Warner Bros. has acquired the film rights to Bone, Jeff Smith’s acclaimed all-ages fantasy comic.
There hasn’t been a decision yet on whether the feature will be animated or live-action.
Dan Lin, founder of Lin Pictures and former senior vice president of production for Warner Bros., will produce the movie. Smith will serve as executive producer.
Previously, an animated version was in development through Nickelodeon Pictures. However, that fell through because of disagreements between Smith and the studio.
Bone was self-published through Smith’s Cartoon Books between 1991 and 2004. In 2005, Scholastic began releasing color versions of the original collections. The Scholastic editions have sold more than 1 million copies.
March 8th, 2008 at 11:52 am
Actually, it was Cartoon Books who released the One Volume edition, although Scholastic is indeed the folks who have released the color editions.
March 8th, 2008 at 11:28 pm
I really hope it’s animated. I just can’t see Smiths cartoon designs being translated to live-action well in any way at all.
PS - I want 2D animation! No CGI!!!
March 9th, 2008 at 6:05 am
It will most likely be CGI considering that’s the big trend in animated movies these days. If so, I hope it’s live action with CGI mixed in and not 100% CGI.
March 9th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
I’m still wondering why a major computer animated movie (aside from the Simpsons Movie) hasn’t been done with the cel shading used in many video games to mimic classic hand drawn animation. The trend toward realism is what hurts computer animation, not the tools.
People who say they hate ‘CGI’(Does anyone even call it that anymore?) don’t get it, it’s like saying you hate hammers or No. 2 pencils.
Computers are a tool, sadly they’ve been inelegantly used in animation, focusing more on whiz bang detail than allowing the kind of clean line aesthetics of classic animation to be done quicker.
Look at the Simpsons movie, MUCH of that was done with computers, it looks amazing, it’s clean and simple animation, the computer work does not harm it whatsoever.
People LIKE the classic looks, they like simple designs, read Understanding Comics, McCloud lays it out in a few pages why people identify with simply designed characters quicker than highly detailed ones.
I’m not worried, Smith is a smart guy and probably has considered all this and made his choice wisely, IIRC the Nickelodeon thing fell through because they wanted to dumb Bone down and turn it into a vehicle for bad kid pop music.
March 9th, 2008 at 6:11 pm
ElCoyote, it has been done. The film is called Tekkon Kinkreet.
March 9th, 2008 at 6:12 pm
I’m predicting they change the title, because “Bone” is just too suggestive.
March 9th, 2008 at 6:46 pm
“I’m predicting they change the title, because “Bone” is just too suggestive.”
Ha. I never see it mentioned in a discussion of the books, but have you ever tried talking about the book to a potential reader without having to watch how your words come accross?
WHat else would they call it though. Kids know what Bone is and Scholastic didn’t seem too concerned with it. Smith has control over his property and I wonder if he would have control over certain changes written into the contract?
March 9th, 2008 at 6:47 pm
To true. No way WB are gonna call it Bone.
Also, there shouldn’t even be the suggestion that it could be live-action without adding that it would be god-awful.
March 9th, 2008 at 8:37 pm
With Jeff Exec. Producing I am cautiously optimistic.
March 9th, 2008 at 9:18 pm
With Jeff involved, I’m optimistic it’ll be quite good.
With WB producing it, I’m not optimistic it’ll be marketed in any sort of intelligent manner, damaging its box office potential (see IRON GIANT).
March 9th, 2008 at 10:09 pm
Actually the Iron Giant sounds suggestive too…
They can’t change the name. Unless they call it the Bone Chronicles or something? Disney published Bone in it’s paperback line and was fine with the name and Scholastic left the title alone. It’s a trademarked name and very recognizable.
This has to be animated. Live action would be horrible!
March 9th, 2008 at 10:46 pm
As long as Jeff is very, very involved I’m expecting the best!
It better be traditionally animated, Jeff’s artwork lends itself so perfectly to the style.
March 10th, 2008 at 12:21 am
After WB potentially canning Spike Jonze and Dave Eggers from “Where the Wild Things Are” people shouldn’t be too optimistic about any WB family film.
March 10th, 2008 at 12:42 am
I can just see it now
Leonardo DiCaprio as Fone Bone
Steve Buscemi as Phoney Bone
and
Dane Cook as Smiley Bone
March 10th, 2008 at 2:07 am
“Comment by Harmful”, WTF!
March 10th, 2008 at 2:25 am
I’ve never read Bone, although I’ve contemplated picking up that One Volume Edition for a while now. After seeing this post, maybe its fate’s/God’s/ka’s way of telling me to get a move on.
March 10th, 2008 at 4:24 am
Bone Ultimatum.
March 10th, 2008 at 9:32 am
Bone is great, I love Bone. I’ve been getting the scholastic colour editions and have been loving it. I really hope WB does the series justice. I wonder how many books they will try and fit in one film?
As for the style? Whichever way doesn’t distract form the story.
March 10th, 2008 at 10:43 am
I think Bone would do great on the big screen. I thought the free download of the Bone game was already great.
My personal preference goes towards the animated side, but I actually think Bone can pull it off any which style.
March 10th, 2008 at 11:44 am
I’d be more interested in a mixture of live-action humans and animated non-humans, mainly because, if it’s all animated, all matching Smith’s style, I don’t see the point as much. It would seem (to me) like just milking ‘Bone’ again; series is over? Let’s re-release the whole thing in color! Color reprints are over? Let’s do the whole thing as a bunch of movies — now it’s color and they’re moving!
I’m sure it will be good if animated, but I’d be more interested in the riskier idea of live actors mixed with animation.
March 10th, 2008 at 9:05 pm
Oh yeah. WB? We are *so screwed.*
March 11th, 2008 at 11:17 am
1. Live Action - Avoid like the plague
2. Animated - Has a chance
3. WB - Crap! Very bad track record with comic titles.
So…
WB/Live Action (or Live w/CGI): Total, utter bilge water.
WB/Animated: Should be OK as long as Smith keeps very tight control and the “suits” stay away.
Verdict: Cautiosly optimistic.
March 11th, 2008 at 11:41 pm
As an employee at Jim Hanley’s Universe I’ve had the pleasure (and the frighting horror)of seeing many good books and characters placed on the cinematic story board and screwed up.(”CAT IN THE HAT”, “HULK”, “HOWARD THE DUCK”, “DAREDEVIL”, “BULLETPROOF MONK”, ect.) Sat. March 8th I and 2 friends of mine went to see “HORTEN hears a Who” and it was wonderful. Of cause the acting was 1st class, but mainly because it was a computer animated cartoon it was great. What I’m recommending to Warner Bros. is go COMPUTER ANIMATED and stay away from Live Action. Also find someone who can translate the book to the screen without insulting the mentality of it’s audience like they have with so many comic book characters.
March 20th, 2008 at 11:30 pm
I really hope that it’s 2-d. That would be the best way to go, I think. But let’s hope WB doesn’t f*#k up the marketing like they did with the Iron Giant.
BTW, Steve Buscemi as Phoney Bone isn’t such a bad idea.
March 20th, 2008 at 11:30 pm
I really hope that it’s 2-d. That would be the best way to go, I think. But let’s hope WB doesn’t f*#k up the marketing like they did with the Iron Giant.
BTW, Steve Buscemi as Phoney Bone isn’t such a bad idea.
March 20th, 2008 at 11:31 pm
I really hope that it’s 2-d. That would be the best way to go, I think. But let’s hope WB doesn’t f*#k up the marketing like they did with the Iron Giant.
BTW, Steve Buscemi as Phoney Bone isn’t such a bad idea.