Hannah Montana: The Movie
Hannah Montana: The Movie is a 2009 American teen musical comedy-drama film based on the Disney Channel television series of the same name. It is the second theatrical film based on a Disney Channel Original Series, after The Lizzie McGuire Movie (2003), it was directed by Peter Chelsom and written by Daniel Berendsen. The film stars series regulars Miley Cyrus, Billy Ray Cyrus, Emily Osment and Jason Earles, as well as Lucas Till, Vanessa Williams, Margo Martindale, and Melora Hardin.
Hannah Montana: The Movie | |
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![]() Theatrical release poster | |
Directed by | Peter Chelsom[1] |
Produced by |
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Written by | Dan Berendsen[1] |
Based on | Hannah Montana by Michael Poryes Rich Correll Barry O'Brien |
Starring | |
Music by | John Debney |
Cinematography | David Hennings |
Edited by | Virginia Katz |
Production company | |
Distributed by | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
Release date |
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Running time | 97 minutes[2] |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $30 million[3] |
Box office | $169.2 million [3] |
It is the second theatrical film based on the Hannah Montana franchise after Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert released a year prior in 2008. It is also the first, and so far only, theatrical film produced by It's a Laugh Productions.
The film tells of how Miley Stewart's popularity begins to take over her life, so her father struggles her to take a trip to her hometown of Crowley Corners, Tennessee to get some perspective on what matters most in life.
Filming began in April 2008,[4] much of it occurring in Columbia, Tennessee[5] and Los Angeles, California,[1][6] and was completed in July 2008.[7] The film was released theatrically by Walt Disney Pictures on April 10, 2009 in the United States and Canada.[8] The film achieved commercial success, grossing $169 million in worldwide box office revenue, despite receiving a mixed critical response.
Plot
The film begins in the backstage of a concert venue. Robby Ray Stewart (Billy Ray Cyrus) moans as he looks at who appears to be his daughter, Miley Stewart (Miley Cyrus), also known as Hannah Montana, with her blonde wig on. The camera then pans around to reveal that a mannequin head is holding the wig.
The camera cuts to outside showing many people running from cars, then pans out to a large shot of a stadium. It then cuts to the box office, where the audience can see Miley and her best friend Lilly Truscott (Emily Osment) pushing to get through the crowd.
Miley and Lilly attempt to enter the concert as Miley is late, but they are turned away. Lilly comments that Miley is the only superstar who can’t even get into her own concert. Miley then notices a security guard leaving his patrol cart unattended to help a little girl find her family. Miley and Lilly steal the cart and drive through the halls of the stadium, trying to escape from the security guard while also trying to find Miley’s dressing room. They then drive through a poster of Hannah screaming, and the head from the poster winds up on Miley’s face.
Miley and Lilly finally reach the dressing room and Robby rushes them inside, pushing off the security guard. Miley puts on her makeup and clothes, abruptly pushing her father out the door to change her clothes. The camera cuts one last time to show Miley putting on her blonde wig, becoming Hannah.
Hannah and Robby walk out of the dressing room, while Lilly wishes her good luck. Hannah and Robby then walk under the stage and Hannah bumps her head on one of the poles. Robby reminds her that she always bumps her head before telling her it’s her turn to do the dishes. Hannah complains that she did them the night before, but Robbie reminds her that’s what she gets for having the best of both worlds. Hannah rises on a platform singing “Best of Both Worlds." The camera zooms in on a music video playing in the background, showing Hannah singing the song on a beach.
The music video then becomes the actual scene and the music starts skipping causing Hannah to say “best of both” multiple times. The filming of the music video ends and Hannah returns to her tent to change. Before she takes off her wig, a man enters, causing her to scream. The man asks Hannah for her autograph for his daughters and a picture before Hannah’s manager Vita (Vanessa Williams) enters and stops him. She introduces the man, Oswald Granger (Peter Gunn), a sneaky undercover journalist for UK celebrity magazine Bon Chic. Oswald learns that Hannah has a secret and vows to uncover it.
