A New Flintstones Movie Is Announced!

To me, this is bigger movie news than Star Wars Episode VII! Earlier this week, World Wrestling Entertainment and Warner Bros. announced that they are teaming up to bring a new Flintstones animated movie to screens in early 2014! While it's not quite the way I'd love to see The Flintstones return to the spotlight, it's still great news that Fred and the gang will star in their own Direct-to-Video movie. Scooby-Doo has been making new movies at a clip of one a year for the past 15 years, so perhaps this will be the beginning of a string of new Flintstones movies. In fact, Scooby-Doo's next movie due out next spring is the first co-production between WWE and WB. In that film, Scooby and the kids help solve a mystery at Wrestlemania. The film also celebrates the 30th anniversary of the iconic wrestling event.

Here's the press release for The Flintstones:

WWE and Warner Bros. Head to Bedrock STAMFORD, Conn. May 29, 2013 – Warner Bros. and WWE Studios (NYSE:WWE) today announced they are once again teaming up; this time to co-produce a Flintstones animated movie to be released in early 2015.

Fred, Barney and the whole Bedrock gang join up with Vince McMagma (Vince McMahon), and WWE Superstars and Divas including John Cenastone (John Cena®) and CM Punkrock (CM Punk®) as part of the very first WWE main event. “WWE is family-friendly entertainment, so partnering with Warner Bros. on a Flintstones/WWE project was a natural extension of our Scooby Doo deal,” said Michael Luisi, President, WWE Studios. “This new, animated feature allows us to showcase our brand with young fans and loyal Flintstones enthusiasts alike.”

“Warner Bros. is thrilled to continue our partnership with WWE Studios as we begin production of the latest Flintstones animated feature,” said Jeff Brown. “Our recent production collaborations have proven successful and we have the utmost confidence that the latest tag team between the WWE Superstars and The Flintstones will deliver the same results.”

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment will handle worldwide distribution on Blu-ray, DVD, VOD and digital download. The film will be co-produced by Warner Bros. Animation and WWE Studios. WWE will utilize its extensive global reach through its television, digital media and print assets to market the release of the film."

I don't watch wrestling at all, but was very much into the WWF (WWE) when I was a kid. I'm excited about this movie just to get some new Flintstones material out there. There hasn't been anything new since a 2001 Cartoon Network special and the 2000 live-action feature "Viva Rock Vegas!"

The Scooby-Doo movies have been good. The last few I've seen have been really well done including this years "Scooby Doo and the Mask of the Blue Falcon" which not only tied in the old Hanna-Barbera series Blue Falcon, but also had references to The Flintstones.

You best believe whenever this film's release date is announced, I'll clear my schedule to check it out on release day!

My Week In Movies - Dead Bodies

Jennifer's Body (2009)[R] Every once in a while I'll watch a horror (or more often a semi-horror) movie and remember why I don't watch horror movies often. This hell-bent high school horror/"comedy" was written by Diablo Cody, who gave us the wonderfully charming Juno. The comedy aspect of this dud is when Cody uses her trademark high school dialogue in situations that involve satanic sacrifice and demonic possession. It doesn't work. After sitting through an hour of lame fake scares and low grade teen angst drama, the climax of this film just comes off as dopey. Anyone looking for a good scare will be very disappointed and anyone looking for a few laughs will be equally let down.




Extract (2009)[R] Another massive let down from a gifted filmmaker. Mike Judge is responsible for three very funny films: Beavis and Butt-Head Do America, Office Space, and Idiocracy. My hopes were a little high on his fourth movie especially since it didn't do well at the box office - I assumed the general public just didn't "get it". Well, I didn't get it either. Extract stars Jason Bateman as the owner of a flavor extract company who is unhappy in his marriage, so he hires someone to have an affair with his wife so that he won't feel guilty cheating on his wife. Haven't we seen stories similar to this a million times!? There's also a subplot about one of Bateman's employee's suing the company over workman's comp. Just plain not funny! There's supposedly some social commentary/satire hidden in this flick...but I couldn't "extract" it...get it!? See what I did there!?

American Pie Presents The Book of Love (2009) [UR] Believe it or not, this was my first foray into the world of American Pie made-for-DVD sequels. For those of you that lost track, Book of Love is the fourth DVD sequel making it part 7 in the overall franchise! I gotta say this about the movie, it is easily the most well-produced direct-to-DVD movie I have ever seen. The production values across the board are on par with any Hollywood blockbuster. The plot, of course, is minimal at best. Three friends stumble upon a legendary book full of notes on how to hook up with girls at their school. There's an attempt at some heart here...and the characters aren't all just two dimensional idiots. There's also the trademark American Pie gross-out scenes, which aren't quite as gross as I think they'd like to be, but the film doesn't push them in your face as aggressively as other comedies of it's type. This movie also boasts a great collection of cameos which I'd love to give away...but I won't! Overall, an enjoyable modern day teenage sex comedy that makes me wonder if I've missed anything in American Pies 4 - 6.

Up (2009)[PG] I'm happy to say that I didn't cry at the beginning or the end on this second viewing of the Pixar masterpiece. Read my original write-up from 7/5/09.

The Fox and the Hound 2

When it comes to these Disney direct to video sequels - no, they are not as good as the originals but since they've got the Disney name attached to them and they are follow-ups to some of my all-time favorite movies, I gotta see `em! For the most part, the DTV sequels haven't been all that bad. At the bottom of the list would be ATLANTIS: MILO'S RETURN and CINDERELLA 2: WHEN DREAMS COME TRUE. Both of these releases turned out to be nothing more than thinly vailed collections of TV show episodes from abondoned series strung together to make a feature presentation. On the other hand, a film like BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: THE ENCHANTED CHRISTMAS manages to capture most of the charm of the original but suffers from it's limited animation. Belive it or not, I found MULAN II and LEROY AND STITCH (the fourth in that series) to be just as good as the originals. Now Disney drops THE FOX AND THE HOUND 2 on us 25 years after the original hit theatres.

For me, this movie falls into a special category when it comes to the DTV sequels. It's beautifuly animated, the story was enganging, and it was an all around well done picture BUT it has absolutley nothing to do with the original movie! The original 1981 movie was about little puppy Copper befriending Tod a little...what do you call a baby fox...? Anyhow, the two become best friends until Copper is taken away and trained to be hunting dog. Then when he returns, both Tod and Copper have to deal with their new roles as hunter and the huntee. It's a very moody and touching film.

It's 2006 sequel...? Copper runs away from home and joins a professional all-dog singing act at the county fair. What!? Sorry, did you say he runs away and joins a band!? Yes, I did! It's a fairly decent movie and all, but they missed the theme of the original picture completely! It's kind of like the early 90's Disney cartoon series TALESPIN where the characters from THE JUNGLE BOOK were now airplane pilots!? Strange...but it worked, and so does this movie. Like I said, it was a pretty decent watch! It's even got Reba McEntire and my neighbor Patrick Swayze in it!

Next up from the Disney Toon Studios sequel factory: next months Cinderella III: A Twist in Time.