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Animorphs Revival---TV Series or Film?

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Gr3mlinify Gr3mlinify from U.S. Since: Feb, 2011
Gr3mlinify
#1: Feb 12th 2011 at 7:45:20 PM

I was wondering; the Animorphs was made into a tv series in the 90s which was....ok (somewhat), and the book is being reprinted with new covers (perhaps to gain popularity among a newer crowd).

I was thinking that Animorphs could benefit from one of two things: (1) a tv reboot (preferrably on Syfy to provide original programming and replace Caprica/Battlestar Gallactica, except, you know, more accessible for kids).

Or (2)A film series reboot.

I understand that it is a very complicated, dramatic series that will be incredibly difficult to translate, but I think it would be worth a shot.

CG is much better now then it used to be and supposedly K.A. Applegate is interested in a film adaptation (can't remember where I heard that from, so don't quote me on it too much.

I know that this maybe one of the most difficult series to ever be adapted for a film or tv show (with financial backing being a prime concern) but I was wondering if anyone else felt the same way?

edited 12th Feb '11 7:45:34 PM by Gr3mlinify

"When lights out/I'm like a gremlin/Feed me hiphop and I start tremblin'"—Eric B. and Rakim
jewelleddragon Also known as Katz from Pasadena, CA Since: Apr, 2009
Also known as Katz
#2: Feb 12th 2011 at 8:37:28 PM

TV series by the makers of Avatar The Last Airbender. Think how much audience overlap they probably have.

Deboss I see the Awesomeness. from Awesomeville Texas Since: Aug, 2009
I see the Awesomeness.
#3: Feb 12th 2011 at 8:58:46 PM

I think it would work better as a mini series.

Fight smart, not fair.
zerky Since: Jan, 2001
#4: Feb 12th 2011 at 11:05:57 PM

zerky doesn't see how it could work as anything other than as an animated series.

Sure, special effects are better, but they're not cheap enough to merit high quality animal morphing scenes, realistic aliens, spacecraft and CGI animals on a weekly basis. Especially on a kid's show.

Deboss I see the Awesomeness. from Awesomeville Texas Since: Aug, 2009
I see the Awesomeness.
#5: Feb 12th 2011 at 11:32:52 PM

True, an animated series seems to offer the most leeway. Why Scifi cartoons aren't more popular still baffles me.

Fight smart, not fair.
LoniJay from Australia Since: Dec, 2009 Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
#6: Feb 13th 2011 at 3:18:59 AM

It'd definitely have to be a TV series. The story is so episodic, it seems well suited. Animated sounds good too.

Be not afraid...
DracoDracul Since: Dec, 1969
#7: Feb 13th 2011 at 10:49:56 AM

Animated series like it always should have been. If I every find the clod that thought making the series with tons of animal transformations and starfish aliens in live action with no budget, I'd slap them with a fish.

Gr3mlinify Gr3mlinify from U.S. Since: Feb, 2011
Gr3mlinify
#8: Feb 13th 2011 at 8:06:50 PM

Animated does seem like it could be interesting.

Heck, even an anime-esque show could probably work.

I could still see a live action show, though. I think the problem would be that the series was pretty mature and edgy to begin with. Any live-action (or animated show) you see nowadays on Nick or Disney, are mostly comedies. I could see people saying it now—"Dark and edgy is sooooo 90s. This is the 2000s now where everything is supposed to be cheery and funny...."

"When lights out/I'm like a gremlin/Feed me hiphop and I start tremblin'"—Eric B. and Rakim
zerky Since: Jan, 2001
#9: Feb 13th 2011 at 10:58:06 PM

[up]zerky wouldn't lose all hope. After all, Nick did make Avatar not so long ago.

Gr3mlinify Gr3mlinify from U.S. Since: Feb, 2011
Gr3mlinify
#10: Feb 14th 2011 at 1:10:15 PM

True. There's still hope for them after all. wink

"When lights out/I'm like a gremlin/Feed me hiphop and I start tremblin'"—Eric B. and Rakim
sabrina_diamond iSanity! from Australia Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: LET'S HAVE A ZILLION BABIES
#11: Feb 14th 2011 at 1:41:38 PM

I think Animorphs would work better as an animated series, but then it takes away the Paranoia Fuel of the original books, so I think maybe it would make an Epic Movie instead :D

In an anime, I'll be the Tsundere Dark Magical Girl who likes purple MY own profile is actually HERE!
Latia Since: Jan, 2010
#12: Feb 14th 2011 at 1:55:53 PM

In an ideal world I'd like an animated series.

But if they made a big-ass epic movie, with Avatar styled graphics? That'd be awesome

edited 14th Feb '11 1:56:10 PM by Latia

DracoDracul Since: Dec, 1969
#13: Feb 14th 2011 at 10:52:01 PM

I don't think Animorphs can be done in live action on a small enough budget to make it viable as a live action series nor can its story be compressed enough to make a good movie or even a good trilogy of movies. Also a film would have to more boisterous to capture a large audience and would lose the paranoia anyway.

