Saturday, August 25, 2007

GI Joe: The Movie (how about Lite-Brite: The Movie)

The Hasbro company actually created the GI Joe line of toys (didn't just acquire the rights) when the Hassenfeld Brothers introduced the toy in the 1960s. In 1982 these real American heroes became smaller and got their own TV show.

But, especially in the wake of the success of Hasbro's Transformer movie, comes another toy-themed movie, GI Joe which has recently had it's release date moved up from 2010 to 2009. The GI Joe movie has been recently confirmed as well to be directed by Stephen Sommers. Sommers is best known for his direction of the Mummy series and Van Helsing.

I'm sure this movie will be wildly successful and capture a cross section of the nostalgic males who embraced the toy line at any point since 1960s, as well as big blockbuster loving action cronies.

But the question is what Hasbro toys will soon be making themselves from the toy shelf to the big screen.

Ridley Scott's mentioned directing a Monopoly movie (Russel Crowe yet to confirm his role), which is owned by Hasbro (as owners of Parker Brothers and Milton Bradley). But what other toys by Hasbro are currently overlooked for toy movies.

How about Hasbro's game Jenga? Or how about Lite-Brite the movie? Play-doh? Candy Land? Littlest Pet Shop? Lincoln Logs? An Easy Bake Oven movie?

Or maybe not, and probably not any of these. But I have the feeling we'll be surprised as instead of toys being based on movies, uncreative writers/producers will turn to the toy shelf to revive old toys into highly computer generated films.

Obviously, the success is partially in the selection of the toys...which we saw with the Bratz movie this year.

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17 comments:

Jim Jannotti said...

Not sure about Lite Brite, but I'd pay to see Jenga: The Movie. Definitely.

And Rock 'em Sock 'em: The Movie robots would absolutely kick butt! Don't you think?

Anonymous said...

Oops. That was supposed to be Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots: The Movie.

TALKING MOVIEzzz said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
jasdye said...

Hangman's a good idea.

now, if only someone could make a movie based on toys that are cars that turn into robots from outer space. there could be good ones (mostly cars and a, say, mac truck) and bad ones (cars but also a boom box and a jet).

that'd be cool.

Attila the Mom said...

Oh dear. I remember when they did "Clue". egads.

My mind is boggling over all the movies they're making into Broadway musicals.

Legally Blonde? Yikes.

Anonymous said...

great post...
it's very "rc"

i could imagine having this exact conversation with you in person.

looking forward to being able to do that soon.

Out Of Jersey said...

I am actually suprised they didn't do it before.

Anonymous said...

I feel like the Transformers movie and the G.I. Joe movie are a little bit different than a movie based upon a board game. And, while I have no delusions that the G.I. Joe movie will be high art, I am still intrigued and concerned with what the production company and director have said about the movie. Namely, that the G.I. Joes will not be "real American heroes," but rather international heroes. I know it is silly to care. But, I grew up on the G.I. Joe cartoon, and I would like the movie to be faithful to the good parts of that show and to improve on the many bad parts. I guess, I just hope it isn't much worse than Transformers, which I thought was a sub-par movie.

Anonymous said...

you're too much...this made me laugh. i actually would like to see a movie based off of some popular toys that were geard towards females...my little poney, barbie, or even wonder woman (i loved my wonder woman punching bag in 1985!)...

Terence Towles Canote said...

I don't know if anyone remembers them, but I'd actually pay to see a Micronauts movie. LOL.

That having been said, I think you're right. With the success of Transformers, I think we'll see a lot more movies based on toys.

Jeff Reed said...

great post RC.

Kimberly, if I had said "I loved my Wonder Woman punching bag back in 1985, you would look at me a little differently wouldn't you.

Not a big GI Joe fan. Oh well.

Ando said...

In the interest of honesty and full disclosure, I would probalby see this GI Joe movie opening night. And Stratego the movie is very intriguing.

Lorna said...

There are so many interesting movies out there, both new and old, that I fail to see the joy in the TV to big-screen transition. Having said that, I loved the Drew Barrymore version of "Charlie's Angels"---both of them.

For some reason, "So I Married an Ax-Murderer" jumped into my head---maybe because it was so iconoclastic in a blue-collar sort of way....

kat said...

I wouldn't mind seeing a game based on "Risk." But then again, that might be a case of art imitating life. I may be alone in this thought, but the movie "Clue" absolutely cracked me up.

Aaron said...

I love Clue, too - I watch it with my kids on occasion.

As for the Risk movie, I think I saw it already - Maybe you've heard of it - 300?

RC said...

@jim, the Rock 'em Sock 'em movie would be a lot of fun. Do the two boxers have name?

@moviezzz, i've never played stratego, but battleship would be a fun movie...hang man might be depressing.

@jasdye, you should copywrite that idea.

@attila...yea, i don't understand legally blonde the musical, or Lord of the Rings, or Tarzan, etc. any way to make a buck.

@jeremy, yea, that's wierd they're going all universal and keepin' the american out...i'm sure Bill O'Reilly will have a hey day with that in the no spin zone.

@kim, would you really want to see a live action My Little Pony movie...um...i'm not going to go see that on any condition. I don't care if Sam Mendes and Steven Speilberg co-direct.

@Jeff, imagine you like the movie based on technological toys, but not military action figures...as far as abusing wonder woman...yikes! I'm glad you didn't say that.

@Lorna, i have no idea how Mike Myers' "So I Married an Ax Murderer" popped into your head...if you figure it out, um, let me know.

@aaron...300 as risk? I want to see the world divided up into different colors and who ever the stinker is who takes over Australia eventually wins because noone can hold ground in Asia.

So who should direct Risk the Movie? I say why not Peter Weir?

We'll leave Pedro Almodovar to direct Lite-Brite the movie as a follow up to Volver.

Barry said...

Off topic but, it's good that you keep saying no to your wife about High School Musical. No one should have to endure it. :)