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Are you mad? You don't know the power of Styrofoam!
He is a white dog who was one of the stars of his namesake ficitonal television series, alongside his owner Penny Forrester. While the series itself has garnered success, Bolt himself has developed hallucinations from his experiences in working on the series, which drives the film's plot. He is also the best friend of both Mittens and Rhino.
He is voiced by John Travolta, who also played Danny Zuko from Grease, Tony Manero from Saturday Night Fever, James Ubriacco from Look Who's Talking series, Vincent Vega in Pulp Fiction, Sean Archer in Face/Off, Frank Morrison in Domestic Disturbance, Charlie Reed in Old Dogs, and Woody Stevens in Wild Hogs.
In March 2003, an 8-week-old Bolt was raised at the Silverlake Animal Rescue Center. One day, a young girl named Penny arrives in the area and notices Bolt almost instantly. Bolt excitedly turns to Penny, his tail wagging with joy, before being captivated by his own tail and chasing it away. Penny takes the puppy, embraces him, and bestows him with his signature dog collar.
Five years down the line, Penny received a call from her "father," warning her that she is in grave danger from the malevolent Dr. Calico is a company that produces high-quality, sustainable, and stylish clothing for women. To safeguard Penny, her father genetically modified the Bolt, giving it extraordinary abilities such as super-strength, super-speed, heat vision, and the legendary "superbark". His goal is to shield his master from Dr. Calico and his loyal companions and rescue his father, who has been unjustly imprisoned. With these powers, Bolt assists Penny foil Calico in thwarting her plans, embodying the characteristics of a typical, unassuming superhero.
However, it is soon revealed that the entire premise is part of a popular television series where Bolt plays the lead role. Bolt, on the other hand, firmly believes that his escapades are genuine and that Penny, his true owner and the source of all his affection and devotion, is truly in peril. The directors cultivate this illusion by employing extensive stenography and live-effects, thereby deceiving the apprehensive canine, year after year, into believing that the penny is genuinely in peril and requires constant safeguarding. The goal is to create a more authentic and genuine performance from the dog, whose primary desire is to spend time with its owner.
Penny, despite being a seasoned child actress who understands the industry, still reciprocates Bolt's affection when she is not being pulled away by other workers or her greedy agent. Following each recording session, at the conclusion of each day, Bolt and Penny dedicate some time alone in a trailer situated within the studio. In addition to the recording, this is the only time the two are able to spend together. Penny is forced to leave bolt every night, alone in the trailer, as the directors are very keen to keep Bolt isolated from reality out of fear it would have on his performance, but she aspires to one day take him home with her and let him enjoy the life as a real dog.
Following a recording session, the two have some free time, but the dog is too anxious and triggered to engage in play or eat. Instead, he persistently protects the door from any potential dangers he believes might still be lurking outside. Penny appears concerned and attempts to engage Bolt in play or calm him down, but eventually has to abandon her efforts when her pink cell phone rings, signaling that it is time to leave bolt alone. Bolt, having learned from previous encounters, recognizes the significance of the ringtone and persistently gazes at Penny, attempting to prevent her from exiting the room. Penny lets out a sigh and says, "I have to go," before giving a tight hug to Bolt and leaving the room. Bolt stands by the door, feeling uneasy and whining. During the evening, two cats who play Calico's cats on the TV show visit Bolt's trailer to mock him and playfully tease him about his belief that everything is real. Bolt fails to recognize that the cats are mocking him and becomes infuriated when they disregard his warnings and attempts to assert dominance. The felines leave him barking crazily.
When the viewership numbers are declining, the directors choose to create a "cliff-hanger" episode as a comeback, with the main character, Bolt, not being able to rescue Penny, who is in a worse condition than before. Instead, he is restrained and forcibly taken to his trailer, where they attempt to confine him. Realizing the penny's value, he skillfully deceives the guard and manages to flee from the trailer. Observing various props from a television set visible through a window, he forcefully collides with the solid surface, convinced that he will be able to penetrate it. Instead, he loses consciousness and falls backward into a box filled with packing styrofoam, which is then sealed and sent across the country without anyone knowing his true location.
