Kevin Munroe's Gatchaman movie thread

[gobo]

Could someone sticky this please? And, tidy this place up. Kev could be here any second! :goof:

[DrSpengler]

Oh. I thought you had some news or something. :ohwell:

Anyhow, I kinda wish they'd call it "Battle of the Planets". A much more epic title for a feature film and likely the version of Gatchaman the new movie will be drawing from the most.

Could be good. Hope they include the Iron Terapin since it was one of the cooler robots they fought in the show.

And please for the love of God, no Zark.

[Fledermaus]

Well, it's a month old but no one here seemed to take notice.

Anyone else excited that Paul Dini is writing the script? :D



Paul Dini Penning Gatchaman
Source: Imagi Animation Studios
September 21, 2007


Paul Dini has been signed to collaborate on the screenplay for Imagi Animation Studios' upcoming CG-animated motion picture, Gatchaman. Announcement was made by Francis Kao, Co-CEO & Chief Creative Officer.

"We are excited to have Paul on our talented 'Gatchaman' team," said Kao. "His extensive background in animation and superhero comics will contribute greatly to this ambitious action movie."

"The original series was one of the classics of early anime, and the film will be very true to the Japanese source material," said Dini. "As a studio, Imagi is constantly breaking the boundaries of animated adventure. Not only are their action sequences amazing, but their characters are driven, complex and play for life-or-death stakes. It's a great environment for a writer with a rather dark take on animation."

Writer/producer Paul Dini's career spans animation ("Batman: The Animated Series"), television ("Lost") and comics ("Detective," "The World's Greatest Superheroes"). The winner of multiple Emmy, Eisner and Writers Guild of America Awards, Dini is also currently masterminding the DC Comics 2007 weekly series "Countdown." His creations "Jingle Belle" and "Mutant, Texas" continue to appear frequently from Dark Horse, Oni Press and other publishers. Dini and his wife, magician Misty Lee, have also launched a popular series of Internet shorts featuring their puppet creation, Little Rashy.

Gatchaman is based on the successful Japanese franchise created in the early 1970s by anime pioneer Tatsuo Yoshida. Aired in the U.S. as Battle of the Planets and G-Force, the TV series soon became one of the top syndicated shows.

Scheduled for release in early 2009, Gatchaman is a big, effects-rich movie set in a future world grappling with environmental and technological issues. The story focuses on five reluctant heroes whose remarkable genetic code makes them Earth's only hope of defeating extra-terrestrial invaders.

Kevin Munroe (TMNT) is the director of Gatchaman, being produced by Lynne Southerland.

Besides the fact that there's a very experienced writer on board, it seems indeed like what Kevin was saying earlier about "upping the ante" in animation is true, and that makes me so happy. May this movie bring animation (or rather, well-done animated films for mainstream Americans) up out of its childish branding as "genre" rather than "medium."

[DrSpengler]

Paul Dini!?

I'm sold.

So far it looks to have a pretty solid set of ingredients going for it. Dini's writing, Munroe's direction and Imagi's animation. It'll take something serious to mess this up.

I'm also glad that mainstream CG animation is finally moving out of the "LOL let's get celebrities to voice animals and fairy tale creatures because that's all CG is good for!" movies. If I have to suffer through one more Shrek clone or Pixar wannabe I'll probably hang myself.

Good to see a studio trying something new with theatrical CG animation.

[GK Punk]

Anyhow, I kinda wish they'd call it "Battle of the Planets". A much more epic title for a feature film and likely the version of Gatchaman the new movie will be drawing from the most.
.

I honestly hope it draws nothing from the Battle of the Planets version. That was the worst version of the show. They should just base it on Gatchaman. Or G-Force adaption (which was basically the Gatchaman version anyway.)

[DrSpengler]

Well, by "draw from the most" I mean stuff like character names and what-not, as they're the most iconic for American audiences.

Keep in mind, there are four different sets of names for the characters here in the US. There's the Battle of the Planets names, the G-Force names, the Eagle Riders names and the Gatchaman names. It's all pretty convuluted, to put it lightly.

I think we may have had this conversation before, but I'm hoping for something akin to the Top Cow Battle of the Planets comic, which was sort of an "Ultimate Battle of the Planets" adaptation. They took stuff from various versions of the show and left behind the less desirable elements (such as Zark, Rover and Keyop's speech impediment), and save for a few WTF moments (Keyop sleeps in a giant womb?), turned out pretty good.

[GK Punk]

I think you are right, I'm almost positive we have had this conversation before :lol:
I should post pics of my Cy-Girls Gatchaman Jun doll again now.

[Drtooth]

Paul Dini!?

I'm sold.

Me too, and I only saw one episode of Gatchaman! Paul freaking Dini? The guy who was the head writer of some of the best things Warners has done in the 90's? Oh yeah!

