# Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie
**Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie** is a 1998 American animated Christmas musical film about the character Rudolph, who first appeared in a 1939 story by Robert L. May. It was the first theatrical feature from GoodTimes Entertainment, a company long known as a home video business, and it stars [Kathleen Barr](https://www.edgepedia.org/kathleen-barr) as the voice of Rudolph alongside [John Goodman](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-goodman), Eric Idle, Whoopi Goldberg, Debbie Reynolds, Richard Simmons, and [Bob Newhart](https://www.edgepedia.org/bob-newhart)[1](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Rudolph_the_Red_Nosed_Reindeer_The_Movie?hl=en-US&id=BBD5BB6816974BECMV). The film was released in the United States on October 16, 1998, and it disappointed at the box office, recouping only $113,484 of its $10 million budget from its theatrical release[2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0137201/) • [1](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Rudolph_the_Red_Nosed_Reindeer_The_Movie?hl=en-US&id=BBD5BB6816974BECMV).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release | October 16, 1998 (United States and Canada); later dates included Brazil (December 25, 1998), Denmark (July 17, 1999), and South Africa (October 1, 1999)[2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0137201/) • [3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0137201/releaseinfo/) |
| Director and writer | William R. Kowalchuk Jr. (director and producer); screenwriters Michael Aschner and Robert May[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/rudolph_the_red_nosed_reindeer_the_movie) |
| Voice of Rudolph | Eric Pospisil as young Rudolph, Kathleen Barr as older Rudolph[5](https://www.moviebuff.com/rudolph-the-red-nosed-reindeer) |
| Notable cast | John Goodman (Santa Claus), Whoopi Goldberg (Stormella), Eric Idle (Slyly the Fox), Bob Newhart (Leonard the Polar Bear), Debbie Reynolds (Mrs. Claus), Richard Simmons (Boone)[5](https://www.moviebuff.com/rudolph-the-red-nosed-reindeer) |
| Budget and gross | $10 million budget; $113,484 recouped theatrically per Google Play; Rotten Tomatoes lists a US gross of $106.3K[1](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Rudolph_the_Red_Nosed_Reindeer_The_Movie?hl=en-US&id=BBD5BB6816974BECMV) • [4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/rudolph_the_red_nosed_reindeer_the_movie) |
| Rating and runtime | G; 1 hour 23 minutes per IMDb, Moviebuff, and JustWatch, while Rotten Tomatoes and the Los Angeles Times list 1 hour 30 minutes[6](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/rudolph-the-red-nosed-reindeer-the-movie) • [4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/rudolph_the_red_nosed_reindeer_the_movie) |
| Production countries | United States, Canada, and Hong Kong[2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0137201/) |
## Spoilers
### Plot
The film retells and expands Rudolph's origin. Rudolph, the son of Blitzen and Mitzi Reindeer, is born different from the other fawns: he has a red nose that lights up[7](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-oct-16-ca-32894-story.html). JustWatch's synopsis describes it as a childhood accident that turns his nose from the publicly accepted norm of black to a glowing red color, after which his parents worry about him being teased, and he is[6](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/rudolph-the-red-nosed-reindeer-the-movie).
Rudolph is teased by the other fawns except Zoey, the doe of his dreams[7](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-oct-16-ca-32894-story.html). Meanwhile, two inept elves, Boone and Doggle, wreck the garden of Stormella, the evil ice queen, with their sled. She demands that [Santa Claus](https://www.edgepedia.org/santa-claus) turn them over to her for punishment; he refuses, and Stormella declares that she will imprison the next one who crosses her Ice Bridge and summon up a tempest to end all tempests[7](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-oct-16-ca-32894-story.html).
After Rudolph is barred from the Junior Reindeer Games and discovers that his father feels shame over him, he flees home two years later and takes up residence in a cave alongside Slyly the Fox[7](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-oct-16-ca-32894-story.html) • [6](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/rudolph-the-red-nosed-reindeer-the-movie). Zoey goes looking for him and crosses the bridge, so Rudolph has to rescue her from Stormella and guide Santa's sleigh through the stormy [Christmas Eve](https://www.edgepedia.org/christmas-eve)[7](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-oct-16-ca-32894-story.html).
## Production and cast
GoodTimes [Entertainment](https://www.edgepedia.org/entertainment), the production company, had been known primarily for home video releases, and this film was its first theatrical feature[1](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Rudolph_the_Red_Nosed_Reindeer_The_Movie?hl=en-US&id=BBD5BB6816974BECMV). IMDb lists three production companies: Goodtimes Entertainment, Cayre Brothers, and GT Merchandising and Licensing[2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0137201/). Most of the cast recorded their parts in Canada, with a few exceptions recorded in the United States, including John Goodman as Santa and [Whoopi Goldberg](https://www.edgepedia.org/whoopi-goldberg) as Stormella[2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0137201/).
