So you know how Hollywood is out to bleed everything that we once loved as children dry? Because the upcoming Blue Sky-animated Peanuts movie is coming out in November, and we’ve gotten our first look at the teaser trailer today. I’m super apprehensive, but not for the reasons you’re probably thinking.
Sure, it’s a bit “bright and hellishly shiny” as somebody on my Twitter feed put it, but I’ve seen other 2D-turned-3D characters done much worse (those creepy Smurfs still haunt my dreams), and at least it seems like the animators are deliberately trying to strike a balance between Schultz’s original designs and the modern technology of computer graphics. My problem is with the jokes. An “Also Sprach Zarathrusta”-pull away from Charlie Brown’s head that’s interrupted by a record scratch? Jesus, Blue Sky. That is literally the oldest gag in the entire book. Like, it was old when Toy Story 2 did it in 1999. It’s pretty much insufferable now.
Still, Craig Schultz, son of the famous comic creator, seems pretty happy with the film. As he told USA Today, “I’m way more protective than my father would have been. Our No. 1 goal was always to be authentic to his work and legacy.” And Paul Feig of Bridesmaids and Freaks and Geeks is one of the producers, so that’s promising, especially since he’s assured everyone that “Snoopy will not be rapping, no one will be twerking, we’re in good hands.”  Then again, Bill Murray in Garfield was promising, and look how that turned out.
(via Coming Soon)
- If only they would make a movie of “This Charming Charlie”
- The original voice actor of Charlie Brown will probably not get a cameo
- Here, have some animation that won’t make your childhood cry