[Dragon Turtle]

An interview with Kevin Monroe.



http://www.iesb.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3966&Itemid=99

[gobo]

I'm surprised he gave up on Gatchaman (http://news.toonzone.net/article.php?ID=22785). He used to be so enthusistic about it when asked...

[Dragon Turtle]

I'm surprised he gave up on Gatchaman (http://news.toonzone.net/article.php?ID=22785). He used to be so enthusistic about it when asked...


Did he give up or was he booted off?

[Roseangelo]

Yeah, I think it's unfair to jump to any conclusions about the situation, especially without hearing anything directly from Kevin.

[AquaParade]

That's interesting...I hope he didn't get booted, he seemed like a real nice guy...even took the time to come here to the forums to answer our questions about tmnt...I'm still interested in this movie though, but I've never seen any Gatchaman stuff...what would be the easiest way to approach this series? The best way to get the best stories out of it? I only ask because you guys say there are so many versions...

[gobo]

Technically, he did 'give up', but that's not to say he went without a fight. So, I apologize if it sounded like I was saying he lost interest and quit or something.

[Drtooth]

Ugh! I just hope this movie goes forward and they still use Paul Dini's script. I heard they're having problems with Astroboy as well. Man, if these 2 films don't get produced, we can kiss any chance of financial backing for TMNT 2k7 2 goodbye.

[Dragon Turtle]

That's interesting...I hope he didn't get booted, he seemed like a real nice guy...even took the time to come here to the forums to answer our questions about tmnt...I'm still interested in this movie though, but I've never seen any Gatchaman stuff...what would be the easiest way to approach this series? The best way to get the best stories out of it? I only ask because you guys say there are so many versions...

You can check out the original Gatchaman series on dvd, which will be the best one to check out in terms of which series will most closely follow the movie.


Here is a nice Gatchaman site for more info:

http://www.chronicsite.com/gatchaman/


Technically, he did 'give up', but that's not to say he went without a fight. So, I apologize if it sounded like I was saying he lost interest and quit or something.

No apology needed, until more details are released from either Imagi or Monroe no one knows for sure what happened, although it does seem like a quick turn around for Monroe, if Dylan Dog is set to start shooting in just two months.

[Drtooth]

I shoulda known 2 movies based off of Tatsunoko Productions animes were too good to be true. oh well, at least Speed Racer's coming out next month.

Kills any kinda hope for me we'll see any decent American interrest in Time Bokan and the like.

[Dragon Turtle]

This may shed some light on Kevin Monroe's recent departure from Imagi/Gatchaman:


Near the end of God of War 2, it was definitely time to do something different. I learned from a good friend Charles Lee that Imagi was making "Gatchaman". This was a dream project for me ever since I was a little kid running in the back streets of Taiwan as G1 (the leader of the Gatchaman team), protecting our neighborhood from alien invasion. This old 70's cartoon was called "Battle of the Planets" in the US, or G-Force. I loved it... I got to help envision Gatchaman for our times. I joined Imagi for about a year and a half---worked on some "look of picture" images, but mostly spent time designing the characters. The original vision for the film was fun and a bit edgy---appealed to me. The project's been through lots of changes, rewrites (like any film), ended up with a different director recently. The vision's changed since I first joined, and seems to be going towards a younger Power Rangers audience---I wanted to see a Gatchaman that I would love to see, and didn't want to see it go this direction, so I departed from Imagi and took an Art Directing/Character Designing gig on Thundercats.


This blog belongs to Charlie Wen:

http://charliewen.typepad.com/

[AquaParade]

Really really interesting. Thanks for posting.

[Fledermaus]

Someday, Kevin. Someday, this country of philistines will get over its "animation is for kiddies" disease. Someday, there will be a "grownup" animated film that's actual ANIMATION, not motion-crapture Beowulf... nor a glorified videogame like Final Fantasy: the Spirits Within.

That was disappointing to read, but understandable. Audiences just aren't ready yet. Our culture isn't there. No one with power is willing to risk it. No one with experience is willing to help lead the way.

Damn, superherohype is down -- my source of power! Okay, so anyone who knows enlighten me:

My first question: is Paul Dini still writing this? :-? I can't believe he'd reduce this movie to 7-year-old fodder. He's above that.

My other question is... Lynne Southerland, co-director of Mulan 2 (:|...) was also signed on for this movie. I wonder... is anyone else helping out at this point?

[Drtooth]

My first question: is Paul Dini still writing this? :-? I can't believe he'd reduce this movie to 7-year-old fodder. He's above that.

Oh, he's been gone from it for a while, apparently. I don't have any reliable sources to post, but the info has been passed around for a while. I'd be surprised if they even make this film at all.

I hate, hate, hate when film studios get bugs up their collective butts about money and demographics and slaughter a film for kids that don't give a crap. I mean, is there anyone under the age of 20 who knows or even cares what the heck Gatchaman is? Be it known by its aliases "Battle of the Planets" or "G-Force" (there is a movie coming out called G-Force, but it's not that at all).

