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Astro Boy - The Movie

GeoGeo
edited July 2008 in Anime
I'm sure this is old news to most of you, but to those of you who don't know there will be a CG-Animated Astro Boy film being made which is scheduled for release next year. The confirmed cast are as follows:
Freddie Highmore as Astro Boy
Nicholas Cage as Dr. Tenma
Bill Nighy as Dr. Ochanomizu (Elefun in USA)
Donald Sutherland as General Stone
and Scarlett Johansson, Nathan Lane, and Eugene Levy in unnamed roles as of late

I just got into Astro Boy, and this is kind of a shock to find out all of a sudden. What worries me is that it might follow the same footsteps as the Speed Racer movie did. What do any of you think of this endeavor?
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Comments

  • Li_AkahiLi_Akahi
    Nicholas Cage as Tenma? That doesn't make any sense! Why would they cast him for that role? Oh well, at least it will be unintentionally hilarious.
  • GeoGeo
    Nicholas Cage as Tenma? That doesn't make any sense! Why would they cast him for that role? Oh well, at least it will be unintentionally hilarious.
    Well this IS being done by the guy who directed Flushed Away. We're doomed.
  • Kate MonsterKate Monster
    The project is doomed to begin with becasue it is Astro Boy. I get its significance to the Anime community, but I have yet to see an incarnation of Astro Boy that was even remotely worthwhile.
  • AprecheApreche
    The project is doomed to begin with becasue it is Astro Boy. I get its significance to the Anime community, but I have yet to see an incarnation of Astro Boy that was even remotely worthwhile.
    What Astro Boy have you seen? Have you read any of the manga? We're watching the '80s series on the Roku, and it's awesome.
  • Kate MonsterKate Monster
    The project is doomed to begin with becasue it is Astro Boy. I get its significance to the Anime community, but I have yet to see an incarnation of Astro Boy that was even remotely worthwhile.
    What Astro Boy have you seen? Have you read any of the manga? We're watching the '80s series on the Roku, and it's awesome.
    Wow, you liked that?! It was painful for me. Well, to each his/her own.
  • rhinocerorhinocero
    Nicholas Cage. You KNOW it's going to be good.
  • Li_AkahiLi_Akahi
    edited July 2008
    The cast seems pretty solid, besides the Cage of course.
    Post edited by Li_Akahi on
  • ErwinErwin
    The project is doomed to begin with becasue it is Astro Boy. I get its significance to the Anime community, but I have yet to see an incarnation of Astro Boy that was even remotely worthwhile.
    All Astro Boy is awesome, I am watching the 60's tv show and little by little hunting down the good region 3 release of the 2003 series.

    About the movie that is to come. I only hope they do a decent job and I also hope they got some advice from Tezuka Productions :P
  • GeoGeo
    edited July 2008
    The project is doomed to begin with becasue it is Astro Boy. I get its significance to the Anime community, but I have yet to see an incarnation of Astro Boy that was even remotely worthwhile.
    What Astro Boy have you seen? Have you read any of the manga? We're watching the '80s series on the Roku, and it's awesome.
    From what little I've seen of the '60s tv show I think it's awesome. The '80s series is pretty good. But I can't seem to find any of the manga (both in the flesh or online since I don't have a Paypal or Amazon account). Dammit, why does Tezuka's manga have to be so goddamn hard to get! I also wish more retailers carried his stuff more often. By the way Scott, what is "the Roku"?
    The project is doomed to begin with becasue it is Astro Boy. I get its significance to the Anime community, but I have yet to see an incarnation of Astro Boy that was even remotely worthwhile.
    All Astro Boy is awesome, I am watching the 60's tv show and little by little hunting down the good region 3 release of the 2003 series.

    About the movie that is to come. I only hope they do a decent job and I also hope they got some advice from Tezuka Productions :P
    Wouldn't advice come along with the studio getting the rights to Astro Boy in the first place?
    Post edited by Geo on
  • GeoGeo
    edited February 2009
    Update!!!

    Bill Nighy is not playing Dr. Elefun, while I suspect Donald Sutherland will play him, but there is not any evidence to support this.