On Lilly's birthday, Miley (as Hannah) spots a pair of shoes that she wants to buy as a present for Lilly. However, Tyra Banks (herself) also wants the shoes. Hannah and Tyra get in a fight and Hannah is consequently thrown out of the store without getting the chance to buy the shoes. When Oswald follows her to Lilly's party, Miley is forced to attend as Hannah instead of herself. As a result, all of the attention is taken away from Lilly – especially when Hannah is accompanied by Steve Rushton and Days Difference in a performance of "Let's Get Crazy." Hannah, Robby, Oliver (Mitchel Musso), and Rico (Moises Arias) unsuccessfully try to stop Lilly from leaving, and the party is ruined by Rico's exploding "Happy Birthday Lilly" cake. As Lilly leaves, hurt by her best friend's actions, she tells Oswald that Hannah is from Crowley Corners, Tennessee, unaware that he is a journalist.
Already disgusted with his daughter's recent general behavior, Robby is infuriated when her fight with Tyra makes newspaper reports. Robby tells Miley that Hannah is out of control and she needs to remember who she truly is. To that end, he tells Vita that Miley will not go to New York for an upcoming music award show, but will instead return home to Crowley Corners for her Grandma Ruby’s (Margo Martindale) birthday party. Miley and Vita convince Robby to let Miley go, saying they’ll even arrange for a private jet to hurry Miley to New York and then to Tennessee. Robby agrees, but the look on his face indicates he has other plans. Inside the private jet, Miley steps out of the bathroom dressed as Hannah then sits down in a chair, complaining about how small the bathroom is. Robby closes the window and then snoozes.
When Miley exits the jet as Hannah, saying hello to New York, she is surprised to see a cow, and she soon realizes that they are not in New York, but in Tennessee. Furious with her dad, Miley protests, but he points out that this is the life she could have had and decides to spend two weeks in Crowley Corners. Robby soon falls in love with a woman named Lorelai (Melora Hardin), while Miley eventually warms up to her hometown when she rekindles a connection with childhood friend Travis Brody (Lucas Till).
Nevertheless, Miley is eager to resume her Hannah duties and becomes chastened after Ruby snaps, saying that she seems to prefer being Hannah over spending time with her family. Miley tries to write lyrics for new songs but Travis ignores her and she develops writer's block. Meanwhile, conflict grows between the local residents and land developer Mr. Bradley (Barry Bostwick), who wants to destroy part of the town to build a shopping mall. At a barn party, Robby and several other singers such as Taylor Swift (herself) contribute to a charity to save Crowley Corners, singing "Back to Tennessee" and "Crazier." Miley sings as herself with "Hoedown Throwdown." Mr. Bradley arrives to tell the townspeople that their efforts to stop him will not succeed, barring a miracle. Travis suggests that Miley ask Hannah to make an appearance, unaware that Miley and Hannah are the same person. Miley reluctantly agrees, but she does not know what to do until Lilly arrives disguised as Hannah.
As the two friends reconcile, Miley confides her difficulties adjusting to farm life while trying to be herself and Hannah. Oswald takes pictures of the girls, believing Lilly to be Hannah, and Lilly realizes she inadvertently led Oswald there and apologizes to Miley. The town is overjoyed to have Hannah but Travis is unimpressed and admits to Hannah that he has a crush on Miley. As Hannah, Miley urges Travis to ask Miley out and he does, but Miley has already been invited to dinner as Hannah with the town's mayor (Beau Billingslea) by Lorelai. Miley tries to be in two places at once but she accidentally lets her guard down and Travis catches her mid-switch. Outraged that Miley never told him that she was Hannah, Travis dumps her, leaving Miley feeling heartbroken. Miley finishes writing "Butterfly Fly Away" which she and her father sing together to cheer up. Miley completes the chicken coop that she and Travis were building; touched by this, Travis goes to the concert to support Miley.
