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Are you ready for Manimal: The Movie?

Sep. 17, 2012by: Alex Maidy

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Well, I didn't see this coming. The latest television series to get the big screen treatment will be...MANIMAL?

MANIMAL was an NBC series from the 80s that was cancelled after only eight episodes. The show followed Dr Jonathan Chase, a shape-shifter who could turn himself into any animal he chose, and used this ability to help fight crime. Only two people were aware of Jonathan's secret, his friend Ty Earl and Police Detective Brooke Mackenzie. Jonathan and Ty would assist Brooke with a case she was working on, with Jonathan transforming himself into an animal when it became useful.

Despite the ability to transform into any animal, Chase would become a panther or a hawk in every episode. Most of the transformations took place off-screen, but when they were shown, the effects were designed by the great Stan Winston. The shows was produced by Glen A. Larson (Magnum P.I., Knight Rider, Battlestar Galactica) who is also producing the feature film.

The movie is coming courtesy of Sony Pictures Animation. Sony knows cheesy CGI/live action films seeing as they are the home of THE SMURFS. SPA also has a live action/animated ALF in development along with THE SMURFS 2. Sony is currently looking for screenwriters for MANIMAL. I would assume they would not be going for a serious tone for the MANIMAL movie, but you never know.

Extra Tidbit:	I would rather see a movie version of THE GREATEST AMERICAN HERO.

Source:	The Hollywood Reporter

Tags:	adaptation, ALF, Animation, CGI, cheesy, Funny, Manimal, movie, Smurfs, TV

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Ginchybird

12:18PM on 09/18/2012

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I'm in, YAY FOR MANIMAL

I really remeber this show as a kid and used to watch the reruns all the time when they ran. I LOVED THIS SHOW and still do. It will probably do very well if handled right. Afterall, True Blood has shapeshifters so it opened the door for something like this to a be a success. I perseonally don't want it to be a kids movie. I want to see it has a rated R bad ass shape shifting movie. Animals mauling and attacking people isn't pretty..... Jason Statham has got my vote to play the lead!

darkstrEam

8:24AM on 09/18/2012

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There's no reason they couldn't make a decent kids' film from the concept - crime-fighting shape-shifter - with a spin-off tv cartoon and toy line if it finds an audience.

KaytheKing

10:10PM on 09/17/2012

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wow....

I have seen the series when I was a kid and reruns of the show was been run.... Even then I thought it was stupid....

Roger Smith

9:52PM on 09/17/2012

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Yes, of course! here in my country the show was a success and they keep repeating the same episodes during a entire year. As I was a boy I never thought that were only 8!

morix

8:56PM on 09/17/2012

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Hey Hollywood...

While you're at it, where's my Misfits of Science movie?

Ivan_is_Funky

-2

7:21PM on 09/17/2012

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GAH - all the way

Greatest American Hero could be a great franchise if handled well.
Brad Pitt as Ralph. Angelina Jolie as Pam. George Clooney as Bill. Directed by either Stephen Soderburgh or Ron Howard. Written by William Goldman. = GOLD!
Fantasy, I know!

thirdeblue

6:20PM on 09/17/2012

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If you're going to remake an old show...this is the way to go. Nobody gives a shit about this show so they are free to do whatever. Shakespeare it's not.

grelber37

5:48PM on 09/17/2012

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Sure, what the hell. Sony should revive Manimal. Why? Because, no one takes Manimal seriously. Even at the time, no one took the TV show seriously. The series lasted but eight episodes. And famously, John Cougar Mellencamp crumpled up a Manimal promotion on SNL when an NBC executive tried promoting the show to the singer.
I would prefer that Sony did a tongue-in-cheek TV adaptation of a property that fans already do not take seriously. Studios need to "respect" the source material and the spirit with which fans take that source material. Take The Green Hornet and Dark Shadows for examples. Why did people dislike those recent films? Audiences disliked them because studios turned "serious" properties into camp. Manimal is already camp. So Sony can do no wrong in their initial plan (IMO). A kids' movie is fine. A goofy movies is fine.

BTW, I recognize that 21 Jump Street is an exception to my examples. The TV show was a cop drama, but the recent comedy worked very well.

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dillisasexyman

5:02PM on 09/17/2012

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I'd be all for it, but only if they played it completely straight (which it doesn't appear they will).

Obmulap

4:56PM on 09/17/2012

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wow a TV show that lasted 8 episodes in the 1980's. I remember watching this show back then....it doesn't deserve a movie treatment. Now if you really want a TV show from the 80's that didn't last long that deserves a movie treatment, I suggest someone dust off Automan.