Slowly but surely, Hollywood is doing their part to de-ghettoize animation and cartoon artists. Maybe it’s the fact that most movies, with thick, artificial 3D transfers and excessive computer effects are in themselves animated films, but in some cases, it has to do with the artistry, as Pixar craftsmen Brad Bird and Andrew Stanton are both behind the camera for anticipated live-action tentpoles “Mission: Impossible IV” and “John Carter Of Mars” respectively.
It looks like Phil Lord and Chris Miller are the latest to benefit from this enhanced exposure. The duo gained attention for directing last year’s surprise animated hit “Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs” and have now been linked to an assortment of projects. The next, surprisingly, is a move into R-rated territory with an adaptation of the popular late 80’s TV show “21 Jump Street.” Known as a launchpad for a then-unknown Johnny Depp, “Jump Street” followed a group of young-looking cops going undercover at high schools and colleges to bust wayward youths. Lord was interviewed by Collider and he confirmed that the film, written by “Scott Pilgrim” scribe Michael Bacall, is set to start shooting early next year.
Lord speaks of a 40 page treatment he wrote with Miller to get the job, though re-writing continues for a possible early 2012 release date. With the involvement of producer and star Jonah Hill, Lord and Miller are utilizing more of a comedic buddy cop premise. Sayeth Lord, “Well, you’re talking about like 2 cops, you know, youngish cops who go back into a high school and then start to relive it all these issues that they had when they went to high school originally. And so it winds up becoming this really sweet coming of age story except the guys that are coming of age are in their early 20’s instead of 17 and 18. So it’s still kind of that thing of watching 2 guys who really have had a delayed adolescence let’s say. You know, really grow up and become men and become better friends. I mean it really winds up being about character comedy and character relationships and you know a lot of buddy comedies aren’t like that. They’re really about a relationship between 2 guys and what can that be like?”
Lord describes the film as a “live action R-rated crazy action movie” but we’re wondering exactly what the market for this film would be. “Jump Street” was always considered a show for younger viewers when it ran on FOX, and other, more popular programs of that era (“The A-Team”) haven’t exactly flourished upon a translation to film. Moreover, Lord and Miller aren’t a sure thing – witness fellow Sony animation vet Jimmy Hayward making his directorial debut with “Jonah Hex.” Or don’t witness it, since it’s an unwatchable movie.
Lord also discusses executive producing a “Cloudy” sequel with Miller that is in the treatment stages, but the biggest project the pair is attached to remains the highly-dubious-sounding “Lego” movie. Aside from the methods of clearing other licensed characters owned by separate companies to appear in Lego form, the lack of details they can contractually share makes the few notes they reveal about that enterprise none-too-interesting, though they do say it’s set in an “all-Lego” world and should feel like “Something like if Michael Bay kidnapped Henry Selick to make a movie for him.” Click here for more on that project, as well as the extensive research done at local proms for the sake of “Jump Street.”