When she sees Travis arrive, Hannah stops singing mid-song and explains to the crowd that she can no longer live a lie, especially when she is in her hometown. Miley removes her blonde wig, revealing her secret identity. She then sings "The Climb" and afterwards announces that she's going to quit being Hannah. The crowd pleads for her to continue being Hannah, promising not to reveal her secret, but Oswald is in the crowd and takes a picture. His daughters arrive, having missed the Hannah reveal, and their excitement and enthusiasm for Hannah convinces him to not sell the story and quit his job. Miley kisses Travis and then returns to the stage to finish with the song "You'll Always Find Your Way Back Home." She sees Lorelai and Robby kissing and waving, her brother Jackson making an “L” with his hand, and Travis smiling at her. "The End” then appears on the screen. The credits begin to roll with an reprise of “Hoedown Throwdown” playing as the cast and crew dance to the song and the bloopers.
Cast
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Production
Development
—Miley Cyrus[10]
While attending the premiere of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Billy Ray Cyrus and Miley Cyrus said they were planning to make a film adaptation for their TV series Hannah Montana, which debuted on Disney Channel on March 24, 2006, and expected it to be a feature film, rather than a Disney Channel Original Movie.[10]
Since writers were still working on the script for the movie, Cyrus was free to share whatever ideas she had for the upcoming project. She said that, at the time, the best concept she has thought of involves going back to her hometown of Nashville, Tennessee.[10] Since Hannah Montana is taped at Tribune Studios in Hollywood, Los Angeles, Cyrus spends most of her time away from her beloved home. She spends up to eight and a half hours a day working on the set, but her hours could get longer once she becomes a legal adult.[10]
Billy Ray Cyrus shared further details about the script: "There'll be a lot of similarities [to the show], and the fact that Miley is so real, her music is real, we'll keep a lot of that realism," the 45-year-old country artist revealed. "But I think we'll go a little further with the comedy. And it's going to be on the big screen, so we'll try to make everything look bigger."[10] The movie went into production on an estimated $30 million budget.[11]
On the April 2 episode of The Miley & Mandy Show on YouTube, Miley spoke to Ryan Seacrest on flying to Tennessee in "two weeks" and would be staying for several months. She went to say there would be many guest stars, and herself riding horses and attending school.[12]
Filming
Filming began in April 2008 in Los Angeles, California and Columbia, Tennessee.[4] It entered production in May 2008[13] and post-production in July 2008. The beginning of the film was shot in Los Angeles including, The Forum (Inglewood) where was the concert, Franklin High School and Santa Monica Beach. Several of scenes were filmed in Nashville, Tennessee, based on Miley's and her father's hometown, for the scene that Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana's travels back home, with Fairground scenes filmed near the end of the movie.[14]
There is a carnival scene filmed at Smiley Hollow in Ridgetop, TN where Peter Gunn's character hunts for the real Hannah in the crowd. He finds Jackson selling "Hannah wigs" and everyone around him looks like Hannah from the back so he turns them all around looking for the real one.[15]
The songs "Backwards" (co-written by Marcel and Tony Mullins and recorded by Rascal Flatts) and "Crazier" (by Taylor Swift) were featured in the movie as well as "Game Over" and another hit song by UK rocker Steve Rushton.[16][17] There were also a few musical numbers filmed, including "The Climb" and "You'll Always Find Your Way Back Home". 500 paid extras and 1500 volunteer extras were on hand during filming of these scenes.[15] In some scenes, Miley rode horses.[12]
A scene was filmed in the Cool Springs Galleria Mall (south of Nashville). It was filmed in the women's shoe department of the Belk store. Miley Cyrus, Vanessa Williams, and Tyra Banks were all in the scene, where Hannah fights with Tyra over a pair of shoes.[6] Scenes were also filmed at Franklin High School. The school stood-in for the fictional Seaview High School which Miley and Lilly attend.[6]
Accident
On June 3, 2008, there was an accident on the set during the filming. A huge wind blew a projection screen into a Ferris wheel full of passengers, who were extras for the movie. There was no serious injury. "When the wind caught it, all the cables were loose. It started [flying]," extra Brenda Blackford told Nashville station WKRN-TV. "I was watching to see which corner of it was gonna hit the Ferris wheel, because it was unavoidable". Miley Cyrus and her father Billy Ray were not on the set when the accident happened. Disney stated: "During a break in the filming of Hannah Montana: The Movie, a minor accident occurred involving a piece of production equipment. Fortunately, there were only a few minor injuries. Medical personnel have treated the extras and crew involved. None of the cast was on the set. Filming has resumed".[18]
Musical numbers
Walt Disney Records released the soundtrack on March 24, 2009, on the third anniversary of Hannah Montana's 2006 debut, with songs by Miley Cyrus, Hannah Montana, Billy Ray Cyrus, Rascal Flatts, Taylor Swift, and Steve Rushton.[19] The score was originally to be written by Oscar-nominated composer Alan Silvestri, and he penned a new song with Glen Ballard, "Butterfly Fly Away", which is sung in the film. Due to a scheduling conflict with G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, which he was also signed to score, he had to drop out. (However, a cue from Silvestri's score to The Mexican is tracked into the movie.) Stepping in was Oscar-nominated composer John Debney, who recorded his score with the Hollywood Studio Symphony at the Sony Scoring Stage.[20] The album debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 with 137,592 sold in the first week, and after four weeks claimed the No. 1 spot. A karaoke version was released on August 18, 2009.
