*Originally published on 4/28/09
Hot on the heels of the computer generated TMNT and the live action Transformers movie, a slew of old cartoons are getting greenlit for big screen adaptations.
We've got the Transformers sequel coming out this summer. The original was, as one of my friends put it best "highly enjoyable claptrap". Yes, I think the sequel will deliver more of the same. Hopefully there is more focus on the autobots themselves this time around. Peter Cullen will voice Optimus Prime again, which is a huge win regardless of how the movie turns out and need I say anything about the aptly named Megan Fox?
There is also a Thundercats movie in the works. I never watched much of this as a kid. I saw bits and pieces but never became a hardcore fan. The series is pretty revered and it does have potential for a rather epic movie so I'm all for it.
A G.I. Joe movie is currently in production and is coming out, next year I think... nope, I was wrong it comes out this summer (August 7 in case you were curious). So now you know; and knowing is half the battle! Come on, you had to know that was coming.
Like, Transformers, it should provide a lot of action. The cartoon was kind of cheesy and it will probably come off as jingoistic to a lot of people, but I think people should see it before judging it too harshly.
Another Masters of the Universe movie is also in talks. That one's set to release in 2011. I'm going to avoid the obvious joke that arises when people talk about He-Man, but you can all come up with one yourselves I'm sure, not that there's anything wrong with that.
Did you know that academy award nominated actor Frank Langella played Skeletor in the original? Crazy isn't it? It also had the dude who played Drago (I know it's Dolph Lundgren) and Courtney Cox.
It was recently announced that the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will be getting another big screen release, albeit another live action one, and a reboot to..boot. I don't know. I don't see the need to cover the origin again, but we'll see how it turns out. That one's not set to come out until 2011 to mark the 25th anniversary of the creation of the titular characters.
Ghostbusters 3 may also still be an option. It's true, that it was a movie first and a cartoon second, but as many of us grew up watching The Real Ghostbusters, I'm counting it.
What's next? Ducktales? OK, that would be pretty good if done right. Maybe Captain Planet, with the whole green movement, it would be a good vehicle to beat that message over our heads heavy handedly just like the show used to. A Sonic SatAM movie could work pretty well. Fans were mad that they were left hanging with the end of the show, you could pick up where it left off and give it an ending free of loose ends. Oh, Pinky and the Brain. Yeah, get them away from Elmyra and have them get back to their world conquering roots. I'd say have it showcase the return of Brain's arch-nemesis, Snowball, but alas Roddy McDowall is no longer with us. If they could find a voice actor who sounds enough like him, you could probably get away with it, Seth MacFarlane and Doug Jones are pretty versatile voice actors, one of them might be able to pull it off.
So, that's just a general overview of some of the nostalgic cartoons that are getting the film treatment, as well as some ideas of my own. Hollywood is seriously on a nostalgia kick recently with several seemingly dead franchises coming back, a ton of classic movies being remade, and adapting cartoons we all grew up with as full fledged motion pictures.
No comments:
Post a Comment