Jason Merritt/Getty Images
Call it the office-pool buster. Ang Lee's "Life of Pi" surprised many by scoring a leading four Oscars on Sunday night, including a jaw-dropper for est Director.
The movie, considered unfilmable before Lee brought it to theaters, also took home Best Cinematography, Visual Effects, and Original Score.
But despite its strong box office ($113 million in the United States, $470 million internationally), "Life of Pi" seemed a long shot to outscore favorites like "Argo" and "Lincoln" heading into tonight.
[ Photos: Red carpet report card ]
With that in mind, here are five things you need to know about the adventure of an Indian boy and a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker, lost together at sea.
1. Fox 2000 executive Elizabeth Gabler acquired the rights to Yann Martel's 2001 best-seller in 2003. Several A-list directors were attached to the project at one point or another, including M. Night Shyamalan ("The Sixth Sense"), Alfonso Cuaron ("Children of Men") and Jean-Pierre Jeunet (Amelie").
Read More »from ‘Life of Pi’ surprise — five essential facts about Ang Lee’s Oscar-leading film