Marketing
On January 15, 2009, the film's official trailer was released, along with the official poster on a website,[21] as a sneak peek of the film was released in December 2008 on Disney Channel, including on New Year's Eve. On February 16, 2009, an exclusive Disney Channel preview was premiered alongside the music videos "The Climb"[22] and "Hoedown Throwdown"[23] from the Hannah Montana: The Movie soundtrack previewed by Miley Cyrus. Cyrus also promoted the film and performed the film's lead single "The Climb" on various talk shows including, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Good Morning America, The Tyra Banks Show, and Rachael Ray. She also performed her song on American Idol on April 16, 2009.[24]
A video game based on the film was released on April 7, 2009, three days before the film's release.[25] The game was revealed by ESRB.[26] The game was released for 7th gens.
Release
The film was issued a G rating from the MPAA for all ages admitted.[3] The premiere of Hannah Montana: The Movie was held on April 2, 2009 in Los Angeles.[27] The UK premiere was held in London on April 23, 2009; it was released in British and Irish cinemas on May 1, 2009.[28] Play Along Toys released dolls and toys based on the film.
Box office
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On its opening day, the film grossed $17,436,095, and earned $32,324,483 on its opening weekend, with a $10,367 average from 3,118 theaters, earning the No. 1 spot. However the film lost 58% of its gross its second weekend, falling to No. 3, earning $13,406,217 and $4,300 average and gaining 113 theaters. The film ended up grossing $79,576,189 in the US and Canada, and $75,969,090 overseas, and a total of $155,545,279 worldwide. The film beat the motion-picture animated film Coraline which garnered a total of $124,596,398 in theaters, but came after the film Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit which grossed a total of $192,610,372.[3]
Critical reception
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 44% based on 129 reviews, with an average rating of 5.2/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "While youthful Miley fans won't complain, Hannah Montana the Movie is little more than a formulaic Disney Channel episode stretched thin."[29] Metacritic gives a score of 47 out of 100, based on 25 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[30] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.[31]
Entertainment Weekly praised: "The surface lesson of the movie is that celebrity life looks easy but it’s hard. The real lesson, as always, is that since even Miley has to work overtime to be Hannah, every girl in the audience – if she tries hard enough – can become the star she longs to be."[32]
Peter Hartlaub from San Francisco Chronicle praised: "Hannah Montana: The Movie isn't an abomination. The characters are wholesome, the plot is easy to follow and the songs all sound the same, so you can really only get one stuck in your head at a time. But even as adults give their blessing for prepubescent moviegoers to see the film, they should be plotting to stay as far away from the theater as possible. If you're no longer old enough to carry a Hannah Montana lunch box, this movie will feel like punishment."[33]
Atomic Popcorn stated: "Hip-hop and country. Like the Hannah Montana's theme song says, "You get the best of both worlds." Ten minutes before the movie started, the two rows of what looked to be 14-year-old girls started singing the TV show theme song. Over and over again. The little 6-to-10-year-old girls that filled the rest of the theater were singing along and dancing in their seats. My 16-year-old daughter said with a big smile on her face, 'Isn't this fun?' I said, with as much of a smile as I could muster, 'A little bit.'"[34]
Blogcritics noted: "This movie definitely hit the target audience mark with the best opening day for a live action, G-rated movie. The predictable ending strays from the fun tone to address drama from the two main character arcs. Some stereotypes and commercialism weaken the movie, but target and general audiences can find a wide variety of appealing elements here while Hannah fans won't be disappointed."[35]
Home media
Hannah Montana: The Movie was released on DVD and Blu-ray on August 18, 2009.[36] Hannah Montana: The Movie was released on DVD and Blu-ray on September 7 in the UK. It was also released on DVD, Blu-ray and Disney Digital in Australia on October 21. First week sales were strong with 1,232,725 DVD copies sold and over $20 million in revenue. Total DVD sales to date stand at 3,610,964 and $61 million in revenue.[37] Extras include behind the scenes, bloopers, sneak peeks and more.
