Rocky & Bullwinkle’s triumphant (and long overdue) return is confirmed, thanks to the folks over at DreamWorks Animation. Directed by Beauty & The Beast director Gary Trousdale, the short film is slated to be released in 2014 and will include original Rocky voice artist June Foray.
The original Rocky & Bullwinkle show debuted on ABC in 1959 and after moving over to NBC ran until 1964. Previous attempts to revive the television show occurred throughout the 1970’s and producers came close in 1981 when they attempted to create a parody of the Super Bowl, however the project was cancelled due to objections from the NFL. In 2000, the characters were adapted into a live action film starring Rene Russo and Robert De Niro.
If not a clever mechanism to gain a substantial level of street cred on the part of Dreamworks, the heavy injection of nostalgia will likely be accepted by adults my age and older who were introduced to the show through its syndication in the ’80s. I presume the intent of the producers of this new Rocky & Bullwinkle film is to introduce younger audiences to the character duo and their comedic majesty in an effort to reboot and modernize the property.
I don’t know about all of you but I certainly have high hopes for the successful return of Rocket J. Squirrel and the Canadian Moose Bullwinkle and I am keeping my fingers crossed that the comedic style of the original show is honored by the filmmakers.
