. Good
job!
KIDS
(WALLA)
Alright! Yeah! Go, Jack!
Alright! Woo. Alright!
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 132.
NORTH
Klasno!
North picks up Jack, gives him a hug, and kisses him on both
cheeks. Jack winces, then looks up to North with a smile.
BUNNYMUND
(WALLA)
That's my boy! Woo!
KIDS
(WALLA)
Alright Jack. Yeah! Awesome!
Imitating North, an elf picks up the elf standing next to him
and gives him a big kiss. After an awkward pause, the
affectionate elf is punched in the face.
Jack looks to see several fairies hovering nearby, forming
the shape of a heart. One of the swooning fairies faints and
falls to the ground.
TOOTH
Keep it together, girls.
KIDS
(WALLA)
Jack! You did it Jack! Wooo!
You're in the Guardians! Yeah,
Jack! Yay! Yeah! You earned it!
You're Jack Frost! Yay! Awesome,
yay!
CALEB
(WALLA)
You guys, look!
MONTY
(WALLA)
That's Santa's sleigh.
The group looks up to the sky as North's sleigh comes in for
a landing. The tie-dyed elf rescues a lone egg from the skis
of the sleigh as it glides across the icy pond.
KIDS
(WALLA)
Wow, it's real. That is wicked!
Whoa, that was awesome! Ohh...can
you believe this? Whoa, did you
guys see that? That's awesome!
Wow! Whoa!
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 133.
BUNNYMUND
(to North, wryly)
Everyone loves the sleigh.
KIDS
(WALLA)
Wow! Look at that! So totally
insane!
North turns away from Bunny and puts his hand on Jack's
shoulder.
NORTH
Time to go.
As the kids look on in wonder, Sandy throws up his hands
creating a shower of Dreamsand, which drifts down on the
children.
KIDS
(WALLA)
Whoa! It's beautiful. Wow, that
was awesome!
Meanwhile, Bunny hands an egg to Sophie who giggles and pats
the brim of his nose.
BUNNYMUND
Happy Easter ya little anklebiter.
I'm gonna miss yah.
SOPHIE
Bye, bye, bunny.
Jamie realizes what's about to happen.
JAMIE
You're leaving? But, what if Pitch
comes back?
Jack looks back at Jamie, who seems wistful and worried.
JAMIE (CONT'D)
What if we stop believing again?
If I can't see you --
Jack kneels down to look Jamie in the eye.
JACK
Hey, hey, slow down, slow down.
You telling me you stop believing
in the moon when the sun comes up?
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 134.
JAMIE
(considers, then)
No.
JACK
Okay, well do you stop believing in
the sun when clouds block it out?
JAMIE
(SMILES)
No.
JACK
We'll always be there, Jamie. And
now...we'll always be here.
(points to Jamie's heart)
Which kind of makes you a Guardian
too.
Jamie smiles. Jack stands up and heads toward the sleigh.
Jamie's friends stand off to the side rubbing their eyes as
they become drowsy.
KIDS
(WALLA)
I can't keep my eyes open. I think
I gotta go home. Let's go home.
What time is it? I'm sleepy.
JAMIE
Jack!
Jamie runs over and wraps his arms around Jack. For a
moment, Jack's astonished and then gives Jamie a warm
embrace. Jack stands up and gets in the sleigh with the rest
of the Guardians.
NORTH
Hyah!
Jack and the Guardians look toward the kids as the sleigh
takes off. Jamie RUNS behind the sleigh, following Jack. In
spite of it all, he doesn't want to let go. The sleigh takes
off into the sky. Jamie stops unable to follow.
KIDS
(WALLA)
Woooo! Yeah! Yay!
Guardians Screening Script 9/6/12 Avid 135.
IN SLEIGH
JACK (V.O.)
My name is Jack Frost. And I'm a
Guardian. How do I know that?
Because the moon told me so. And
when the moon tells you something,
believe it.
Jack moves to the back of the sleigh as the Guardians pat him
on the back. Jack smiles...and forms a snowflake in his
hand. For Jamie, for all of us in the theatre. It glides
off his fingertips and flies toward camera as we...
FADE TO WHITE
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