You probably remember Mr. Magoo as that mumbling, squinting old guy from the 1950s who couldn't see a foot in front of his face. He was the king of the "one-joke" cartoon. Then, out of nowhere in 2010, he became a martial arts expert. Sorta. The Kung Fu Magoo movie is one of those fever-dream projects that feels like it shouldn't exist, yet it features a voice cast that would make a modern blockbuster jealous. We’re talking Disney Channel royalty at the height of their fame, some of the best voice actors in the business, and a plot involving "Evilympics."
Honestly, the backstory is as weird as the film itself.
The Weird Origin of Kung Fu Magoo
It had been over thirty years since Quincy Magoo had a starring role in an animated feature. The character had been mostly dormant since the 1970s, aside from a live-action Leslie Nielsen movie in 1997 that most critics (including Roger Ebert, who gave it zero stars) absolutely hated. By the late 2000s, Classic Media decided it was time for a revival. They didn't just want a reboot; they wanted a "U.S.-Mexico co-production."
Enter Ánima Estudios.
Based in Mexico, this studio teamed up with Santo Domingo Films and Motion Toons to create something fundamentally different from the UPA shorts of the past. They didn't want the "dirty old man" version of Magoo. They wanted an action star. The movie was directed by Andrés Couturier, a veteran of Mexican animation, and written by a team including Emmy Laybourne and Sam Laybourne.
It was a big deal for Ánima. This was their first major leap into the U.S. market. They even dedicated the film to Alfredo Harp Calderoni, the executive producer and son of a prominent Mexican businessman, who tragically passed away after production wrapped in 2009.
What the Heck Happens in This Movie?
The plot is... a lot. Basically, the world's most notorious villains get an invite to an island fortress owned by a guy named Tan-Gu (voiced by Lloyd Floyd). He’s hosting the "Evilympics," which is exactly what it sounds like: an Olympic-style tournament for bad guys.
Mr. Magoo is recruited as part of an anti-evil task force. He’s joined by his 12-year-old nephew, Justin Magoo, who basically spends the whole movie making sure his uncle doesn't accidentally walk off a cliff while fighting "Beasteen" mutants (which are half-animal, half-teenage girl—don't ask).
They fight:
- Giant robotic spiders.
- Ninjas on jet skis.
- A guy named Cole Fusion.
Justin also has a crush on Lorelei, the villain's daughter. It's a classic 2010s animated setup, but with the added layer of a protagonist who literally cannot see the ninjas he is "defeating."
That Insane Voice Cast
If you look at the credits for the Kung Fu Magoo movie, you might do a double-take. In 2010, getting Dylan and Cole Sprouse for a direct-to-DVD movie was a massive pull. They were the biggest stars on Disney Channel thanks to The Suite Life on Deck. Dylan voices Justin, the protagonist, while Cole plays a school bully named Brad Landry.
The rest of the cast is a "Who's Who" of voice acting:
- Jim Conroy as Mr. Magoo (capturing that classic mumble).
- Alyson Stoner (of Phineas and Ferb fame) as Lorelei.
- Chris Parnell (SNL, Rick and Morty) as Cole Fusion.
- Tom Kenny (the voice of SpongeBob) as Dr. Malicio.
- Maile Flanagan (the voice of Naruto) as Orangu-Tammy.
- Rodger Bumpass (Squidward) as General Smith.
It’s a stacked roster for a film that most people haven't even heard of.
Where Did It Go?
The movie had its English premiere on DVD on May 11, 2010, distributed by Vivendi Entertainment. It didn't hit theaters in the U.S., though there were rumors of a theatrical run in Mexico that never quite materialized. Instead, it became a staple of cable TV for a hot minute.
Disney XD picked it up and aired it on February 7, 2011. For a while, it was a frequent "filler" movie on the channel. But since then? It’s become a bit of a ghost.
As of early 2026, finding the Kung Fu Magoo movie on major streaming platforms like Netflix or Disney+ is a crapshoot. It was on Netflix for a few years, but left around January 2020. Your best bet these days is honestly finding an old DVD on eBay or checking digital storefronts like Google Play or Amazon, though even those listings are region-dependent and tend to vanish without notice.
Why It’s Actually a Fascinating Relic
The movie is a time capsule of that weird 2008-2012 era of animation. It was trying to bridge the gap between "boomer" nostalgia and "Gen Z" appeal. You have a character created in 1949 doing kung fu with the Sprouse twins.
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Does it work?
Critics and fans are split. Some find it a charming, low-stakes adventure with a great cast. Others think the concept of Magoo as an action hero misses the point of the original satire. The original Magoo was a "bullheaded" man who refused to admit he was wrong, not just a guy with bad glasses.
Regardless of where you land, you can't deny the ambition of a $2.6 million budget film trying to reboot a 60-year-old franchise through a Mexican-American lens.
How to Track Down Kung Fu Magoo Today
If you're feeling nostalgic or just curious about this oddity, here’s the reality of finding it:
- Physical Media is King: Because of licensing issues between Classic Media (now owned by DreamWorks/Universal) and the various production partners, this movie slips through the cracks of streaming. Hunt for the 2010 DVD.
- Check Digital Rentals: It occasionally pops up on YouTube Movies or Apple TV as a $3.99 rental, but keep an eye on the "Classic Media" catalog specifically.
- Broadcaster Archives: If you have access to international versions of Cartoon Network or Disney XD, they sometimes air it in Latin American markets where Ánima Estudios has more prominence.
If you do manage to watch it, pay attention to the background animation. For a "Flash-animated" movie from 2010, the environments—especially Tan-Gu's island—actually have some decent personality. Just don't expect a Pixar-level masterpiece; go in expecting a weird, fun piece of animation history.