Jun 6, 2007

Hey, How About A Jonny Quest Movie

Finally!

I've realized why Cartoon Network and Warner Bros. aren't interested in animation anymore.

They're turning them all into live-action movies.

Over the past couple of weeks, the following films have been greenlit for production:

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe

Teen Titans

ThunderCats

Adding the Speed Racer movie still in production as well as the Voltron and Johnny Bravo movies still in production hell, a lot of animated titles are becoming fleshed out. Originality is no longer needed in Hollywood, and whatever makes a better toyetic franchise, the more likely it'll be made. They still haven't officially announced the new ThunderCats series (coming in fall 2008 to either CN or the CW), but hey, there's officially going to be a live-action version coming soon. Still, any excuse for Mattel to make new MOTU action figures (and ThunderCats since Mattel's the master toymaker for all things Warner Bros), the better.

But, how about creating something that could interesting?

How about Warner Bros. making a Jonny Quest movie?

Seriously, Warner Bros. needs a strong kidcentric movie franchise since, well, Harry Potter has three movies left (Order of the Phoenix, The Half-Blood Prince, and The Deadly Hallows), and they need to develop a franchise with a strong child hero. Paramount's planning Avatar movies with that M. Night Shayma . . . Shmy . . . Shylama . . . that guy who did The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable helming it. Dreamworks is planning Tintin, though the reporter technically isn't a kid (and it's all mocap, pissing off animation elites everywhere). Jonny Quest is not only a child hero, but it has all the makings of a film franchise.

- Familiar, excellent characters that have made an impact for over 40 years.

- A built-in audience.

- A mythology that is expansive and can evolve with every film.

If placed in the right hands, a Jonny Quest film could not only become the next big thing, but could become a movie franchise that Warner Bros. could mature in the years to come. In the meantime, I'll wait for Thundercats.

3 comments:

Daikun said...

It turns out that Warner Bros. has a change in plans. The ThunderCats movie will NOT be live-action.

Ellen Yu said...

Oh hell no...they're making a Johnny Bravo movie? Why? There's no reason.

I still hate it when animated ideas turn into live action starter fuel. The Avatar movie still scares me and The Underdog movie is just unbearable.

If the Tintin movie is succesful, they might just make a Johnny Quest movie, but they'll probably mess it up.

Jeff Harris said...

Dai - Yeah, I heard about that the day AFTER I posted the original article. There was much confusion, and today, just today, Warner Bros. clarified it and admitted that it is a CGI film. Let the oohs and ahhs begin.

Ellen - Yeah. The project's in developmental hell, but Warners is still adamant about making a Johnny Bravo movie.

If they do make a Jonny Quest movie, and I'm not saying they are, just saying they should, it has to be true to the original story. A kid version of Indiana Jones at its best. That would work, but they'd probably turn Jonny Quest into a rock star touring the world with his scientist dad, ex-Marine bodyguard, and a son of a Bollywood star.

That's probably what they're planning . . . ew.