The voice cast also includes Lee Tockar as Ridley, Alec Willows as Doggle, Garry Chalk as Blitzen, and Christopher Gray as Arrow, Rudolph's rival[5](https://www.moviebuff.com/rudolph-the-red-nosed-reindeer) • [6](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/rudolph-the-red-nosed-reindeer-the-movie). The songs were written by composer Al Kasha and composer-producer Michael Lloyd, who also served as music director[7](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-oct-16-ca-32894-story.html) • [5](https://www.moviebuff.com/rudolph-the-red-nosed-reindeer). The title song, "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer," written by Johnny Marks, was performed by [Clint Black](https://www.edgepedia.org/clint-black), arranged by Tom Scott[2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0137201/).
## Release and box office
The film opened in the United States and Canada on October 16, 1998, two weeks before [Halloween](https://www.edgepedia.org/halloween), a timing the Los Angeles Times critic found incongruous for a Christmas-themed film[2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0137201/) • [7](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-oct-16-ca-32894-story.html). It later opened in Brazil on December 25, 1998, Denmark on July 17, 1999, and South Africa on October 1, 1999, among other territories[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0137201/releaseinfo/).
The theatrical run was a financial failure. [Google Play](https://www.edgepedia.org/google-play)'s description states that the film disappointed at the box office, recouping only $113,484 of its $10 million budget[1](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Rudolph_the_Red_Nosed_Reindeer_The_Movie?hl=en-US&id=BBD5BB6816974BECMV), and Rotten Tomatoes lists a US gross of $106.3K[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/rudolph_the_red_nosed_reindeer_the_movie). A DVD release followed on November 1, 2005[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/rudolph_the_red_nosed_reindeer_the_movie). As of recent checks, the film was not available on any streaming service in the United States, though the DVD could be bought from Amazon[6](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/rudolph-the-red-nosed-reindeer-the-movie).
## Reception
Critical response was largely negative. Charles Solomon, a longtime animation critic writing for the Los Angeles Times, called the film "a saccharine, simple-minded cartoon that feels like an overly long TV special" and judged from the animation quality that it seemed created for the home video market with a nominal theatrical run added to raise its profile[7](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-oct-16-ca-32894-story.html). He criticized the stiff, jerky character motion, the poorly synchronized dialogue, and the songs by Al Kasha and Michael Lloyd, which he wrote "impede the story rather than advance it"[7](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-oct-16-ca-32894-story.html).
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a Tomatometer score of 59 percent based on 4 reviews, with a Popcornmeter audience tally of more than 10,000 ratings[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/rudolph_the_red_nosed_reindeer_the_movie). Individual critic scores on the site ranged widely, from 0/5 (Alex Sandell, Juicy Cerebellum) and 2/5 (Emanuel Levy) to 4/5 (Linda Cook, Quad City Times)[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/rudolph_the_red_nosed_reindeer_the_movie). JustWatch aggregates a 5.9 rating from about 3,600 user votes alongside a 68 percent [JustWatch](https://www.edgepedia.org/justwatch) rating[6](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/rudolph-the-red-nosed-reindeer-the-movie).
The film is distinct from the 1964 Rankin/Bass stop-motion television special of the same character, which is the version most often described as a holiday classic[8](https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/rudolph-the-red-nosed-reindeer).
## References
1. [Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie, Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Rudolph_the_Red_Nosed_Reindeer_The_Movie?hl=en-US&id=BBD5BB6816974BECMV)
2. [Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie (1998), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0137201/)
3. [Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie (1998) - Release info, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0137201/releaseinfo/)
4. [Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/rudolph_the_red_nosed_reindeer_the_movie)
5. [Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1998), Moviebuff](https://www.moviebuff.com/rudolph-the-red-nosed-reindeer)
6. [Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie streaming, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/rudolph-the-red-nosed-reindeer-the-movie)
7. ['Rudolph' Never Gets Off the Ground, Los Angeles Times, October 16, 1998](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-oct-16-ca-32894-story.html)
8. [Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer - Parents' Guide & Movie Review, Common Sense Media](https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/rudolph-the-red-nosed-reindeer)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Franchise and series entries as standalone works › Animated and family franchise film entries › Musical and fantasy entries*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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