Yeppers. DreamWorks was the highest bidder in an action for the rights to films of Captain Underpants. If you’re not familiar with it, it’s a children’s book series about two boys who hypnotize their principal into thinking he’s a superhero named Captain Underpants. There are 8 books in the series.
Titles include “The Perilous Plot of Professor Poopypants,” “The Attack of the Talking Toilets,” and “Big, Bad Battle of the Bionic Booger Boy, Part 1: The Night of the Nasty Nostril Nuggets.”
I remember these being big when I was in second or third grade. My brother and I enjoyed them at the time. They’re written in a comic book style and include lots of bathroom humor, and that’s about the age where the word ‘poop’ is enough to send a kid into a fit of giggles, but they lose their amusement once you get past that stage. The books don’t exactly have a wide audience, and I doubt that a film version would, either.
I groaned when I saw this. Personally, I’d rather see more original stuff from DWA than lots of films about poop, but maybe they can do something positive with this. What do you guys think?
Unfortunately nostalgia doesn’t apply in my case (never heard of them before) so I’ll most probably be giving this a miss unless say some kids or friends drag me to it. And not because of the toilet humour even though it doesn’t make me want to see it either.
I mean TBH, mind warping things tend to creep me out a fair bit sometimes in fiction. I never really found love potions/spells to be funny in Harry Potter for instance. So I don’t see how I’ll like this. I just won’t see it as all that funny.
Actually come to think of it love potions and spells are the most disturbing thing ever to grace fiction in any case. -Shudders-
I don’t know about this. I’d rather see Dreamworks focus on more original things rather then movies that are sequels/spinoffs or based off of books. Anyway, I’ll probably be interested in seeing how they’re going to pull this project off.
I’m not sure about DreamWorks adapting books. If history is anything to go by then they will change the story completely. As much as I liked How To Train Your Dragon, I have no idea how they are going to come up with a plausible sequel, and I suspect they will deviate from the original source material even more than they did the first time round.
I never read the Captain Underpants books though. I think my sister had them but they didn’t look too interesting, but hey, could be awesome
Ahhhh I hadn’t thought of how much HTTYD deviated. CU will probably have to have a new story that targets a broader audience to work as a feature film.
Although a tiny purist part of me is screaming even thinking about it, I think I’ll be alright with any changes they make if they tell a good story, keep some of the basic imaginative spirit of the original, and if Pilkey is alright with the changes like Cowell was.
Yes, the heart. Under all the silly toilet humor jokes and general insanity that made CU fun for me as a kid, there was something else at the heart of it that I feel really affected me as I grew up; George and Harold, the protagonists, were both wannabe comic book artists. They draw their stories their way and put a lot of effort into them even though they didn’t have professional tools or anything like that.
I think what’d be REALLY AWESOME is if the animation career wormed its way into the film’s story. It’s sad how little encouragement there is for kids to go into film as anything other than star actors/actresses or hot shot directors these days.
My biggest worry… well, it’s a bit soon to be all worked up like that. My biggest curiosity is how are they going to translate CU into CG? Unless DW is heading back into 2D animation domain, which would be a shocking but pleasant surprise, CU is so stylized I have trouble imagining it with computer imagry.
I hadn’t even thought about the traditional animation vs. CG thing… I’m also having a tough time imagining Captain Underpants as CG. Maybe it’s because the books have that comic book style.
From what I understand, Pilkey’s been approached about a film for years, but was really hesitant. So maybe he’ll be more involved with the story and will try to keep it closer to the books? Dunno. Not sure how much control authors have over these things. J.K. Rowling certainly had a ton of control, but that could have been something written in the contract, too.
Oh, and Define Dancing, LOVE the new icon. MATT SMITH
I know it might sound a bit nuts, but maybe DW could go back to doing traditional animation for this film? Not likely at all but it’d work better. As for the authors, I imagine that they sign their rights to the studio depending on contract, but I could be wrong. I think any changes made are at the studio’s discrection at the end of the day…although if it was my book being adapted, I’d want a say. Now Has Guilt: Thanks! It was that or a Merlin one (my other TV obsession)…I felt Matt Smith was more universal though. But that’s off topic
I don’t really know what to feel about this, but in any case, I don’t feel strongly about it. Not entirely sure how or why the books would lend themself to a movie–especially years after their popularity–but I’ve nothing against it, and who knows, it could turn out decent.
To be perfectly honest here, I can’t even see Captain Underpants working out as a film. Maybe as an animated series, but a film? No. I remember the books when I was a kid, but I couldn’t get into them. Looking at them now shows that it does fit with Dreamwork’s ways for film. Its just too late for me, they should have done a film of this years ago. I should mention that I HATE toilet humor. Its just a filler for most cartoons nowadays.
I may be one of the few people out there who was disgusted by fart jokes as a kid. I remember a few of the books almost going toward the “Ren and Stimpy” way of toilet humor. Which was gross even for me. TI wouldn’t be surprised if they are going to do CG for this. Although, I have been hearing reports about a 2D/CG film called Me and my Shadow(which I would assume would be released around 2014 before this gets off the ground). So if that does well we MIGHT get this as a 2D film. Just one question, WHO even remembers captain underpants anyways?
It seems nostalgia is at hand for the people who remember the books. Now I’m curious to know what other studios tried to auction the rights for this other than Dreamworks. I can only imagine it would have been Warner bros or even Blu Sky for that matter.
Oh, I should mention this and I’m being completely honest about it. When I read the books(even though I didn’t like em) I always imagined Mr.Krupp being voiced by Jim Cummings.
^ Please don’t give them any ideas! The last thing I want is for them to take one of my favorite childhood book series and run it into the ground like they did Shrek.
The only route I can imagine that Dreamworks would go for this is the “Ren and stimpy” grotesque like humor for this. Which would make me want to avoid this film like the plaque. Then again, they made a heavy improvement on How to Train Your Dragon so there is a possibility something good can come out of this. But I’m not holding my breath.
I challenge everybody who hasn’t read the books or hasn’t read them since they were a child to give them a chance. Yes, toilet humor is the gimmik, but there’s more to the humor and the heart of the books than that.
I can’t believe I’m saying that, but it’s true. I reread some of them after the announcement about Dreamworks and… yeah. There’s another layer to it as an adult; social commentary on school conformity and the lack of art in the education system, anybody?
Captain Underpants made up at least 99% of my childhood. Dav Pilkey’s work had completely inspired my ambitions and the stories I write are very much inspired by his direction. He’s my hero.
I’d hate to see a Captain Underpants film because it simply would not work. If Dreamworks made it, they’re probably the most qualified studio for the position, but it would have to be a completely altered film. Great characteristics of the books such as Flip-O-Rama and George and Harold’s comics would have to be entirely removed or may take lots of creativity. I simply cannot see Captain Underpants as anything other than traditionally animated novels. Even if a movie was made and was good, I would most likely be so overcome with nit-picks that I wouldn’t enjoy it.
To Dav Pilkey: Either release a new book or announce your retirement, because the gaps between your books have been ridiculous. (Yes I am aware he took a hiatus of several years to care for his terminally ill father).