I'm very disappointed in this. Clearly it's in danger of becoming an abandoned project (astroboy too). But Fans of Tatsunoko production based animes, don't worry. After Speed Racer, there is one other film to look forward to...

http://www.yatterman-movie.com/

Unfortunately, it's just for Japanese Audiences.

[DrSpengler]

Eh, the Japanese seem about as bad at adapting their own material into live action movies as we are at it.

Try and suffer through the god awful live action 'Devilman' movie from 2005 sometime. It's a challenge.

[ToTheNines]

Never watched it back in the day, but I was still excited to see what else Munroe had up his sleve.

The fact that Astroboy probably won't get his movie fills me with all kinds of joy.

[gobo]

Sarcastic joy?

[ToTheNines]

Sarcastic joy?

No, real joy. I really f**king hate astroboy more than the naked brothers band.

[DrSpengler]

So Imagi has canned TMNT 2, Astroboy AND Gatchaman?

How do these people make money?

[Drtooth]

So Imagi has canned TMNT 2, Astroboy AND Gatchaman?

How do these people make money?

Not so much canned as they're in developement purgatory now. All but canned is more of an appropriate term. This is no doubt due to new management. i hear Ex-dreamworks. So, something tells me, if these films do get made, they'll be full of Fart jokes, stolen lines from other movies, and at the moment pop tunes used every 6 seconds.

[Dragon Turtle]

Kevin Monroe gives his official reasoning for leaving Gatchaman during an interview for his upcoming movie "Dylan Dog" renamed "Dead of Night":


IESB: So if you are directing Dylan Dog that obviously means you are no longer working on Gatchaman, what happened there?

KM: Y’know, I put in quite a few years at Imagi, and we built something amazing on TMNT with a group of talented people out of a basement in Encino. It was a blast and I am thankful to have done it. With Gatchaman, I guess you can say it came down to creative differences. I’m a little heartbroken to walk away, as I’m still a huge fan of the property and its potential. But I’m glad that at least we got to share a little of my version of the movie in those images we released last year. At the end of the day, I wish Imagi the best of luck for the future.


The rest of the interview can be found at IESB:

http://www.iesb.net/index.php?option=com_ezine&task=read&page=1&category=2&article=4854

[Roseangelo]

Hmmm... Kevin's problems with Imagi and Gatchaman sound similar to Mirage's problems with Imagi and the would-be TMNT 2.

[Dragon Turtle]

Hmmm... Kevin's problems with Imagi and Gatchaman sound similar to Mirage's problems with Imagi and the would-be TMNT 2.

Speaking of things that sound similar, I found this in an interview with Joel Silver producer of "Speed Racer" also at IESB:


"Q: Never PG-13

JS: No, from the very beginning we had these deals with these big companies and it was predicated on being a PG movie."

It seems Warner is desperate for PG kids movie franchise, they're willing to turn anything and everything into a PG movie.

[gobo]

Except Batman... Right?

[Dragon Turtle]

Except Batman... Right?

Batman is safe...for now.:)

[Drtooth]

It seems Warner is desperate for PG kids movie franchise, they're willing to turn anything and everything into a PG movie.


PG is the new G. AS I've been talking about in different TMNT movie threads, they siad that PG movies are like what PG 13 movies used to be, and Pg13 movies are what R rated movies used to be.

As for the PG's, nothing could be further from the truth. PG is just a marketting gimmick that soups up a G rating so they can sucker people into thinking they're watching a more grown up film. PG=Family, and Family = big bucks from gullible people clammoring for Family entertainment (over rated, I say). Wholesome, scmolesome. The TMNT movie could have been rated G for all I'm concerned.

So clearely if this film gets made (and I severely doubt it at this point), it would clearly be kiddified, and worthy of a G rating. But slapped with a market friendly PG.

[Dragon Turtle]

So clearely if this film gets made (and I severely doubt it at this point), it would clearly be kiddified, and worthy of a G rating. But slapped with a market friendly PG.

I believe Gatchaman will be made, since other parties such as Tatsunoko Productions and Warner Bros. will be breathing down Imagi's necks to get the movie out next year, and appearently they don't need Kevin Monroe's input. It's not a question of if the movie is made, but is in what shape the movie will be in when it is released.

Considering they still haven't annouced a replacement for Monroe, means that Imagi is still scrambling to find a director desperate enough to attach his name to a movie that is well into production, with little creative control, and willing to take the risk of the movie being critically panned, bombing at the boxoffice, and then taking the blame.

[gobo]

Considering they still haven't annouced a replacement for Monroe, means that Imagi is still scrambling to find a director desperate enough to attach his name to a movie that is well into production, with little creative control, and willing to take the risk of the movie being critically panned, bombing at the boxoffice, and then taking the blame.
You mean a 'patsy'? :P

[Dragon Turtle]

You mean a 'patsy'? :P

'patsy' is such an ugly term, I prefer 'fall guy', sounds cooler.:)