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Zach Snyder's (Watchmen, 300) first animated film was plagued by a title that would have likely had people scratching their heads when it hits theaters on Sept. 24.  So, in the name of mass consumption, Warner Bros. has switched from Guardians of Ga'Hoole to just simply Legend of the Guardians, according to Heat Vision.  I am all for helping audiences pronounce your film, but did they nearly neuter the film by overdoing it a bit?

Despite that concern, the film, based on a book series about owls (I know, let me explain) by Kathryn Lasky, is shaping up nicely, with a voice cast including Hellen Mirren, Hugo Weaving, Abbie Cornish, Geoffrey Rush, Emilie de Ravin, and Sam Neill. According to IMDb, the film revolves around this interesting plotline:

Soren, a young barn owl, is kidnapped by owls of St. Aggie's, ostensibly an orphanage, where owlets are brainwashed into becoming soldiers. He and his new friends escape to the island of Ga'Hoole, to assist its noble, wise owls who fight the army being created by the wicked rulers of St. Aggie's.

Sounds cool, doesn't it.  Hit the jump for the official synopsis from Warner Bros.:

Acclaimed filmmaker Zack Snyder makes his animation debut with the fantasy family adventure "Guardians of Ga'Hoole," based on the beloved books by Kathryn Lasky. The film follows Soren, a young owl enthralled by his father's epic stories of the Guardians of Ga'Hoole, a mythic band of winged warriors who had fought a great battle to save all of owlkind from the evil Pure Ones. While Soren dreams of someday joining his heroes, his older brother, Kludd, scoffs at the notion, and yearns to hunt, fly and steal his father's favor from his younger sibling. But Kludd's jealousy has terrible consequences--causing both owlets to fall from their treetop home and right into the talons of the Pure Ones. Now it is up to Soren to make a daring escape with the help of other brave young owls. Together they soar across the sea and through the mist to find the Great Tree, home of the legendary Guardians of Ga'Hoole--Soren's only hope of defeating the Pure Ones and saving the owl kingdoms.

GUARDIANS OF GA'HOOLE

In theatres and IMAX on September 24

(Warner Bros. Pictures/Village Roadshow Pictures)

Director: Zack Snyder

Writers: Emil Stern and John Orloff

Based on the novels by Kathryn Lasky

Producer: Zareh Nalbandian

Executive Producers: Donald De Line, Deborah Snyder, Lionel Wigram, Kathryn Lasky, Bruce Berman

Cast: Emily Barclay, Abbie Cornish, Emilie de Ravin, Ryan Kwanten, Jay Laga'aia, Miriam Margolyes, Helen Mirren, Sam Neill, Richard Roxburgh, Geoffrey Rush, Jim Sturgess, Hugo Weaving, David Wenham

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