The Weinstein Company is pleased to announce that they have formed a strategic alliance with Exodus Film Group to jointly develop, produce and finance a multi-picture slate of CG-animated feature films, DVDs, and television series. TWC will distribute the titles worldwide. The joint announcement was made today by Harvey Weinstein, Co- Chairman of The Weinstein Company and John D. Eraklis, CEO of
TWC is handling worldwide distribution for Exodus’ much-anticipated CG- animated film Igor, which is set for a wide theatrical release on October 24, 2008.Igor is a playfully irreverent comedy that brings a new twist to the classic monster genre. It tells the story of an evil scientist’s hunch backed lab assistant with big dreams of becoming a scientist himself and winning the annual Evil Science Fair. The stellar voice cast includes Jeremy Piven, Jay Leno, John Cusack, Jennifer Coolidge, Arsenio Hall, Molly Shannon, Steve Buscemi, John Cleese, Sean Hayes and Christian Slater. Award-winning animation writer, Tony Leondis, is directing the screenplay by Chris McKenna.
A children’s movie from the perspective of a monster, that sounds strikingly similar to another movie franchise that has made an outlandish amount of money. When you want a formula for printing money, you might as well copy one that has already worked.
I am surprised just how much money children’s films make. I guess it makes sense, when you target ads to kids – they get the parents out to the theatre like nothing else will. Nag factor for the win.
I have no problem with animated films, I simply find most of them to be horrible these days. The disney films of yesteryear were great, dare I say magical. The glut of 3-D animated trash that is now being pumped out of the shit house is concerning. Not that I expect anything to change, with horrible films making insane amounts of money the quality of the story becomes a mute issue for the people selling the product.
I am also tiring of celebrity voice actors. I do not want to notice a celebrities voice when I watch a cartoon – i want to be immersed in the world. Talented voice actors are artists – please give them a venue to work their magic.
