This is fairly old news, but things have been a little slow lately, so why not.
As we impatiently wait for all of the MGM financial drama to be settled so that they (or someone) and New Line Cinema can deliver us The Hobbit, other movies are being set in motion to pass the time.
It’s being reported that New Line has begun development on a brand new live-action/CGI hybrid adaptation of the popular Looney Tunes character Speedy Gonzales. The studio has hired writers Alec Sokolow and Joel Cohen to pen the script. The duo started strong working on Toy Story but have since done titles like Cheaper by the Dozen, the Garfield movies, Evan Almighty, Daddy Day Camp, and the upcoming Walter the Farting Dog (I can’t WAIT to see the trailer for that bad boy).
The movie already has its leading man as well. George Lopez will be voicing the uncatchable Speedy Gonzales. Lopez along with Ann Lopez and Lynnette Ramirez will also be producing under George Lopez Presents.
Ann Lopez had this to say about the new project, and modernizing the Speedy of the ’50s who may or may not have sometimes been looked at as being a little racist.
We wanted to make sure that it was not the Speedy of the 1950s — the racist Speedy. Speedy’s going to be a misunderstood boy who comes from a family that works in a very meticulous setting, and he’s a little too fast for what they do. He makes a mess of that. So he has to go out in the world to find what he’s good at.
Apparently that whole “finding what he’s good at” thing involves meeting a “gun-shy race car driver.” Take what you will from that.
Though considered racist at times, the Speedy of the ’50s is also one of the ‘toons that has an Oscar win under its belt for Best Short Subject (Cartoons). Other recipients of this award included Tom and Jerry (numerous times), Tweety bird, Sylvester the cat, Pepe LePew, Bugs Bunny, Yosemite Sam, and many others — all likely to see terrible live-action/CGI movies in the not-too-distant future.
Now, how long before we find out that they’ve run out of ides for the movie and that this new Speedy Gonzales will at some point end up in New York City like every other cartoon adaptation?
[Source: Heat Vision]
If Speedy’s cousin, Slow Poke Rodriguez is in it, I’m in.
Comment by Merkader — July 14, 2010 @ 12:38 am
Ha!
I think they mentioned him in the source post as part of the “racial” stuff they wanted to avoid.
Comment by The Movie God — July 14, 2010 @ 1:03 am
I hope they film in Arizona
Comment by Chris — July 14, 2010 @ 9:45 am