The more I read about these deals between Universal Pictures, Hasbro, and various production studios, the more fascinated I get.
Take the latest news from Variety, for example. Imagine Entertainment and Brian Grazer will be taking on the task of producing a movie for Stretch Armstrong, and the studio has set the release date at April 15, 2011.
Here’s a quote from Grazer himself:
“Stretch Armstrong is a character I have wanted to see onscreen for a long time,” said Grazer, who is also behind a reboot of The Incredible Shrinking Man at [Universal]. “He’s an unconventional kind of superhero with a power that no one would want.”
To which I say that Grazer probably doesn’t watch anime because if he could see the things that Monkey D. Luffy can do with his stretchy arms and legs, then he’d think twice about that statement. And what about Mr. Fantastic and Plastic Man? They even made a Saturday morning cartoon for the latter, which I loved!
Anyway, the other thing that’s helpful about this news is that it firmly affixes which production studios are attached to which of the other properties:
Monopoly is with Ridley Scott
Clue is with Gore Verbinski
Candy Land is with Kevin Lima
Battleship is with Peter Berg
Ouija is with Michael Bay’s Platinum Dunes
It’s absurd how much talent is being thrown at these toy tie-in movies and how much is on the line. Each of these six movies will eventually have stars attached to them, and as a result, everyone’s careers will be affected by how well (or how poorly) these movies will do.
Again, I’m enthralled and fascinated to see how this will all turn out.
Related Posts: First Transformers, then G.I. Joe, now… Candy Land?, Gore Verbinski to direct new Clue movie , Universal and Hasbro sign a six-year pact (updated)
Indy says:
Look I understand the Stretch Armstrong film. However…..Monopoly? What!?
Leslie says:
My question remains why they are making another Clue movie…and if they are, are they making it all new rather than remaking one of my favorite movies of all time?
I fear.
Lethal Interjection says:
Monopoly? Battleship? These can’t be tied by more than a very very thin thread to the actual games. Ridiculous.
Tsiwt says:
I’m not sure if Stretch Armstrong had the power to elongate himself or change his shape, ala Plastic Man or Mr. Fantastic. Perhaps he just had the power to BE elongated? 🙂 I guess we’ll find out.
Trying to puzzle out the draw of a Battleship or Monopoly movie, beyond the obvious appeal of hearing Samuel L. Jackson say “Do not pass go! Do not collect $200!” or “You sank my Battleship, Motherf**ker!”
Then again, I was sure Pirates of the Carribean was a horrible movie idea, so I guess time will tell for sure.
Tsiwt says:
Almost forgot. Stretch Armstrong also had the power to rupture his skin if you stretched him to far and spill goo all over your carpet.
But then I guess we all have that power, in a way.