RKMBs Forums .::Robegories::. Media Bloom County: The Movie???

http://www.mediainfocenter.org/story.asp?story_id=57875290

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Disney Unit to Start Making 3D Films
By GARY GENTILE
Associated Press/AP OnlineSeptember 30, 2004


LOS ANGELES - Miramax Films will co-finance and distribute computer-animated family films starting with "Opus," adapted from the popular "Bloom County" comic strip, the company said Thursday.
Miramax will release some of the films under its Dimension banner and produce them in conjunction with Wild Brain Inc., a San Francisco-based animated film company perhaps best known for creating the nasty toe fungus in commercials for the prescription drug Lamisil.

The multiyear deal also gives Miramax and Dimension the opportunity to distribute direct-to-video productions fully financed by Wild Brain, the companies said.

The deal envisions lower budget feature films consistent with Miramax's independent studio status. Films will cost about half of the bigger budget movies produced by Pixar Animation Studios or DreamWorks SKG.

"What you spend doesn't necessarily reflect on how good the movie is," said Jim Miller, Wild Brain chairman.

The announcement comes as The Walt Disney Co., which owns Miramax, is gearing up its own computer-animated film production to replace Pixar's films. Disney's deal with Pixar expires after the delivery of next year's film "Cars."

Disney will release its first computer-animated film "Chicken Little" next year.

The Miramax-Wild Brain collaboration will probably produce one film every 18 months or even longer, with the first effort targeted for late 2006 or early 2007.

The choice of subject for the first film reflects Miramax's eclectic tastes and could prove to be a hard sell, especially to younger audiences.

The character of Opus is a rotund penguin with a cynical world view - far from the heartwarming characters at the center of such films as "Finding Nemo."

"We agree that it's a challenge," Miller said. "How do you take the essence of those characters, who are a little cynical, and move them into a story that can reach adults at the 'Bloom County' level and children at their level? We think we have a terrific story."

The challenge has been given to screenwriter Craig Mazin, whose credits include "Scary Movie 3." "Bloom County" is written by Berkeley Breathed.

Dimension has been working on the "Opus" project for a year. Wild Brain's participation in the deal is being financed by European private equity firm Syntek Capital AG.

Wild Brain also produces the preschool television series "Higglytown Heroes" on the Disney Channel, as well as commercials for Coca-Cola and Nike.

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As much as I'd love to see this, being a huge fan of the original "Bloom County", the idea that Disney's making it bothers me. I think the quote about making it adult AND kid-friendly scares me the most...do we really need "Bloom County" dumbed down???

Some of the best things about the Bloom County comic strip were the political and celebrity jokes. I'd hate to see a dumbed-down version devoid of all that made the comic strip so timely and funny... though of course having a movie tied too closely to current events as the comic strip was would mean it would be out of date fairly quickly.

So I'm not thrilled about hearing this, as much of a fan I am (or used to be) of Opus the Penguin and Bill the Cat. "ACK! THWP!"

The Christmas Special they had in the 90's was pretty funny. maybe fi they do that, i'td be funny.

This movie will suck because it will not be fight club.

Bloom County was my favorite comic up untill it ended. Outlad was good, but it wasn't Bloom County.

All I know is that, if they don't get Tom Waits to do the voice of Bill the Cat, it will all be for naught.

Disney in charge of an Opus movie. Outside of seeing Opus as a happy meal toy, I can't see anything good coming of this. No way are we gonna get anything but a saccharine, dumbed down concept, but I'm sure it'll be great for the kiddies, and look great on t-shirts.


AACK!