Everyone’s favorite orange cat is headed to the big screen! No, it’s not Garfield. Any more guesses? No?
Waterman Entertainment, the same production company responsible for Casper and the Alvin and the Chipmunks film franchise, acquired the feature rights to the character Heathcliff. The wisecracking tabby debuted as a comic strip in the 1970s, and went on to star in two cartoon series in the following decade, as well as a film in 1986. But according to a press release, Waterman plans on giving the old cat a makeover before he hits theaters again.
True to the company’s tradition of buying retro properties and updating them for a new generation, Heathcliff will be “reimagined as a CGI/live action film with contemporary storylines.” But don’t worry, people born before 1980 – the film will still incorporate elements that “past audiences loved” so existing fans can still enjoy it. In addition, Waterman will produce thirteen original episodes of the cat’s adventures for television.
Heathcliff isn’t the only Sunday comic getting adapted – it was reported that writers Nichole Millard and Kathryn Price were hired to script the one-panel everybody loves to hate, Family Circus. Fox and Walden Media picked up the film rights to the strip in 2010, but developments on the project have since slowed. With Millard and Price on board, Jeffy, Dolly, Billy and the rest of that gang are another step closer to playing out their G-rated hijinks onscreen. Unfortunately its creator, Bil Keane (pictured below), will not see the his work come to life, as he passed away just last year at the age of 89. Check back for more details on these comic adaptations as they arrive.
Which newspaper comic strip would you like to see adapted for the big screen?