Tad, The Lost Explorer

Tad, the Lost Explorer (Spanish: Las aventuras de Tadeo Jones, lit. 'The Adventures of Tadeo Jones') is a 2012 Spanish animated adventure comedy film directed by Enrique Gato. The film is a spinoff of Gato's 2004 short film, Tadeo Jones and its sequel Tadeo Jones and the Basement of Doom. While technically based on the shorts, the film was mainly adapted from the Spanish graphic novel Tadeo and the Secret of the Toactlum, illustrated and co-written by Juan López Fernández (Jan) and written by Javier Barreira, Gorka Magallón, and Gato. The film was adapted and written by Barreira, Magallón, Ignacio del Moral, Jordi Gasull, and Neil Landau. The film's music was composed by Zacarías M. de la Riva. The English cast features the voices of Kerry Shale, Ariel Winter, Bruce Mackinnon, Mac McDonald, Liza Ross, Cheech Marin, and Adam James. The film was produced by Telecinco Cinema, El Toro Picture, Lightbox Entertainment, Ikiru Films, Telefónica Producciones, and Media Networks, with the participation of AXN, Canal Plus, and TVC.

The film premiered at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival on 5 June 2012 and was theatrically released on 31 August 2012 in Spain by Paramount Pictures. Spanish critics gave it positive reviews, but it was not well received in North America. It earned €45 million on an €8 million budget, making it a box-office hit.

It was nominated for 5 Goya Awards, winning 3 for Best Animated Film, Best New Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay at the 27th Goya Awards.

A sequel, titled Tad the Lost Explorer and the Secret of King Midas, was released in 2017. The final installment titled Tad, the Lost Explorer and the Emerald Tablet was released in August 2022.