    Nicholas Cage will be playing Mr. Ham Egg instead of Dr. Tenma which will be taken over by Nathan Lane.
    Post edited by Geo on
  • GeoGeo
    Here is yet another update which I believe is more accurate since the movie is slated for release in October. Bill Nighy WILL be playing Dr. Elefun, Nicholas Cage WILL be playing Dr. Tenma, and Nathan Lane has been given the role of Ham Egg which IMO is absolutely brilliant!
  • IrascibleIrascible
    What worries me is that it might follow the same footsteps as the Speed Racer movie did. What do any of you think of this endeavor?
    I think your original observation that the Astro Boy movie will follow the path of the Speed Racer film is looking to be true as the story summary on the website ends with "and to understand what it takes to be a hero". Astro Boy wasn't about being a super hero, it was about being human. I do however look forward to it not as Astro Boy but as "The Cage builds robots that will punch you...IN THE FACE"
  • misakyramisakyra
    However good or bad it turns out to be, there's no way it can be as painful as this is bound to be:
  • JasonJason
    According to the most recent episode of The Geek Show podcast, the AstroBoy movie project has been canceled. This comes from one of the panelists, a film critic for the Deseret News.
  • ErwinErwin
    This is what I have heard . We will know more by the end of the New York Comic Con.
  • ErynEryn
    edited February 2009
    According to the most recent episode of The Geek Show podcast, the AstroBoy movie project has been canceled. This comes from one of the panelists, a film critic for the Deseret News.
    Thankfully, old news is old. Not a few days after that news came out, IMAGI announced that their needed bridge funding had been secured, and that production would get going again. Hopefully that money will keep them going long enough to finish the movie. :)
    Post edited by Eryn on
  • GeoGeo
    edited February 2009
    If this is successful, this might be the proving grounds for future Tezuka adaptions. Let's just hope the MW movie comes over here safely.
    Post edited by Geo on
  • WalkerWalker
    edited February 2009
    If this is successful, this might be the proving grounds for future Tezuka adaptions. Let's just hope the MW movie comes over here safely.
    I want a live action Ode to Kirihito.
    Post edited by Walker on
  • Conan-SanConan-San
    I just want an uncut boxset of Astroboy 2k3...
  • GeoGeo
    edited February 2009
    If this is successful, this might be the proving grounds for future Tezuka adaptions. Let's just hope the MW movie comes over here safely.
    I want a live action Ode to Kirihito.
    That will surely happen, there's no way it couldn't as Tezuka is Japan's hero.
    I just want an uncut boxset of Astroboy 2k3...
    Hell, I want subbed versions of the Animerama films and the original Jungle Emperor.
    Post edited by Geo on
  • GeoGeo
    edited February 2009
    What worries me is that it might follow the same footsteps as the Speed Racer movie did. What do any of you think of this endeavor?
    I think your original observation that the Astro Boy movie will follow the path of the Speed Racer film is looking to be true as the story summary on the website ends with "and to understand what it takes to be a hero". Astro Boy wasn't about being a super hero, it was about being human. I do however look forward to it not as Astro Boy but as "The Cage builds robots that will punch you...IN THE FACE"
    What I wonder is how the Cage will sound playing him? I hope that he will mix up his voice a little instead of the same old thing all the time. However...I'll personally tell you all how the movie looks 'cause I'll be at Comicon on the day that Summit Entertainment will be previewing an entire sequence of the movie.
    Post edited by Geo on
  • ErwinErwin
    I just want an uncut boxset of Astroboy 2k3...
    I am with you 100%
  • GeoGeo
    edited April 2009
    Well I am back from Comicon. I got out of the panel, and let me tell you that the future looks bright for Astro Boy. Apparently this was the first time they ever showed footage in America; all 8 minutes of it. It was the part where Astro discovered he could fly, and it showed him testing out his abilities. It retains the charm from the 80s series and that's pretty good. It also has good use of Tezuka's Star System using a couple characters a few times but not annoyingly. The CGI is breathtakingly beautiful to watch. They've kept a number of Astro's powers, and they are awesome looking; they even kept the butt cannon!!!

    Now for the gripes. I only have a couple but they need to be noted. In the movie, Astro will be powered by this cliched "blue good energy" and the villain will be powered by "evil red energy" which is pretty lame. Also, the lack of good villains which means no Atlas or Pluto. The villain in this movie is a robot that goes through several forms by assimilation. While that's cool and all, it's somewhat disappointing, but what can you do.

    Overall, despite this movie's shortcomings, I am quite confident that this movie will kick ass.
    Post edited by Geo on
  • beefturkeybeefturkey
    I wonder how much it cost the production company to obtain the movie rights from Tezuka Produtions, although like with all things anime related I doubt we'll ever find out.
  • mariobrosmariobros
    hey, Im new to the forums
    I think it looks kinda cool and Im glad its not live action
    also, its cool people in american animation are noticing japanize animation
  • ErwinErwin
    image
    Awesomeness.
  • MamathMamath
    I remain skeptical.

    I'm also extremely disappointed in the lack of good villains. Come on, people, they are right there to be taken!
  • RymRym
    I'm also extremely disappointed in the lack of good villains.
    Atlas is my man. Skunk is all right, but Astro should have murdered him ages ago.
  • ErwinErwin
    I forgot to say that I a small tear fell from my left eye once I saw the "pig" in the picture from above :P
  • GeoGeo
    I'm also extremely disappointed in the lack of good villains.
    Atlas is my man.
    Which one? The 1980's Atlas or the 2K3 Atlas? For me, it would be the '80s Atlas because he looks more like Astro and is therefore a better parallel to Astro. The 2K3 Atlas is all right, but he is way too much of a departure from the awesome Atlas of the '80s.
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