Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs Image
Sony Pictures Animation Movie Stars Andy Samberg, Anna Faris
Dec 9, 2008
Sony Pictures Animation is hoping that their next film, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, will reverse a 2-year box office drought. The flick is loosely based on the 1982 children's novel by Judi and Ron Barrett.
The good folks at Cinemablend managed to get their mitts on an initial image from the movie. It appears to show the two main characters, Brent and Sam (voiced by Andy Samberg and Anna Faris, respectively) having a discussion while scoops of ice cream melt on the houses behind them.
The film follows the events in the little town of Chewsandswallow, where the weather comes three times a day, at breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and is always food and beverages. The rain is juice and soup, the snow is mashed potatoes, and the wind brings hamburgers.
Will Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs Save Sony Animation?
As far as initial artwork goes, it's clear that this flick won't be challenging Pixar or even Fox/Blue Sky in the animation sweepstakes. In fact, it more closely resembles television animation, rather than something meant for the big screen. The character designs are more cartoony than realistic, but lack a certain distinctiveness. It's also clear that Samberg's character (much like his role in Space Chimps) is a laid-back slacker who somehow manages to get the girl.
Samberg and Anna Faris (The House Bunny) are known for less than stellar taste when it comes to their previous movie projects. The voice cast also features Bruce Campbell (Bubba Ho-Tep), Bill Hader, James Caan, and Mr. T.
Fans of the Barretts' book should know that co-directors Chris Miller and Phil Lord are taking significant liberties with the original story. The duo (who also created Clone High) have remodeled the script as a Michael Bay-style disaster comedy.
"Pretty much every disaster movie you've ever seen, I think, will be referenced," Miller told Sci-Fire Wire in August of 2006.
"There's certainly a little bit of Twister in there," Lord added. "Independence Day. There's quite a bit of Armageddon. We cite Michael Bay as a huge influence."
Sony Pictures Animation's Tough Times
Sony Pictures Animation has had a rough ride since its inception. The studio's first film, 2006's Open Season, was a modest hit that inspired a direct-to-DVD sequel, but wasn't big enough to cancel another animated bomb, the Steven Spielberg produced Monster House. SPA's 2007 movie, Surf's Up, had an unusual concept (a mockumentary about surfing penguins) but also bombed with audiences.
Ironically, Sony Pictures Classics (the studio's art house division) has had greater success in the animated medium: it distributed the acclaimed French film Persepolis, and is doing the same thing with Ari Folman's award-winning flick Waltz With Bashir.
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs comes to theatres on September 18, 2009.
 |
