POPEYE: Genndy Tartakovsky's Animated Revival Finds New Life After Being Cancelled At Sony

After Tartakovsky's animation test went viral six years ago, the updated adaptation of Popeye failed to find a footing at Sony. But thanks to King Features, the film has been revived.

By Dragonsfoe - May 11, 2020 06:05 PM EST

Filed Under: Animated Features

Samurai Jack and Hotel Transylvania's Genndy Tartakovsky has had a long history with Popeye. After being attached to a revival at Sony, the studio and the director backed off from the project since it wasn't going anywhere at the studio. This was a huge surprise at the time, since the animation test, which was released to the public on Sony Pictures Animation's Youtube account, went viral in 2014. The animation was dynamic and full of life, sharing the style of Tartakovsky's other three-dimensional work. but unfortunately, things were not in favor of the project.

Enter 2020, quite sometime after anything was heard from the project, which was thought to be dead entirely.

Animation Magazine is reporting that Tartakovsky is back to take another stab at the modern adaptation. But there's a catch - they're starting all over. Tartakovsky is on board for the project with a new studio, King Features. While it is unclear what the animation style will look like at this point, it is worth noting that it will not share the same style as the Sony test for the material. But on the bright side, it seems as though Tartakovky is passionate enough about his pitch that he is giving it another go.

Are you excited for Tartakovky's Popeye?

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41 Comments

1 2

Ha1frican - 5/11/2020, 7:10 PM

Someone give this guy a Star Wars Project again.

Spidey91 - 5/11/2020, 7:17 PM

@Ha1frican - Genndy's Clone Wars is the rawest sh*t ever. absolutely no-nonsense, balls to the wall, zero bullsh*t, pure Star Wars.

Origame - 5/11/2020, 7:30 PM

@Spidey91 - now this is what i call clone wars. That mace windu episode.

dracula - 5/11/2020, 7:31 PM

@Ha1frican - We know he doesn't need dialogue to tell a story, how about a Wookie movie or show

THEDARKKNIGHT1939 - 5/11/2020, 7:20 PM

Should be good.

In a loosely related note, where is the damn sequel for this guy?

FlixMentallo21 - 5/11/2020, 7:29 PM

@THEDARKKNIGHT1939 - Maybe this will fill the void--it is getting an English dub:

tmp3 - 5/11/2020, 7:31 PM

@THEDARKKNIGHT1939 - Peter Jackson was supposed to direct it. I guess he just lost interest?

dracula - 5/11/2020, 7:33 PM

@THEDARKKNIGHT1939 - Not 100% sure, but I don't think it was a big success, although I know they want to do 2 more movies

SerKurtWagner - 5/11/2020, 7:39 PM

@THEDARKKNIGHT1939 - I've been so bummed that they never followed this up. I loved the first movie.

TheUnworthyThor - 5/11/2020, 7:23 PM

That’s cool, I‘d watch the sailor man.

dracula - 5/11/2020, 7:35 PM

@TheUnworthyThor - Lets just hope they don't modernize it, Popeye works better in that old fashion cartoon style

TheUnworthyThor - 5/11/2020, 8:03 PM

@dracula - I don’t know... I was kind of hoping for some cool sunglasses and a Popeye rap.

dracula - 5/11/2020, 8:10 PM

@TheUnworthyThor - All I can say is

TheAcuario - 5/11/2020, 7:26 PM

I have been trying to buy this series and I cannot find it anywhere!!!!

dracula - 5/11/2020, 7:36 PM

@TheAcuario - There are some Popeye dvds on amazon. If you mean Samurai Jack, there is a blu ray box set.

TheAcuario - 5/11/2020, 9:29 PM

@dracula - I appreciate it! I’ve been trying to find his Clone Wars series and it’s no where

dracula - 5/11/2020, 9:30 PM

@TheAcuario - Yeah its out of print, there are DVDs on amazon from other sellers, but they are expensive

TheAcuario - 5/12/2020, 9:03 AM

@dracula - I found season 2 but it’s $80 I’m like noooo thanks

GhostDog - 5/11/2020, 7:28 PM

KnifeWasTooSlow - 5/11/2020, 8:52 PM

@BlackBeltJones - I like how you can see the little tears.

tmp3 - 5/11/2020, 7:31 PM

The animation in the test footage looked so cool

Jayman627 - 5/11/2020, 7:31 PM

This is great news I've been a big fan of Popeye since I was a kid, hopefully they can get this started soon!

Jimster - 5/11/2020, 8:45 PM

Glad it's getting a second chance.

Nightmare - 5/11/2020, 8:49 PM

EskimoJ - 5/12/2020, 12:20 AM

OT:

Swamp Thing being picked up by The CW.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/swamp-thing-canceled-at-dc-universe-coming-cw-1294230

https://deadline.com/2020/05/the-cw-acquires-swamp-thing-coroner-dead-pixels-1202931727/

Kumkani - 5/12/2020, 1:16 AM

@EskimoJ - I'm not sure how I feel about this

tmp3 - 5/12/2020, 2:15 AM

@Necropolitan - It's just them airing the one season; Bad Robot currently has the "exclusive" rights to develop projects based on Swamp Thing considering he falls under JL Dark

dracula - 5/12/2020, 2:26 AM

@EskimoJ - I think they just have the rights to air the episodes, maybe if the episodes do well enough they could revive it, but seems unlikely, money is what killed it and its not like the CW can afford that

GwenLantern - 5/12/2020, 4:32 AM

@EskimoJ - THAT'S THE BEST NEWS EVE...Wait...CW? Oh. Well at least we get some more Swamp Thing.

But, wait, what about JJ's JLD show. Will it tie into that? And what about the previous Swamp Thing show? Is this a continuation or what?

I miss the days when Guillermo had this franchise.

GwenLantern - 5/12/2020, 4:35 AM

King Features Syndicate?!

I'm not surprised it's not going to look like the Sony test. It can't. They don't have that kind of money.

1 2

POPEYE: Genndy Tartakovsky's Animated Revival Finds New Life After Being Cancelled At Sony

After Tartakovsky's animation test went viral six years ago, the updated adaptation of Popeye failed to find a footing at Sony. But thanks to King Features, the film has been revived.

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