Sony Developing Popeye Computer Animated 3D Movie

[GreenScar]

Grew up with Popeye. Interested in seeing how this develops. Not excited Arad is producing though.

Sony has announced that they will be bringing a computer animated adaptation of Popeye to the big screen in 3D. The film will be released under the Sony Pictures Animation label, with Sony Pictures ImageWorks handling the computer animation. The real-look Popeye image above is probably far too scary for the animated film adaptation, but I’d much rather see a film featuring the character design of Rick Baker. At least that might be interesting.

Producer Avi Arad, who use to be attached to huge films like Spider-Man, has found himself more recently attached to films like Robosapien: Rebooted and the Bratz movie. Looks like that departure from Marvel really worked out for him. Former Variety writer Mike Jones, who was laid off from the Hollywood trade paper a year ago, is in talks to script the adaptation.

The storyline is being kept under wraps, but I’m pretty sure it won’t be good. We do know that Popeye’s love interest Olive Oyl, arch nemesis Bluto and adopted child Swee’Pea will be featured in the movie. Arad told Variety that the new film “will cover the themes of friendship, love, greed and life, and focus on human strengths and human frailties.”

Popeye first appeared in a comic strip in 1929, and became a cartoon in the 1930’s with a series of shorts produced by Max and Dave Fleischer’s Fleischer Studios. The last time Popeye was on the big screen it was in the notorious disaster starring Robin Williams and directed by Robert Altman in 1980.

[mikejet]

Robin Williams better do the voice....

[masob98]

I like this idea, it sounds really fun. But I hope they dont use that image above, man that is spooky and way to wrinkly and old.

[J. J. Hunsecker]

Originally Posted by mikejet

Robin Williams better do the voice....

Dear God, NO!

Billy West does a great Popeye imitation.

[vegeta88]

Originally Posted by J. J. Hunsecker

Dear God, NO!

Billy West does a great Popeye imitation.

I didn't know that. Makes sense though, Billy West is an excellent voice actor

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by vegeta88

I didn't know that. Makes sense though, Billy West is an excellent voice actor

Billy West did the voice in the CGI direct-video a couple years ago--
And on one of the featurettes on Warner's DVD's, he explains just how HARD it is to do the original voice:
Popeye had a high voice to be lovable, and a gravelly voice to be a sailor, and Jack Mercer did them both at the same time...Which West compared to dual-voiced Mongolian throat-singing, not exactly the easiest thing to do.

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by GreenScar

well he seems like the kind of guy who would eat spinich

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by GreenScar

I hope that is not what he will look like? He look's like the chicken meat you would find at Popeye's restaurants

[GreenScar]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

I hope that is not what he will look like? He look's like the chicken meat you would find at Popeye's restaurants

No, Just a humorous img I think

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by GreenScar

No, Just a humorous img I think

I sometime wonder just how popular Popeye still is? For me personaly he never was much of a favorite, would watch some of the shorts if I have nothing else to watch as a kid. It seem he sort of became less and less popular over the years or is just my impression of it?

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

I sometime wonder just how popular Popeye still is? For me personaly he never was much of a favorite, would watch some of the shorts if I have nothing else to watch as a kid. It seem he sort of became less and less popular over the years or is just my impression of it?

That's probably because you grew up with afternoon stations showing those lame, repetitive, insulting Casper-era color cartoons (the one with Bluto as a drooling horndog instead of a bully), and not the cool 30's B/W ones with Jack Mercer doing the voice.

Fortunately, Warner brought said B/W's back on disk last year, and as of recent date...hasn't seemed to have gotten around to the color Famous/Paramounts quite yet.
And if you haven't heard Jack Mercer create "the first Ad-Libbing Cartoon Character*"--or been in the position to consciously appreciate them as an adult--then here. Thank me later:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CSVe_EZlp8

---
(* - Coming from the fact that post-silents Fleischer Studios animated the dialogue first and put the voice actors in the booth later, causing a lot of lines to suddenly appear that weren't in the script. Now you know why they got Robin Williams to do the movie.)

[Mumps]

Are they (whoever "they" are) still doing the Yogi Bear 3D movie?

First there was that, then this... I swear of they touch Felix the Cat I am gonna cry...

No good can come of this.

[vegeta88]

Could be good. While I did not watch it much growing up, the few that I did see were good. Hopefully they do not go the way of that image because it would give children nightmare ... which I am guessing is the age group they are selling to. I do not think I will see this but who knows.

Robin Williams would be a good voice or Joey Gladstone from Full House.

[J. J. Hunsecker]

Originally Posted by EricJ

That's probably because you grew up with afternoon stations showing those lame, repetitive, insulting Casper-era color cartoons (the one with Bluto as a drooling horndog instead of a bully), and not the cool 30's B/W ones with Jack Mercer doing the voice.

Fortunately, Warner brought said B/W's back on disk last year, and as of recent date...hasn't seemed to have gotten around to the color Famous/Paramounts quite yet.
And if you haven't heard Jack Mercer create "the first Ad-Libbing Cartoon Character*"--or been in the position to consciously appreciate them as an adult--then here. Thank me later:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CSVe_EZlp8

---
(* - Coming from the fact that post-silents Fleischer Studios animated the dialogue first and put the voice actors in the booth later, causing a lot of lines to suddenly appear that weren't in the script. Now you know why they got Robin Williams to do the movie.)

Excellent post!

Yes, I preferred the black and white Fleischer Popeye cartoons over the later Famous (later called "Harveytoons") color versions. However, the Famous studio was made up of ex-Fleischer veterans, and for a few years in the early forties their cartoons were quite good. On the third DVD set of Popeye the Sailor 1941-1942, a few of the black and white Famous Popeye cartoons are included, and they keep up a Looney Tunes inspired pace. Once Popeye gets out of World War II, trouble starts. The cartoons quickly became formulaic, and the budgets got cheaper. Plus, why would they keep Popeye in his white Navy suit once he got out of the service? He should have gone back to his old captain's uniform from the 30's.

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by EricJ

That's probably because you grew up with afternoon stations showing those lame, repetitive, insulting Casper-era color cartoons (the one with Bluto as a drooling horndog instead of a bully), and not the cool 30's B/W ones with Jack Mercer doing the voice.

Fortunately, Warner brought said B/W's back on disk last year, and as of recent date...hasn't seemed to have gotten around to the color Famous/Paramounts quite yet.
And if you haven't heard Jack Mercer create "the first Ad-Libbing Cartoon Character*"--or been in the position to consciously appreciate them as an adult--then here. Thank me later:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CSVe_EZlp8

---
(* - Coming from the fact that post-silents Fleischer Studios animated the dialogue first and put the voice actors in the booth later, causing a lot of lines to suddenly appear that weren't in the script. Now you know why they got Robin Williams to do the movie.)

Its funny you said that. My friend who is a HUGE Popeye fan as been telling me to get is DVD of B&W and watch them. I really haven't since I never was a big fan of Popeye but he always tell's me that there is a big difference in the shorts.

[mikejet]

I still remember the Family Guy when they tell Popeye he has cancer and has suffered strokes.

[Porkchop Express]

Originally Posted by mikejet

I still remember the Family Guy when they tell Popeye he has cancer and has suffered strokes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5eDC3ZEdEQ

[CyberpunkCentral]

And it's back on track.

[Dragon78]

Yes, but is Tartakovsky still attached to the project?

[CyberpunkCentral]

Originally Posted by Dragon78

Yes, but is Tartakovsky still attached to the project?

Yup.