Astroboy Movie news!

[Fasty]

http://filmforce.ign.com/articles/520/520875p1.html

Variety reports that the long-in-development live-action feature film version of Osamu Tezuka's cartoon classic Astroboy is moving ahead at Columbia Pictures. Genndy Tartakovsky – whose credits include Samurai Jack, Dexter's Laboratory and Powerpuff Girls – will write and direct for Don Murphy's Angry Films and Jim Henson Pictures.

As the trade reminds us, Astroboy "is a futuristic Pinocchio story about a scientist who builds a robot replacement for his dead son but then turns him out in the world when it becomes clear he's not human."

The pic, in-development since 1997, hit a roadblock in 2000 when the similarly-themed A.I. was produced.

"When this was stuck in the animation division, the film was going nowhere," said Murphy. "It's fantastic to have it back on track as a live-action film, which I always envisioned."

[DrFrag]

So ... live action. Is anyone else thinking Roger Rabbit?

I wasn't worried when the new TV series was anounced, but I'm scared of the movie screwing things up. They should leave it in the hands of Japanese animators.

Still, Inspector Gadget wasn't done too bad for a cartoon-to-live-action conversion. And the Jim Henson crew seem to know what they're doing most of the time.

I need time for this to settle in my mind!

...

Just found another manga-movie conversion by Don Murphy's Angry Films and Jim Henson Pictures, also live-action with some animetronics/CG. It's called Parasyte (never heard of it myself).
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/juzzam1/parasyte.htm

the "spirit of the original" will remain, and creator Hitoshi Iwaaki will have "approval of all creative aspects before finalization."

But it seems to be getting a butchering:
http://www.thezreview.co.uk/comingsoon/p/parasyte.htm

I think I've spread my week's quota of FUD.

[Fasty]

Hey Dr. Frag, if it can even be mentioned in the same sentence as Roger Rabbit I'll be one happy camper! He should be 3D if it's going to be live-action though, not 2D -_-

[jeffbert]

I would be pleased if I should find the film amusing. Beyond that, appearances by the legendary Hyotantsugi would add some humor. Moreover if Lamp should appear, he ought to have a candle at least in one scene. If only they would restore the machine guns.

[Danny]

I can not remember the last JH movie I was I didnt think was great. I also think PPG, DL, and SJ are some of the most entertaining (non-anime) cartoons I have seen in a LONG time.

I am wrapped with this news!

It is not until I hear "Roger rabbit" and "AI" mentioned that my enthusiasm took a shot to the pills. In my opinion AI is possibly the worst movie ever made, and Roger Rabit was so much over-embraced tripe that I can't even think about it without getting agitated. Jet in true movie-going tradition the far superior and rather simillar "Cool World" is virtually unknown outside fringe theatre circles.

Sheesh.. I just deleted a 4 paragraph rant from this. Keep it on topic Dan..

If the Atomu movie is anything even remotely close to either of these then its gonna suck monkeys.

Even tho so far none of the people involved have let me down before, I am officially worried. Brian Henson, I swear if you let your people mess this up...

[Mdlbigcat]

You know, if Pixar would take a shot at the Astro Boy movie, then I can see it being a well-made movie considering their track record with Toy Story and Finding Nemo.

[Danny]

Yeah, Pixar are FREAKING BRILLIANT. I love every one of their movies and own them all on DVD.

However, with the Talents behind "Labyrinth", "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen", and "Jamurai Jack" coming together to pump this one out I would be hesitant to take it off them and give it to Pixar.

Speaking of Tartakovski, anyone bothered to download "Star Wars: Clone Wars" yet? Its yet another one of those "I'll get around to it" things on my list that I, er, haven't gotten around to yet. <_<

[DrFrag]

Originally posted by jeffbert+Jun 5 2004, 02:43 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (jeffbert @ Jun 5 2004, 02:43 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> Moreover if Lamp should appear, he ought to have a candle at least in one scene. If only they would restore the machine guns. [/b]

I don't know about sticking a candle on his head, but they could do a great camera perspective joke where he walks in and stands in such a position that a candle in the background appears to be coming out of his head.

<!--QuoteBegin--"Danny"
Sheesh.. I just deleted a 4 paragraph rant from this. Keep it on topic Dan..[/quote]
Rant away, I did!

I agree that AI was a poor movie. It seemed to drag on and on without any good focus. I can't remember anything good about it, apart from that scene where the robot girl turns side on and she only has a face. I'd watch Johnny Mnemonic over that anyday.
I thought Cool World was really trashy. Roger Rabbit was way better, but I can't properly comment on that one. As you said, it was over-embraced. I just remember I was impressed at the time. When I was 12.

Labyrinth was awesome, I bought the video of that one. I have mixed feelings about The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. If you leave your brain at the door, it's very entertaining and enjoyable.

I can not remember the last JH movie I was I didnt think was great. I also think PPG, DL, and SJ are some of the most entertaining (non-anime) cartoons I have seen in a LONG time.

I am wrapped with this news!

I've only seen pictures on the web of these cartoons, but if you think they're good then that's good enough for me! I just hope they keep Astro's anime look, rather than the drawing style seen in works like Ken Steacy's The Original Astroboy.

[astroboykickedmyass]

noooooooooooooooooooooooooo, let the Japanese Animators take care of it, with produciton being in Ameircan hands it will be Bastardized

[Shychick]

Hey, I love AI!; that's one of my favorite films!! It was touching, a beautiful soundtrack, and awesome special-effects... all the things I'm sure we all hope for the AB film.

Say, the film reminds me of AB in many ways; sometimes I think it's a rip-off.


Anyway, I would love if it was as well-done as AI... but I agree, I can just see PIXAR handling this baby so well!


I only hope they don't go overboard with the computer-animation... it's been really going downhill now. IMHO, even PIXAR's animation has been losing its realistic touch. I just hope it's better comp. animation than, say, Jimmy Neutron. I hope it's done nicely, not al cheesy and bright, appealing only for this generation of narrow-minded kiddies!