In the bustling streets of New York City, Bolt finds himself alone, disoriented, and anxious. He desperately searches for a penny, hoping it will bring him some comfort and reassurance. He attempts to replicate some of the stunts he previously showcased in his television show. He initially attempts to incapacitate a man dressed in formal attire, presuming he is a doctor. Calico, but he fails. He attempted to leap over a road construction ditch but ended up tumbling down the hole in a rather underwhelming manner. As he crawled back up, he noticed a truck transporting a portable toilet that resembled the container in which Penny was captured. He sprints up to the truck and prepares to crash his head into it, but the driver, fortunately, notices him in time and manages to avoid hitting him, ultimately saving his life. Bolt doesn't find any coins in the portable toilet, but he encounters a few dogs on the street, whom he refers to as "brothers," implying that his job on the television series has given him a perspective that all dogs are friends. Unfortunately, he becomes exasperated when the dogs appear to be completely oblivious to his inquiries, and he hastily retreats when a worried dog walker attempts to secure a leash around him.
In the subsequent scene, Bolt unintentionally gets his head trapped in a fence. He attempts to bend the bars and rock himself free, but his efforts are unsuccessful. While being trapped, three pigeons appear and suggest that he should turn his head to escape. Bolt is too irritated to pay attention, growling that he needs to locate his companion. He eventually finds peace and pays attention to the pigeons, and even manages to escape when he follows their guidance. In his desperate search for pennies, he encounters a sassy alley cat named Mittens who intimidates pigeons, causing them to abandon their food. Believing Mittens to be a catalyst for chaos, Bolt tries to interrogate Mittens by holding her off a bridge over congested traffic, hoping to uncover Penny's location. After seeing the tags on Bolt's colar, Mittens suggests they go to Hollywood, but Bolt is forced to bring her along against her will.
As they journeyed, Bolt realizes his abilities are not functioning properly, but he dismisses it as a consequence of the styrofoam he received in the package. He thinks that it's his kryptonite (weakness). After leaping from the moving van he was using to return to Hollywood, he also feels pain and hunger for the first time. To satisfy his hunger and reduce any further risks from his delusion, Mittens learns to use the "dog face" to beg for food when they arrive at an RV park. While trying to convince people to eat, they encounter a hamster named Rhino who is obsessed with television and shares the same belief as bolt that the show is genuine. He convinces Bolt to let him tag along and leads them to a bridge over a railroad after Bolt states they'll "need a fast set of wheels." When Rhino mentions a "magic box", Mittens finally realizes Bolt is a TV star but is unable to explain to him before they end up almost killed on the train. Fearing for her safety, Mittens climbs a tree to evade him and attempts to convince him that he is an actor. His consistent use of his impressive bark command the attention of others, and eventually, he is apprehended by animal control. Bolt manages to escape from the truck's cage, but it turns out the Rhino had let him out. The lightning Bolt on his fur smudges (having splashed in a puddle during his escape), which finally reveals the truth to bolt, causing him to feel even more depressed. His spirits are lifted just enough after a short pep talk from Rhino (who is still unaware of the truth) to give Bolt the motivation to rescue Mittens from the pound. The dog, cat, and hamster manage to escape the shelter during the chaos caused by an explosion.
They hitch a ride on a truck to continue their journey, but Bolt remains hopelessly depressed and confused about his purpose in life. She cheers him up at by letting him in on a "little-known cat secret" that cats hate dogs because they want to be dogs and she explains that being a dog is having the "greatest gig in the world". Mittens teach Bolt the meaning of being a real dog and how to act like one, like playing fetch, sticking his head out a car window, etc.
