Tad, the Lost Explorer and the Emerald Tablet () is a 2022 Spanish animated adventure comedy film directed by Enrique Gato and written by Josep Gatell and Manuel Burque. It is the third installment in the Tad Stones film series, being a sequel to Tad the Lost Explorer and the Secret of King Midas.

A fourth instalment Tad and the Magic Lamp, was released in 2026.

Plot After Tad discovers a Egyptian sarcophagus and a pendant from a temple site in Mexico, he is fired from archaeology. That night, the sarcophagus is transported to a museum in Chicago by three international archaeologists. Meanwhile, Tad is visited by Professor Victoria Moon, who explains that Hermes Trismegistus created a tablet that controls magic named The Emerald Tablet, and its power caused Cheops to achieve greatness. However, tired of the pharaoh never accepting the merits, Hermes decides to use the tablet to overthrow him, and created an enchantment to summon beasts against the armies, but the pharaoh discovered his plan and hid the tablet away. Napoleon Bonaparte found the tablet but it's power was deemed hard to control, which prompted him to return the tablet to its original hideout. However, his archaeologist, Dominique Vivant Denon, left behind an engraving leading to the tablet. She also tells her that she has kept Dominique's diary, containing a fragment of the tablet.

Returning home, Tad learns about the sarcophagus's transfer to the museum. That night, Tad, Mummy, and pets Jeff and Belzoni sneak in and open the sarcophagus, accidentally cursing the latter three. Tad realizes about the curse from the tablet, and recalls about Dominique's office in the Louvre in Paris, and set off to head there. Upon arrival, the two open a secret passage to Dominique's office under a statue. While investigating, they meet mummy Ra Amon Ah, who the group convince her to help. They are tracked and chased by Agent Ramírez, Sam Pickle, and their agents, but the group escape. Afterward, the group learns that Mummy transforms into an amalgamation of various animals if too upset, and back to his original form if calmed. Ra then accepts to take the group to a museum, and the group set off to Aswan, Egypt.

There, they reach a fountain, where a key is hidden. Tad successfully obtains the key, but are again caught by the agents. He admonishes Mummy for defacing the Mona Lisa during their journey, causing him to transform, and helps the group escape. Tad reunites with Sara at an site, and they both sneak into a cave, where they use the key to reveal a map that reveals the Emerald Tablet's location in the Great Pyramid. Afterward, Tad tells the others, including the international archaeologists and Victoria, about the map. However, Victoria reveals herself to have been possessed with the tablet, and traps the group in the cave before setting out to the pyramid. The group attempt to escape, but are apprehended by the agents and

Tad tearfully admits of being a danger to everyone and about being an archaeologist. The mummy transforms and helps them escape, but Ra decides to abandon the group to go to her museum. They reach the pyramid, and enter a room where the tablet is hidden, only to find that Victoria has already taken the tablet. She then corrupts Mummy, transforming him into a monstrous beast. In the ensuing fight, Tad sacrifices Mummy to recover the tablet. However, Tad manages to reverse time, and destroys the tablet, restoring Mummy, Jeff, and Belzoni. As the group return to the surface, the group are released, and they set out to find the treasure of King Pakal on their next journey.

Voice cast Spanish track

English Trevor White as Tad Stones Alex Kelly as Sara Joseph Balderrama as Mummy

Production The film is a Telecinco Cinema, Lightbox Animation Studios, Ikiru Films, Anangu Grup and La Tadeopelícula AIE production, and it had the participation of Mediaset España, Movistar Plus+, and Mediterráneo Mediaset España Group. It was written by Josep Gatell and Manuel Burque. Produced by Dabruk, the film's main theme ("Si tú me llamas") was performed by Omar Montes and Belinda. The film had a reported budget of €11 million.

Release Distributed worldwide by Paramount Pictures, the film opened in French theatres on 24 August 2022. It was then theatrically released in Spain on 26 August 2022. It became the highest-grossing film of the weekend at the Spanish box office, also having, up to that point in the year, both the 2nd-largest opening weekend for any animated film (after Minions: The Rise of Gru) and the 2nd-largest opening weekend for any Spanish film (after Father There Is Only One 3). It opened in the UK and Ireland on 9 September 2022 and it opened in the US and Canada on 4 November 2022 under the title Tad the Lost Explorer and the Curse of the Mummy, also distributed by Paramount.

Reception Rubén Romero Santos of Cinemanía rated the film 4 out of 5 stars writing that "the planning of the constant action scenes is remarkable, a technical prodigy that places Spanish animation at the forefront".

Beatriz Martínez of El Periódico de Catalunya rated the film 3 out of 5 stars, assessing that it manages to reach "a greater degree of virtuosity" [than the previous two films], with its plot being "better articulated, its structure is more agile, it is more adventurous, funnier and has better ideas".

María Bescós of HobbyConsolas rated the film 60 out of 100 points ("acceptable"), deeming it to be an improvement from the previous installments of the saga, while still citing the "predictable" plot, the "simplistic" humor, and some additional work to do with the animation as negative points.

Javier Ocaña of El País found the film to be "the most refined [out of the three installments]", with the portrayal of Tadeo being the most surprising element, otherwise highlighting the "outstanding dubbing work throughout the three films [delivered] by Óscar Barberán, [featuring] a beautiful voice full of nuances in tone".

Mike McCahill of The Guardian rated the film 3 out of 5 stars underscoring how "[it] is never more than inessential screen filler, but agreeably jolly with it – partly as it does have some idea of how to fill a screen".

Accolades

| align = "center" rowspan = "4" | 2023 | rowspan = "2" | 15th Gaudí Awards || colspan = "2" | Best Animated Film || || rowspan = "2" | |- | Best Visual Effects || David Blanco || |- | 78th CEC Medals || colspan = "2" | Best Animated Film || || |- | 37th Goya Awards | colspan = "2" | Best Animated Film | | align = "center" |

See also List of Spanish films of 2022

References

External links