Popeye (found unfinished cancelled animated film based on comic strip; 2010s): Difference between revisions

Revision as of 04:13, 28 July 2022

A poster for the film.

Status: Found (Animatic) Lost (Script)

Date found: 22 July 2022 (Animatic)

Found by: Chip Butty (Animatic)

Popeye The Sailor is a cartoon character, originally created by Elzie Crisler Segar for the comic strip published by King Features, titled Thimble Theatre. The character is famous for gaining super-human strength after downing a can of spinach. The comic strip was adapted into a series of cartoons by Fleischer Studios from 1933 to 1957 when production was shifted to Associated Artists Productions and MGM. A live-action film adaptation of the character was released in 1980 with Robin Williams as the titular sailor. Despite the film being a box-office success, it received negative reviews and is the only theatrical film based on the character to date, although, decades later, there was an attempt at another theatrical film of the character, this time in animation.

History

Sony Pictures Animation announced in 2010 that Avi Arad (later known for producing Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse) was producing a new film based on Popeye in CGI.^[1] A year later, they announced that Jay Scherick and David Ronn (who wrote The Smurfs film in 2011) were writing the screenplay for the film^[2] and Dexter's Laboratory creator Genndy Tartakovsky would later be revealed as the film's director. While promoting Hotel Transylvania, Tartakovsky said he plans to make the film "as artful and unrealistic as possible."^[3] Not long after, Sony announced a release date for the film for September 26, 2014, which would later be pushed to 2015,^[4] then to 2016.^[5] Just eight days before it's original release date, Tartakovsky released an animation test for the film saying "It's just something that kind of represents what we want to do. I couldn't be more excited by how it turned out."^[6] The animation test was well-received online, however despite this, Tartakovsky departed the film in March 2015 to work on another film Can You Imagine? (which would later be cancelled).^[7] Despite Tartakovsky's departure, Sony announced in January 2016 that T.J. Fixman would be re-writing the script.^[8] That would be the last that the public would hear about the film until May 2020, when it was announced that the film had moved to King Features Syndicate and Tartakovsky would return to direct, though he later stated that he was not yet working on the film as funding would still be needed.^[9] Tartakovsky later said in July of 2022 that the film is no longer happening.^[10]

Availability

For a while, the test animation was the only material from the film to have ever been released. No scripts or any other animation aside from the test animation was released. Just 24 hours after Tartakovsky said that the film was no longer happening, an animatic of the film was uploaded to YouTube by a user named "Chip Butty." This would not receive attention until four days later. Sony would later take down the upload, but mirrors of the animatic have been preserved. While the animatic can be found online, no scripts of the film have surfaced.

Gallery

Footage

The released test animation.

Videos

Stay Up Late Production's video on the subject.

Vailskibum94's video on the leaked animatic.

References

[1] ttps://comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=64471

[2] ttps://web.archive.org/web/20111114080043/https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sony-pictures-animation-and-arad-productions-set-jay-scherick--david-ronn-to-write-animated-popeye-133185523.html

[3] ttps://variety.com/2012/film/news/helmer-moves-sony-s-3d-popeye-forward-1118055946/

[4] ttps://web.archive.org/web/20130629020454/http://www.a113animation.com/2013/05/genndy-tartakovsky-popeye-delayed-to-2015.html

[5] ttps://hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/sony-animation-sets-slate-smurfs-687526/

[6] ttps://hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/sony-pictures-releases-first-glimpse-734176/

[7] ttps://slashfilm.com/536746/genndy-tartakovsky-popeye-exit/

[8] ttps://deadline.com/2016/01/sony-animation-popeye-brings-in-t-j-fixman-to-write-1201688083/

[9] ttps://youtu.be/Pk5Z3-PaSpo

[10] ttps://decider.com/2022/07/21/primal-season-2-genndy-tartakovsky-interview-talks-adult-swim-hotel-transylvania-fixed-more/?utm_source=twitter_sitebuttons&utm_medium=site%20buttons&utm_campaign=site%20buttons

