An Unlikely Fandom: The Impact of Thomas the Tank Engine (2025)

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An Unlikely Fandom: The Impact of Thomas the Tank Engine is an American documentary film directed by Brannon Carty.

The film follows the impact on adults and teens alike who have become fans of the franchise and have stayed that way. It will also star several key people who have worked on Thomas such as Mike O'Donnell, Wilbert Awdry, Veronica Chambers, David Mitton, Rick Siggelkow and Britt Allcroft in both archival and new footage.

It was first released in 2023, under the taglines "You've Met the Bronies, Now Meet the Tankies (as a reference to Bronies: An Extremely Unexpected Fandom) and "You Call Him a Train, They Call Him a Friend".

Trivia

  • The documentary was filmed with a Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K.
  • The documentary was originally set to be released in August 2020, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it was pushed back several times to its finalised release date for Monday November 27th, 2023 at a private premiere event in New York City.
  • Filming Locations for the documentary included Huntingdon Pennsylvania, Edison New Jersey, the Strasburg Railroad and Wilmington North Carolina, in the United States with additional filming in the United Kingdom and Australia were done to further expanding the film.
  • A subtle reference to the 2011 film Drive will be included somewhere in the documentary as an Easter Egg.
  • Once released, the documentary will be available on YouTube Movies and Amazon.
  • This marks the first full-length fan-made documentary to feature interviews with crew members of the show.
  • On 3 February 2020, a Kickstarter campaign for the documentary was created in order to help fund travel costs associated with visiting the UK for filming interviews in May 2020 (later postponed to a year because of the pandemic.). Those who donated a specified amount of money to the project would receive the following rewards. The Kickstarter campaign ended on 4 March 2020. By 7 February 2020, the fundraiser had already reached its donation goal of $2500, plus additional funds that were also supplied.
  • YoYoEvanYT won the 7.5K Giveaway and won several different items, one of which included the world's only existing copy of An Unlikely Fandom on VHS.
  • Different Donation Amounts on the Kickstarter Campaign brought the following rewards:
    • $10 - Your name in the film's end credits.
    • $20 - An exclusive digital download copy of the documentary.
    • $30 - An exclusive limited edition Blu-ray copy of the documentary, complete with bonus features and director's commentary.
    • $35 - 11oz Coffee Mug
    • $40 - Soundtrack featuring music by Will Wilkie.
    • $50 - a signed 18" x 24" poster for the documentary.
    • $100 - An Unlikely Fandom crew t-shirt and hat.
    • $500 - Your name listed as an executive producer in the film's credits and poster art, exclusive access to cuts of the documentary before the release date and invitation to the film's theatrical premiere (location TBD), plus all previous rewards.

Trailer and Featured Clips

AN UNLIKELY FANDOM (2023) - FINAL TRAILER

An Unlikely Fandom - Fox 8 News Segment

Broadcast on May 10th, 2024

An Unlikely Fandom (2023)- The Appeal of the Model Series - Clip

An Unlikely Fandom (2023)- The Genius of David Mitton - Clip

An Unlikely Fandom (2023)- Preserving the Props - Clip

An Unlikely Fandom (2023)- The Origins of the TV Series - Clip

An Unlikely Fandom (2023)- One Common Denominator - Clip

An Unlikely Fandom (2023)- A Simpler Time - Clip

Films and Specials
Feature-Length SpecialsThomas and the Magic Railroad | Calling All Engines! | The Great Discovery | Cancelled 2009 Special | Hero of the Rails | Misty Island Rescue | Day of the Diesels | Blue Mountain Mystery | King of the Railway | Tale of the Brave | The Adventure Begins | Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure | The Great Race | Journey Beyond Sodor | Big World! Big Adventures!
Double-Length EpisodesDiesel's Ghostly Christmas | All Tracks Lead to Rome | Mines of Mystery | Steam Team to the Rescue | A New Arrival | World of Tomorrow | Thomas and the Royal Engine
DVD Specials | Marvellous Machinery
Japanese ExclusiveThomas and the U.K. Trip | Hello Thomas and James | Thomas and Connie's Wonderful American Journey | Thomas the Tank Engine Movie - All Star Parade
DocumentariesThe Making of Thomas the Tank Engine | The Thomas the Tank Engine Man | | Behind the Scenes with Pierce Brosnan | 70 Years of Friendship | Original 70th Anniversary History Time Travel | Secret Journey of Thomas the Tank Engine | The Making of The Great Race | | Behind the Scenes Big World! Big Adventures! The Movie | Original 75th Anniversary History Time Travel | A Day on Awdry's Railway | Original 80th Anniversary History: The Rails Go on Forever | An Unlikely Fandom: The Impact of Thomas the Tank Engine (coming soon)
Miscellaneous
Feature-Length SpecialsRace for the Sodor Cup | The Mystery of Lookout Mountain | The Christmas Letter Express | Untitled Fourth All Engines Go Movie (coming soon)
Half-hour SpecialsThe Great Bubbly Build
Japanese ExclusiveThe Biggest Friends of All (coming soon)
MiscellaneousThe Adventures of Thomas | Untitled Marc Forster Movie (coming soon)

External Links

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