When Sony Pictures Animation first announced that one of their upcoming animated films was going to be a computer animated update of Elzie Crisler Segar's classic comic strip Popeye (though many people remember the original short subjects that were made by the Fleischer brothers), I was rather unhappy. There has been a rather unhealthy trend of updating classic comic strip or cartoon characters for modern audiences, but in CGI. Of course, the dreadful Alvin and the Chipmunks films kicked this off, then we got Yogi Bear and The Smurfs.
I thought that this would be more of the same, since the Popeye cartoon short subjects were pure brilliance (some of which were rather groundbreaking for their time, too). However, Genndy Tartakovsky is going to direct the film, which gives me some hope. However, I can't really say much more until a trailer for this film actually premieres, whenever Sony plans on releasing this film. They've already got two films planned for release in 2014, so maybe 2015 at the earliest.
Genndy Tartakovsky, in case you did not know, created Dexter's Laboratory, Samurai Jack and Star Wars: Clone Wars. He also worked on several other Cartoon Network shows in the 1990s such as Cow & Chicken and The Powerpuff Girls. He directed Sony Pictures Animation's upcoming fall release, Hotel Transylvania, which is looking better than before thanks to the recent trailer. The writers (David Ronn and Jay Scherick), however, also helped write the script for The Smurfs. That makes me a wee bit worried, but we don't know yet. The film will also be a co-production with Arad Productions (formed by Avi Arad, the well-known Marvel producer).
What do you think? Are you satisfied with Genndy Tartakovsky being the director? Do you think a CGI Popeye film was necessary? Or not? Sound off!
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