Genndy Tartakovsky Opens Up About A Live-Action SAMURAI JACK Movie

Genndy Tartakovsky Opens Up About A Live-Action SAMURAI JACK Movie

The famed animator who created the highly successful animated series Samurai Jack, tells Collider about the future of everyone's favorite animated samurai, hinting at a possible live-action film. Get the details after the jump.

By WesleyGibson - Jun 30, 2012 05:06 PM EST
Filed Under: Action
Source: Collider

The man behind successful animated shows such as Samurai Jack, Dexter's Laboratory, and Star Wars: Clone Wars, spoke to Collider about what it would take to see a live-action Samurai Jack hit the big screen, while promoting his latest film Hotel Transylvania. Apparently the project has been stuck in development hell ever since it was announced to be in pre-production back in 2009. See what the animator has to say about the future of the famous character below.

It’s still around. Every year, somebody new picks it up who tries to push it through. I feel like, with Jack, it’s a funny curse. People like it for A, B and C, but as soon as they want to make it, they say, “Well, we can’t do A, B and C.” But, those are the key ingredients that make it successful. Once somebody comes along and just says, “I want to make it for what it is,” then it will get made. But right now, every time we try to run it up the flagpole, it never sticks.


Everyone has been anxious to see Samurai Jack hit the big screen and capture the excitement and action that the show held. Maybe he'll get his chance to shine again, but in he meantime we can only hope. Sound off with your thoughts below in the usual place.







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ironknight
ironknight - 6/30/2012, 5:29 PM
This would be great, even if its just an animated feature film.
TonyChu
TonyChu - 6/30/2012, 5:31 PM
Akuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!
ManofSteel23
ManofSteel23 - 6/30/2012, 5:40 PM
no
TonyChu
TonyChu - 6/30/2012, 5:42 PM
@Natrag No! Samurai Jack was asian.
whoa123
whoa123 - 6/30/2012, 7:15 PM
Jon Foo as Jack
Willem Dafoe as Aku
Directed by: Tarsem Singh
StarSpangledBruce
StarSpangledBruce - 6/30/2012, 7:22 PM
I wish Walmart still had the DVDs. I waited too late.
BANE5000
BANE5000 - 6/30/2012, 7:35 PM
Bring back the show, i used to love watching it
laughterman26
laughterman26 - 6/30/2012, 8:01 PM
what is it with every one wanting to cast jon hamm as some type of character
bane187
bane187 - 6/30/2012, 8:04 PM
Fraking love that show
LorenzoVonMatterhorn93
LorenzoVonMatterhorn93 - 6/30/2012, 8:32 PM
would love a live action adaptation however i think pulling off an animated version may be better and more appealing. either we want jack!! - oh and hes gotta be asian :P no jack blacks or anything
BlueDemon
BlueDemon - 6/30/2012, 9:21 PM
I hope this movie happens. I love Genndy's work. I'm sad about his latest series "Symbionic Titan" being cancelled......
DoomXfactor
DoomXfactor - 6/30/2012, 9:24 PM
@Tinieblas- Sym-Bionic Titan was awesome!!!
Asterisk
Asterisk - 6/30/2012, 10:41 PM
Yeah, I'd just like more episodes or an animated movie.
ThatOneDude
ThatOneDude - 6/30/2012, 10:41 PM
Why? Why the [frick] hasn't this happened yet?!
WebSlinger149
WebSlinger149 - 6/30/2012, 10:48 PM
This show had a great balance of action and comedy, unlike many shows at the time, I hope someone commits to it
thewonderer
thewonderer - 6/30/2012, 10:50 PM
This show was freaking fantastic. A damn crime it ended so early

I say the director should be someone like Rian Johnson (Director of Brick and Looper). Maybe even Matthew Vaughn.

Of course, I also think Chris Nolan should do it because I just don't see the man making a bad film.

But for gods sake just get this made
PreparationH
PreparationH - 6/30/2012, 11:12 PM
Ahemmm *Clears voice* Long ago in a distant land, I, Aku, the shape shifting master of darkness, unleashed an unspeakable evil. But a foolish samurai warrior wielding a magic sword stepped forth to oppose me. Before the final blow was struck, I tore open a portal in time, and flung him into the future where my evil is law. Now the fool seeks to return to the past and undo the future that is Aku. *Que Music*
rbfn04
rbfn04 - 6/30/2012, 11:25 PM
Why can't they just finish the animated story first? Amazing series.
Joker08
Joker08 - 6/30/2012, 11:34 PM
@PreparationH: *WATCHOUT* Gotta get back - Back to the past - Samurai Jack *WATCHOUT*

@thewanderer: Nolan?? Seriously?? Nolan is the best choice to direct a Samurai Jack adaptation? What is up with some of you people...

