The Road to El Dorado

The Road to El Dorado is an animated musical comedy from 2000, produced by DreamWorks Animation and released by DreamWorks Pictures as the studio's third animated feature. Eric "Bibo" Bergeron and Don Paul directed the film, with additional sequences by Will Finn and David Silverman, based on a screenplay by Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio. The voice cast includes Kevin Kline, Kenneth Branagh, Rosie Perez, Armand Assante, and Edward James Olmos. The story follows two con artists who, after acquiring a map to the legendary city of El Dorado in Spain, end up in the New World, where the city's inhabitants mistake them for gods.

The soundtrack includes an instrumental score by Hans Zimmer and John Powell, along with songs written by Elton John and Tim Rice. John also periodically narrates the story through song. Released in the United States on March 31, 2000, the film received mixed reviews and was a box-office disappointment, earning $76 million worldwide against a production budget of roughly $95 million. However, Zimmer's score was praised and won the Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Score at the 6th Critics' Choice Awards, shared with his work on *Gladiator*, another DreamWorks film. Despite its initial reception, the film has since gained a cult following.

In 1519 Spain, con artists Tulio and Miguel win gold and a map to El Dorado in a rigged dice game with sailors (though the map is won fairly after an opponent gives Tulio normal dice). After their con is exposed, they evade guards and accidentally stow away on a ship led by conquistador Hernán Cortés. Caught and imprisoned at sea, they escape with the help of Cortés' horse, Altivo, stealing a rowboat. They land in South America, where Miguel recognizes landmarks from the map, leading them to a totem near a waterfall. There, they meet a native woman, Chel, who is being chased by guards. When the guards see Tulio and Miguel riding Altivo as depicted on the totem, they escort them and Chel to a hidden entrance behind the waterfall into El Dorado. The city's elders—kind Chief Tannabok and his wicked advisor, high priest Tzekel-Kan—mistake the pair for twin gods after a volcano erupts and then stops during an argument between them. They are given luxurious quarters, with Chel assigned to them. She realizes they are conning her people but agrees to keep quiet if they take her with them when they leave. The