There were 3 editions released:
- The 1-disc DVD (the normal DVD)
- The 2-disc DVD (normal DVD and digital copy)
- The 3-disc Blu-ray (the Blu-ray disc, the normal DVD and the digital copy)
Awards and nominations
MTV Movie Awards[38] | |||
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Year | Category | Recipient | Result |
2009 | Best Song from a Movie | Miley Cyrus (for the song "The Climb") | Won |
Breakthrough Performance Female | Miley Cyrus | Nominated | |
Teen Choice Awards[38] | |||
2009 | Choice Movie Actress: Music/Dance | Miley Cyrus | Won |
Choice Hissy Fit | Won | ||
Choice Movie Actor: Music/Dance | Jason Earles | Nominated | |
Choice Movie Fresh Face Female | Emily Osment | Nominated | |
Choice Movie Liplock | Miley Cyrus and Lucas Till | Nominated | |
Choice Music Single | Miley Cyrus(for the song "The Climb") | Won | |
Choice Movie: Music/Dance | Movie | Won | |
Choice Music Album: Soundtrack | Won | ||
People's Choice Awards[38] | |||
2010 | Favorite Family Movie | Cast | Nominated |
Kids' Choice Awards[38] | |||
2010 | Favorite Movie Actress | Miley Cyrus | Won |
Golden Raspberry Awards[38] | |||
2010 | Worst Actress | Miley Cyrus | Nominated |
Worst Supporting Actor | Billy Ray Cyrus | Won |
Television premiere
The film made its world premiere on the Disney Channel on November 18, 2011, where it drew 4.6 million viewers.[39]
References
- "Production On Hannah Montana: The Movie Is Underway". News4Jax. May 24, 2008. Archived from the original on May 28, 2008. Retrieved May 24, 2008.
- Breanna Montana: The Movie - MovieTickets.com Archived 2012-03-21 at the Wayback Machine. MovieTickets.com. Retrieved on March 19, 2009.
- "Hannah Montana The Movie (2009)". The Numbers. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
- Anna Dimond (February 5, 2008). "Miley Cyrus and Disney to make Hannah Montana movie - Today's News: Our Take". TV Guide.com. Archived from the original on February 8, 2008. Retrieved February 5, 2008.
- "Filming For Hannah Montana Movie Starts In Columbia". News Channel 5. May 19, 2008. Archived from the original on January 14, 2009. Retrieved May 26, 2008.
- "NewsChannel 5.com - Nashville, Tennessee - Hannah Montana Film Scenes Shot In Cool Springs Mall". NewsChannel 5. May 28, 2008. Archived from the original on May 29, 2008. Retrieved May 28, 2008.
- "Miley Mania - TFK Kid Reporter Yunhee Hyun talks with Miley Cyrus about her new CD, Breakout". Time for Kids. Archived from the original on October 5, 2008. Retrieved July 29, 2008.
- McClintock, Pamela (February 24, 2008). "Disney unveils 2009 schedule - Entertainment News, Film News, Media - Variety". Variety. Retrieved February 24, 2008.
- Anna Dimond (June 5, 2008). "The Office's Melora Hardin on Jan and the show's finale - TV Previews". TV Guide. Archived from the original on January 22, 2009. Retrieved June 5, 2008.