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 |foundby=[https://youtube.com/channel/UCdFt1UFOKZ8Fcct2uEC-OcA Chip Butty] (Animatic)
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-Popeye The Sailor is a cartoon character, originally created by Elzie Crisler Segar for the comic strip published by King Features, titled "Thimble Theatre". The character is famous for gaining super-human strength after downing a can of spinach. The comic strip was adapted into a series of cartoons by Fleischer Studios from 1933 to 1957 when production was shifted to Associated Artists Productions and MGM. A live-action film adaptation of the character was released in 1980 with Robin Williams as the titular sailor. Despite the film being a box-office success, it received negative reviews and is the only theatrical film based on the character to date, although, decades later, there was '''an attempt at another theatrical film of the character''', this time in animation.
+Popeye The Sailor is a cartoon character, originally created by Elzie Crisler Segar for the comic strip published by King Features, titled ''Thimble Theatre''. The character is famous for gaining super-human strength after downing a can of spinach. The comic strip was adapted into a series of cartoons by Fleischer Studios from 1933 to 1957 when production was shifted to Associated Artists Productions and MGM. A live-action film adaptation of the character was released in 1980 with Robin Williams as the titular sailor. Despite the film being a box-office success, it received negative reviews and is the only theatrical film based on the character to date, although, decades later, there was '''an attempt at another theatrical film of the character''', this time in animation.
 ==History==
-Sony Pictures Animation announced in 2010 that Avi Arad (later known for producing Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse) was producing a new film based on Popeye in CGI<ref>https://comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=64471</ref>. A year later, they announced that Jay Scherick and David Ronn (who wrote The Smurfs film in 2011) were writing the screenplay for the film<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20111114080043/https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sony-pictures-animation-and-arad-productions-set-jay-scherick--david-ronn-to-write-animated-popeye-133185523.html</ref> and Dexter's Laboratory creator Genndy Tartakovsky would later be revealed as the film's director. While promoting Hotel Transylvania, Tartakovsky said he plans to make the film "as artful and unrealistic as possible.<ref>https://variety.com/2012/film/news/helmer-moves-sony-s-3d-popeye-forward-1118055946/</ref>" Not long after, Sony announced a release date for the film for September 26, 2014, which would later be pushed to 2015<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20130629020454/http://www.a113animation.com/2013/05/genndy-tartakovsky-popeye-delayed-to-2015.html</ref>, then to 2016<ref>https://hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/sony-animation-sets-slate-smurfs-687526/</ref>. Just eight days before it's original release date, Tartakovsky released an animation test for the film saying "It's just something that kind of represents what we want to do. I couldn't be more excited by how it turned out."<ref>https://hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/sony-pictures-releases-first-glimpse-734176/</ref>. The animation test was well-received online, however despite this, Tartakovsky departed the film in March 2015 to work on another film Can You Imagine?<ref>https://slashfilm.com/536746/genndy-tartakovsky-popeye-exit/</ref> (which would later be cancelled). Despite Tartakovsky's departure, Sony announced in January 2016 that T.J. Fixman would be re-writing the script<ref>https://deadline.com/2016/01/sony-animation-popeye-brings-in-t-j-fixman-to-write-1201688083/</ref>. That would be the last that the public would hear about the film until May 2020, when it was announced that the film had moved to King Features Syndicate and Tartakovsky would return to direct, though he later stated that he was not yet working on the film as funding would still be needed<ref>https://youtu.be/Pk5Z3-PaSpo</ref>. Tartakovsky later said in July of 2022 that the film is no longer happening<ref>https://decider.com/2022/07/21/primal-season-2-genndy-tartakovsky-interview-talks-adult-swim-hotel-transylvania-fixed-more/?utm_source=twitter_sitebuttons&utm_medium=site%20buttons&utm_campaign=site%20buttons</ref>.
+Sony Pictures Animation announced in 2010 that Avi Arad (later known for producing ''Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse'') was producing a new film based on ''Popeye'' in CGI.<ref>https://comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=64471</ref> A year later, they announced that Jay Scherick and David Ronn (who wrote ''The Smurfs'' film in 2011) were writing the screenplay for the film<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20111114080043/https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sony-pictures-animation-and-arad-productions-set-jay-scherick--david-ronn-to-write-animated-popeye-133185523.html</ref> and ''Dexter's Laboratory'' creator Genndy Tartakovsky would later be revealed as the film's director. While promoting ''Hotel Transylvania'', Tartakovsky said he plans to make the film "as artful and unrealistic as possible."<ref>https://variety.com/2012/film/news/helmer-moves-sony-s-3d-popeye-forward-1118055946/</ref> Not long after, Sony announced a release date for the film for September 26, 2014, which would later be pushed to 2015,<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20130629020454/http://www.a113animation.com/2013/05/genndy-tartakovsky-popeye-delayed-to-2015.html</ref> then to 2016.<ref>https://hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/sony-animation-sets-slate-smurfs-687526/</ref> Just eight days before it's original release date, Tartakovsky released an animation test for the film saying "It's just something that kind of represents what we want to do. I couldn't be more excited by how it turned out."<ref>https://hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/sony-pictures-releases-first-glimpse-734176/</ref> The animation test was well-received online, however despite this, Tartakovsky departed the film in March 2015 to work on another film ''Can You Imagine?'' (which would later be cancelled).<ref>https://slashfilm.com/536746/genndy-tartakovsky-popeye-exit/</ref> Despite Tartakovsky's departure, Sony announced in January 2016 that T.J. Fixman would be re-writing the script.<ref>https://deadline.com/2016/01/sony-animation-popeye-brings-in-t-j-fixman-to-write-1201688083/</ref> That would be the last that the public would hear about the film until May 2020, when it was announced that the film had moved to King Features Syndicate and Tartakovsky would return to direct, though he later stated that he was not yet working on the film as funding would still be needed.<ref>https://youtu.be/Pk5Z3-PaSpo</ref> Tartakovsky later said in July of 2022 that the film is no longer happening.<ref>https://decider.com/2022/07/21/primal-season-2-genndy-tartakovsky-interview-talks-adult-swim-hotel-transylvania-fixed-more/?utm_source=twitter_sitebuttons&utm_medium=site%20buttons&utm_campaign=site%20buttons</ref>
 ==Availability==
-For a while, the test animation was the only material from the film to have ever been released. No scripts or any other animation aside from the test animation was released. Just 24 hours after Tartakovsky said that the film was no longer happening, an animatic of the film was uploaded to YouTube by a user named "Chip Butty". This would not receive attention until four days later. Sony would later take down the upload, but mirrors of the animatic have been preserved. While the animatic can be found online, no scripts of the film have surfaced.
+For a while, the test animation was the only material from the film to have ever been released. No scripts or any other animation aside from the test animation was released. Just 24 hours after Tartakovsky said that the film was no longer happening, an animatic of the film was uploaded to YouTube by a user named "Chip Butty." This would not receive attention until four days later. Sony would later take down the upload, but mirrors of the animatic have been preserved. While the animatic can be found online, no scripts of the film have surfaced.
 ==Gallery==