The story that Brad Bird would make the leap to live action with 1906 is nothing new; we’ve known for some time that Bird and Pixar’s first foray into films with real people would center around the San Francisco earthquake of ’06.
But I did a double-take when reading the Hollywood Reporter’s news that Warner Brothers would be co-producing the effort with Disney and Pixar. Yes, the studio that failed in every conceivable way when the time came to actually get Bird’s feature The Iron Giant in front of audiences will be responsible (in part) for Bird’s next. That’s the way the town works, though, and it’s not as if he and WB are sworn enemies. And when you want to make a film that’s a big in scope as this one might be, you’ve got to go where the money is.
Bird is rewriting John Logan’s script, which is about “a college student who begins to investigate the murder of his father, uncovering a web of deceit that has left the city vulnerable to the sort of fire that breaks out when the Great Earthquake of 1906 hits San Francisco.” I read that line synopsis and feel no interest at all, but then I remember I felt the same thing about Ratatouille, a movie I’ve since watched many times. I believe the magic will work again.
8 comments
First, bitches!
Isn't Pixar going to make a live action Princess of Mars as well?
I would have to agree after Ratatouille I have faith he can make great movies no matter what the subject. It may turn out to be another Iron Giant like effort, but hopefully WB isn't handling the marketing this time.
Too bad in Incredibles 2 though.
So why all this derision for WB's promotion of the Iron Giant? I can remember commercials for that film playing ad nauseam on every kid and young adult tv program at the time of release.
I hear about this all the time when peiople talk about Bird, and ,as someone old enough to remember the film's theatrical release, it has always puzzled me. They advertised the hell out of that film, at least in the kids/young adult demographic.
Did WB do something else to screw him? I don't ever remeber hearing about the film being re-cut
Can anyone explain?
The commercials and ad campaign were terrible. They had no heart. It was all wacky stuff with Hogarth being spun around in a car.
@ Sean Bateman – That's right on – I recall the terrible ads, too. I was interested in seeing the film based on early descriptions, but after seeing the commercials/trailer all I thought was "sub-par ET ripoff". If friends hadn;t wanted to see it I might have missed out on catching IG in the theater.
Warner Brothers could not even get a Batman animated movie past 6 million, so it's pretty amazing they got "Iron Giant" over 20 million. Plus, the WB gave Bird his first big break and a nice chuck of change to play with.
Am I the only one that didn't like Rataouille? I could suspend my disbelief that a rat could cook, but not that you could control someone by pulling on their hair.
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