Disney, Simonds on 'gy' redo
Mon Jul 15,12:18 AM ET
Zorianna Kit
LOS ANGELES (The Hollywood Reporter) --- Following the success of such talking-dog movies as Warner Bros. Pictures' "Cats & Dogs" and "Scooby-Doo" and the Walt Disney Co.'s "Snow Dogs," which included a brief bit with chatting canines, Disney is plotting a return to the doghouse.
The company is reviving its "The gy Dog" franchise in a big-screen feature that studio-based Robert Simonds Co. will produce. "gy," originally a 1959 feature, also spawned several Disney telefilms, including 1987's "The Return of the gy Dog" and 1994's "The gy Dog."
The studio has already tapped "Malcolm in the Middle" scribes Jack Amiel and Michael Begler, repped by WMA, to write the updated version, which will tell the story of a family man who, through a spell, keeps changing into a sheepdog and back again at the most inopportune times. The studio hopes to attract a high-profile male star for the project, which aims to be a big tentpole feature.
According to sources, Disney chairman Michael Eisner has been on the lookout for a talking-dog movie ever since the success of "Cats & Dogs." As presently conceived, the newest version of "gy," whose canine can chat with other animals, will have as much to do with the previous "gy" incarnations, where the dog was mute, as Universal Pictures' "The Nutty Professor" (1996) and "Nutty Professor II: The Klumps" (2000) had to do with the original 1963 Jerry Lewis feature.
The new "gy" will be set in the present day, with the sheepdog being brought to the screen through the use of a real, live canine along with some animatronics and CGI work much like the feature film "Babe" brought its animals to life. Disney production president Nina Jacobson, vp production Jeffrey Clifford and director of production Michael Haines are overseeing the project.
The idea was brought to the studio by the Simonds Co.'s Tracey Trench, who is executive producing the project, with Simonds producing. "gy" will not be the first dog feature for the company, as Simonds previously produced Warners' "See Spot Run."
The Simonds Co. is in postproduction on 20th Century Fox's comedy "Just Married," starring Ashton Kutcher and Brittany Murphy.
In 1960, "gy Dog" was the recipient of a Golden Laurel Award for top general entertainment.
Mon Jul 15,12:18 AM ET
Zorianna Kit
LOS ANGELES (The Hollywood Reporter) --- Following the success of such talking-dog movies as Warner Bros. Pictures' "Cats & Dogs" and "Scooby-Doo" and the Walt Disney Co.'s "Snow Dogs," which included a brief bit with chatting canines, Disney is plotting a return to the doghouse.
The company is reviving its "The gy Dog" franchise in a big-screen feature that studio-based Robert Simonds Co. will produce. "gy," originally a 1959 feature, also spawned several Disney telefilms, including 1987's "The Return of the gy Dog" and 1994's "The gy Dog."
The studio has already tapped "Malcolm in the Middle" scribes Jack Amiel and Michael Begler, repped by WMA, to write the updated version, which will tell the story of a family man who, through a spell, keeps changing into a sheepdog and back again at the most inopportune times. The studio hopes to attract a high-profile male star for the project, which aims to be a big tentpole feature.
According to sources, Disney chairman Michael Eisner has been on the lookout for a talking-dog movie ever since the success of "Cats & Dogs." As presently conceived, the newest version of "gy," whose canine can chat with other animals, will have as much to do with the previous "gy" incarnations, where the dog was mute, as Universal Pictures' "The Nutty Professor" (1996) and "Nutty Professor II: The Klumps" (2000) had to do with the original 1963 Jerry Lewis feature.
The new "gy" will be set in the present day, with the sheepdog being brought to the screen through the use of a real, live canine along with some animatronics and CGI work much like the feature film "Babe" brought its animals to life. Disney production president Nina Jacobson, vp production Jeffrey Clifford and director of production Michael Haines are overseeing the project.
The idea was brought to the studio by the Simonds Co.'s Tracey Trench, who is executive producing the project, with Simonds producing. "gy" will not be the first dog feature for the company, as Simonds previously produced Warners' "See Spot Run."
The Simonds Co. is in postproduction on 20th Century Fox's comedy "Just Married," starring Ashton Kutcher and Brittany Murphy.
In 1960, "gy Dog" was the recipient of a Golden Laurel Award for top general entertainment.