What they need to do is just let Tartakovsky and the creative team behind the show do the live action version. It would be perfect - no one could do better.
SuperPickle
SuperPickle - 7/1/2012, 12:05 AM
This would make an incredible live action film. I'd love to see it.
Deadpool101
Deadpool101 - 7/1/2012, 12:25 AM
love this show !!!
Darkhaven
Darkhaven - 7/1/2012, 12:26 AM
[frick] yes! Also, the only person suited to direct and produce this is the creator, Genndy himself; Samurai Jack is too unique to be 'tweaked' or whatever by anyone else.
Pontius888
Pontius888 - 7/1/2012, 12:36 AM
Yeah!!!! A live action movie would be awesome, Aku's voice can be performed by Chow Yun Fat!!!!
TheAmazingSpidey63
TheAmazingSpidey63 - 7/1/2012, 1:09 AM
Oh my goodness......The awesome motha[frick]ing childhood memories that my siblings and I had when we use to watch this god-awesome show. Oh, I used to live this show so darn much, I used to pretend I would be Jack. Fighting off Aku and his minions ad slashing them with my sword (just me and a big ol' stick and just swinging it around at nothing :P).........................D@mn, just had a nostalgia trip for a second. Thanks for the memories, Samurai Jack. May you one day come onto the silver screen and entertain us like you used to. :')


Stay EPIC, my friends!......................And long live SAMURAI JACK!!! :D
TheAmazingSpidey63
TheAmazingSpidey63 - 7/1/2012, 1:10 AM
*and, not ad. :P

Darn small iPod keyboard!
SPIKEtheDEADone
SPIKEtheDEADone - 7/1/2012, 1:16 AM
@Tinieblas Good cartoons are canceled way to often these days, while the crap cartoons and dumbass live action shows stay on for years.
SPIKEtheDEADone
SPIKEtheDEADone - 7/1/2012, 1:20 AM
@rbfn04 "Why can't they just finish the animated story first?"

As much as I would love a live action movie; I want to know how the show ends first. Though it would be cool if a green lit movie got the show back on the air.
AmazingFantasy
AmazingFantasy - 7/1/2012, 2:10 AM
[frick]ING LOVED THIS SHOW AS A KID.
FrankieDedo
FrankieDedo - 7/1/2012, 2:45 AM
LOL i didn't knew that there was a comic book of this, however, did you guys know this was inspired by Frank Miller's Ronin graphic novel? ;)
From Wikipedia:"Tartakovsky has also acknowledged taking some of his thematic inspiration from Frank Miller's comic book series Ronin, including the premise of a master-less samurai warrior thrown into a dystopic future ahead of our present in order to battle a shape-shifting Demon. Similarly, the episode "Jack and the Spartans" was specifically inspired by Miller's 300, a graphic novel retelling of The Battle of Thermopylae"
AlexDeLarge87
AlexDeLarge87 - 7/1/2012, 3:55 AM
Would love to see Samurai Jack on the big screen. :)

And its Takeshi Kaneshiro or Tadanobu Asano as Jack.
And japanese actor like Ken Watanabe MAYBE as Aku.
Too bad Mako is dead. Would have been great to see him return for the role. :(
AlexDeLarge87
AlexDeLarge87 - 7/1/2012, 3:59 AM
Chow Yun-Fat could be cool Aku too. Even he is chinese.
AlexDeLarge87
AlexDeLarge87 - 7/1/2012, 3:59 AM
He can always do the accent.
TheSoulEater
TheSoulEater - 7/1/2012, 5:03 AM
300/sucker punch style plz
StarSpangledBruce
StarSpangledBruce - 7/1/2012, 6:48 AM
^ ^ ^

O hai grif.


Apparently Frederator Studios was working on a feature-length Samurai Jack years back, now it seems they're more focused on Adventure Time and Fagboy and Cum Chum.

A damn shame too, I wanted to see Jack get back to his normal timeline.
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