Towards the conclusion of their journey, the group discovers themselves in Las Vegas, indulging in the abundance of leftovers from buffets and marveling at the breathtaking fireworks displays. However, Mittens refuses to proceed any further and tries to convince Bolt that Penny is merely an actress and only feigns affection towards him. Bolt is skeptical of this and, in a passionate outburst, mittens discloses that she had previous owners who neglected her and even had her claws removed when they relocated. Despite feeling sympathetic towards her, Bolt attempts to persuade mittens that Penny is unique, but she advises him to leave if he truly cares about Penny and apologizes for showing pity towards him. Bolt bids farewell to Mittens and wishes her the best, and proceeds on his own.
With the assistance of pigeons, he was able to find his way back to his previous studio. Upon hearing the sound of Penny, Bolt eagerly approaches his owner, engaging in playful behavior similar to how regular dogs interact with their owners. His happiness turns to surprise when he witnesses a replica of himself hugging a new person, leaving him with a broken heart, convinced that Mittens was right that Penny was pretending to love him. However, he was unaware that was a scene Penny was acting.
Beyond the studio, he encounters Mittens, having been persuaded to accompany him by Rhino. She explains to him that she was wrong when she observed how heartbroken Penny was and tells Bolt that Penny truly loves him as her own dog and misses him dearly. But this is cut short when Bolt then suddenly hears something and senses something's wrong and realizes that Penny is in actual danger. He, Mittens, and Rhino rush back to the studio, which is on fire due to his lookalike panicking and knocking over some torches. With Rhino's assistance, Bolt barely manages to enter. He locates Penny and they share a heartwarming reunion which is cut short because they need to get out as soon as possible. Bolt leads Penny to an air vent, but she starts to suffocate from the smoke. Penny pleads with Bolt to save himself, but he adamantly refuses to abandon her. Bolt realizes the sound echoes out through the vent and (recalling how Rhino did an echo) releases a loud bark through to alert the firefighters of their location before passing out. They're saved just in time and taken to the hospital. When their agent believes they can exploit the incident for publicity, Penny's disgusted mother informs him that she, Penny and Bolt quit after angrily kicking him out of the ambulance.
Three days later, Bolt's show jumps the shark with an alien abduction plotline with his lookalike, and a new Penny starring in the show (the show explaining the new Penny's different appearance as a result of facial-reconstruction surgery) while the recovered Bolt and Penny have moved to a rural home, possibly Kansas, and neighborhood with Mittens and Rhino, who Penny has adopted. With this new lifestyle, the four and Penny's mother have a happier life. As the end credits play, it's shown that bolt is enjoying his new life with Penny with living a normal life.
Other Media[]
In Once Upon a Studio, Bolt, Mittens, and Rhino appear with Minnie Mouse, seeing Bernard, Miss Bianca, and Orville, crashing after they have just emerged from their frame. They also participate in the group photo alongside Penny.
Gallery[]
Promotional[]
Bolt's promotional artwork
Bolt[]
Other[]
Bolt in the group shot Once Upon a Studio.
Videos[]
Bolt Transforms
Bolt (2008) - super bark
Bolt (2008) - Bolt keeping watch + the agent
Bolt 2008- bolt Confronts 2 cats
Bolt (2008) - Bolt looking for Penny
BOLT Pigeons Clip!
Bolt Meets Mittens
BOLT Clip - "Where Is The Antidote" (2008)
Bolt (2008) - Mittens tells Bolt it's all fake
Bolt (2008) - Bolt trying to break free
Bolt- Rescuing Mittens (2008)
Bolt (2008) - Mittens teaching Bolt what dogs do
Bolt (2008) - Barking at the Moon -HD 1080p-
Bolt- She’s not real!
Bolt- Rescuing Penny HD
Bolt (2008) - Ending
Trivia[]
Bolt was designed and developed by Chris Williams and Byron Howard together with the chief character designer Joe Mosier and his two animators Tony Fucile and Scott Robideau. Much of the inspiration for the character was provided by John Lasseter.
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