Tom and Jerry Meet CGI on the Big Screen

Posted by Robin Ruinsky (robin@filmschoolrejects.com) on January 22, 2009

Tom and Jerry Get Live-Action Film Deal

I have nothing against Tom or Jerry. They’re classics going back to 1940 when they were brought to life by animators William Hanna and Joseph Barbera in Puss Gets the Boot.

You know the drill. Tom chases Jerry in cartoon after cartoon because that’s just what cats and mice do. Well, not in real life where cat catches and kills mouse. But in cartoon world disaster and hilarity ensue from the chase. It’s a chase that has been seen by countless audiences for decades.

You’d think after so much success Tom and Jerry would be content to retire to the old Toons Home in Burbank. But no! They want more. Like Mickey Rourke they crave a comeback, another shot at the big time.

To that end Variety reports that Warner Bros. wants to revive the little beasts in a live-action film.

Tom and Jerry know a bit about live-action. Jerry split from the act to perform a dance number with the classic of classics Gene Kelly in 1945’s Anchors Aweigh. They paired back up to hang out with Esther Williams in Dangerous When Wet.

In 1988 when the duo was thrilled beyond words to be asked to appear in Who Framed Roger Rabbit? only to find their dreams erased when the scene was cut. And you thought Watchmen had legal problems.

Dreams dashed, Tom and Jerry did a series of straight to video and DVD films. After a thriving television career, roles in films, it seems the two appear willing to do almost anything to get back in the limelight.

Even if that means a live-action Tom and Jerry with the duo moving into the world of CGI. How about let’s not and say we did? Though, everyone has to work.

Yes, even cartoon characters.

What do you think? How bad of an idea is this?


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  • Very bad. They should do it with claymation.
  • So this is going to be an hour and a half of symphonic music and foley work, right?
  • nicky_cavella
    yes and studios making over 100mil like they did with alvin and the chimpmunks :D
  • I tried to watch this... my DD & I have an agreement, for every sci-fi movie I make her sit thru, she gets to make me sit thru something like High School Musical. So I *tried* to watch this, but couldn't stop cringing - she laughed at my reaction more than the movie, and let me shut it off a half-hour in. lol
  • Butch
    I love Tom and Jerry. Somehow their over-the-top slapstick routine makes me laugh way harder than a lot of modern cartoons. But have you seen any of their more modern, straight-to-dvd films? Even though they're still in traditional 2D animation, they suck. Unless Warner Bros plans on digging up and reanimating the original writers/animators (who I assume are mostly dead now), I doubt it'll be any good. The part "live action film" was the final nail in the coffin for me. I think we can expect something akin to the Garfield movies, with CGI cat and mouse; Bill Murray voicing Tom and Chris Rock voicing Jerry, or some bullshit like that.
  • They probably will have a real looking cat chasing a real looking mouse.. and instead of fighting each other... they will get lost in paris and have to team up to save the day.

    it prints money
  • Somehow I don't see Tom swinging a huge mallet around or playing piano if they go live action. And who the hell cares about the humans? You only ever see their feet. This sounds like a bad idea. Garfield a Tail of 2 Kitties bad.
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