Talby Since: Jun, 2009
#14: Feb 15th 2011 at 2:58:55 AM

Uh, how about more books?

edited 15th Feb '11 2:59:16 AM by Talby

vanthebaron Mystical Monkey Master from Carlyle, Il Since: Sep, 2010
Mystical Monkey Master
#15: Feb 15th 2011 at 11:50:53 AM

defiantly animate it. more leeway, and you can make the morphing look cooler...on a side note I found the first 6 books in a tub in the basement...nostalgia.

Untitled Power Rangers Story
Deboss I see the Awesomeness. from Awesomeville Texas Since: Aug, 2009
I see the Awesomeness.
#16: Feb 15th 2011 at 9:04:16 PM

She kind of finished the series in a way that prevents more books.

Fight smart, not fair.
zerky Since: Jan, 2001
#17: Feb 15th 2011 at 11:43:33 PM

[up] Not really. Bolivian Army Endings are by definition, frustratingly inconclusive. Now if she went on for another chapter just to show how all the characters got brutally and mercilessly slaughtered, including Cassie who wasn't on the suicide ship... well *that* would mean no more books.

The way it is now, there's enough leeway to say that they might have survived, even if the odds were against it.

That said, if there were more books it would detract from the whole message of the original ending, which is that war sucks, and that it never ends.

It could happen, but it wouldn't necessarily be a good idea.

Deboss I see the Awesomeness. from Awesomeville Texas Since: Aug, 2009
I see the Awesomeness.
#18: Feb 16th 2011 at 12:06:37 AM

I mean it wouldn't have the same feel at all. There's no infiltration, there's no Mascarade. We only don't what happened to the characters not what happened to the story.

Fight smart, not fair.
Metalhead467 Since: Feb, 2012
#19: Feb 18th 2011 at 4:26:21 AM

I would love to see an animated adaptation of the books. I would watch the shit out of that show.

Animorphs was one of my favorites growing up. And honestly, I'd completed forgot about it. Maybe I should reread the series.

edited 18th Feb '11 4:26:55 AM by Metalhead467

Gr3mlinify Gr3mlinify from U.S. Since: Feb, 2011
Gr3mlinify
#20: Feb 18th 2011 at 1:30:59 PM

A new book series?....I dunno. The series had a pretty satisfying run. The last book was kind of open-ended but according to K.A. Applegate's open letter, it's the only other way a war story could end.

But yeah, an animated series would definitely be interesting. I personally think that a photorealistic approach,(similar to the styles used in the Godzilla series and the MIB series) could be really effective for the Paranoia Fuel and everything....

Man...just thinking about it is psyching me out—too bad its not gonna happen sad

"When lights out/I'm like a gremlin/Feed me hiphop and I start tremblin'"—Eric B. and Rakim
storyyeller More like giant cherries from Appleloosa Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: RelationshipOutOfBoundsException: 1
More like giant cherries
#21: Feb 18th 2011 at 9:20:51 PM

Even if the main series is over, there's still room for another Chronicles book or something.

Blind Final Fantasy 6 Let's Play
vanthebaron Mystical Monkey Master from Carlyle, Il Since: Sep, 2010
Mystical Monkey Master
#22: Feb 18th 2011 at 9:42:20 PM

The andiolite (I know I'm misspelling that) chronicles was a pretty fun read.

Untitled Power Rangers Story
Locoman Since: Nov, 2010
#23: Feb 19th 2011 at 6:22:56 AM

Frankly, I think that to turn it into an animated TV series you'd have to severly Bowdlerize a lot of it. In the battle scenes, the characters are almost always badly maimed (I seem to remember Rachel using her own dismembered arm as a weapon once), and turning it into another formulaic cartoon would, in my opinion, cheapen the franchise.

edited 19th Feb '11 6:23:05 AM by Locoman

elleirabird Ari from In the TARDIS Since: Oct, 2010
Ari
#24: Feb 22nd 2011 at 5:51:56 PM

I still love this series (THEY WERE MY CHILDHOOD) and I'd watch any show, animation or live-action. But I think animation might be better, if it was good enough quality.

Writing a story is like building a creature from the bones up...except you have no idea what it's supposed to look like.
dontcallmewave Brony? Moi? surely you jest! from My home Since: Nov, 2013
Brony? Moi? surely you jest!
#25: Feb 22nd 2011 at 8:17:34 PM

If they do make a new tv show, either it won't be for kids,(I'm thinking of something somewhere in between Dr Who and Alien). or it will be heavy adaption decay, with all the HONF in the books .

He who fights bronies should see to itthat he himself does not become a brony. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, Pinkie Pie gazes Also

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