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Dragonball Evolution
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<p><i>Dragonball Evolution</i> is a 2009 American <a href="/facts/Science_fantasy/Y8sxHwKu">science fantasy</a> <a href="/facts/Action_film/5TjVB0kf">action film</a> directed by <a href="/facts/James_Wong_(filmmaker)/AVbtdC6U">James Wong</a>, produced by <a href="/facts/Stephen_Chow/Vq6gVN4w">Stephen Chow</a>, and written by <a href="/facts/Ben_Ramsey_(filmmaker)/HxrnpWx5">Ben Ramsey</a>. It is loosely based on the Japanese <i><a href="/facts/Dragon_Ball/beDqYtcb">Dragon Ball</a></i> manga and anime series created by <a href="/facts/Akira_Toriyama/HduQtQ77">Akira Toriyama</a>, and stars <a href="/facts/Justin_Chatwin/mR6Vengf">Justin Chatwin</a>, <a href="/facts/Emmy_Rossum/MFbDtJVV">Emmy Rossum</a>, <a href="/facts/James_Marsters/DwdGk4XL">James Marsters</a>, <a href="/facts/Jamie_Chung/rjGyMDW3">Jamie Chung</a>, <a href="/facts/Chow_Yun-fat/RxzKfJLo">Chow Yun-fat</a>, <a href="/facts/Joon_Park/lzrHlcXu">Joon Park</a>, and <a href="/facts/Eriko_Tamura/TbUejj5j">Eriko Tamura</a>. In <i>Dragonball: Evolution</i>, the young Goku reveals his past and sets out to fight the evil alien warlord Lord Piccolo who wishes to gain the powerful Dragon Balls and use them to take over Earth. </p><p>The film began development in 2002 and was distributed by <a href="/facts/20th_Century_Fox/vd5eeD3S">20th Century Fox</a>. It is the first official live-action adaptation of the <i>Dragon Ball</i> manga. Both <a href="/facts/Toei_Company/2R6KYqEw">Toei</a> and <a href="/facts/Funimation/0h645opn">Funimation</a> stated that they have no involvement with the live action film adaptation of <i>Dragon Ball</i>. </p><p><i>Dragonball: Evolution</i> was released in Japan and several other Asian countries on March 13, 2009, and in the United States on April 10, 2009. The film received negative reviews by both critics and <i>Dragon Ball</i> fans, particularly for its script, cast, and unfaithfulness to the source material. The film <a href="/facts/Box-office_bomb/30YnUj8p">performed poorly at the box office</a>, grossing only $9.4 million in North America and a worldwide total of $58.2 million against a budget of $30 million. The film was meant to be the first of a series, though all subsequent films were canceled. </p>