- "Hannah Montana Film In Development" (Press release). August 13, 2007. Retrieved October 24, 2009.
- "Hannah Montana: The Movie (2009) Box office". IMDB. Amazon.com. Retrieved December 31, 2012.
- Miley Cyrus and Mandy Jiroux (April 2, 2008). "YouTube - The Miley and Mandy Show! Ryan Seacrest". YouTube. Retrieved April 2, 2008.
- "Production Underway for Walt Disney Pictures' Hannah Montana: The Movie". Business Wire. Berkshire Hathaway. May 22, 2008. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
- Hannah Montana: The Movie (2009) - Filming Locations. Retrieved November 14, 2009
- "NewsChannel 5.com - Nashville, Tennessee - Hannah Montana Movie Shot At Special Events Facility". NewsChannel 5. June 2, 2008. Archived from the original on January 14, 2009. Retrieved June 2, 2008.
- "Taylor Swift will be making an appearance on Hannah Montana". Celebrity Gossip. June 16, 2008. Archived from the original on September 23, 2008. Retrieved June 16, 2008.
- Ken Tucker (June 6, 2008). "Rascal Flatts To Appear In Hannah Montana Movie". Billboard. Retrieved June 6, 2008.
- Finn, Natalie (June 3, 2008). "Hannah Montana Saves Ferris". E! Online. Archived from the original on June 6, 2008. Retrieved June 3, 2003.
- "Hannah Montana: The Movie Soundtrack". amazon.com. Retrieved August 14, 2011.
- Dan Goldwasser (February 12, 2009). "John Debney scores Hannah Montana: The Movie with a new song by Alan Silvestri and Glen Ballard". ScoringSessions.com. Retrieved February 12, 2009.
- Hannah Montana: The Movie Trailer Debut. Retrieved on September 6, 2009.
- Castina (February 17, 2009). "Miley Cyrus "The Climb" Music Video". popcrunch.com. Retrieved August 14, 2011.
- Castina (February 20, 2009). "Miley Cyrus "Hoedown Throwdown" Music Video". popcrunch.com. Retrieved August 14, 2011.
- Miley Cyrus Performs 'The Climb' On American Idol Last Night. Retrieved on September 6, 2009.
- Hannah Montana: The Movie Video Game!. Retrieved on March 19, 2009.
- "Hannah Montana: The Movie ESRB listing". ESRB. Retrieved March 20, 2009.
- Miley Cyrus Shines at 'Hannah Montana: The Movie' World Premiere Archived 2009-04-09 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved on September 6, 2009.
- Miley Cyrus Premieres "Hannah Montana" in London Archived 2009-04-26 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved on September 6, 2009.
- "Hannah Montana: The Movie (2009)". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Retrieved September 26, 2009.
- "Hannah Montana: The Movie Reviews". Metacritic.
- "Hannah Montana the Movie". CinemaScore. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
- Gleiberman, Owen (April 15, 2009). Hannah Montana: The Movie. Movie Review, Entertainment Weekly, April 15, 2009. Retrieved on October 23, 2009 from http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20271762,00.html.
- Hartlaub, Peter (April 9, 2009). "Movie review: 'Hannah Montana: The Movie'". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on April 13, 2009. Retrieved October 23, 2009.
- Southernfury (April 10, 2009). "Hannah Montana: The Movie Review". Atomic Popcorn. Retrieved October 23, 2009.
- Tall Writer (August 28, 2009). Movie Review: Hannah Montana - The Movie - Page 2. Blogcritics, August 28, 2009. Retrieved on October 24, 2009 from http://blogcritics.org/video/article/movie-review-hannah-montana-the-movie/page-2/.
- Hannah Montana The Movie (2009) (3-Disc Combo Pack Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy) [Blu-ray] Amazon.com. Retrieved on September 6, 2009.
- "Hannah Montana the Movie - DVD Sales". The Numbers. Retrieved December 31, 2012.
- Hannah Montana: The Movie (2009) - Awards. Retrieved November 14, 2009.
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