Rapidly moving from the world of rumor to sparsely known fact, two of my favorite shows have recently announced plans to jump from the small screen to the big screen, though the shows are wildly different in nature - one a cartoon that has been on the air for 17 seasons, and the other a thrilling drama that would see some major changes from its current format - needing to compress 24 hours into a 2-hour feature. That's right - both The Simpsons and 24, coincidentally sharing time on the Fox network, are headed for Hollywood - if entertainment sites are to be believed.It's said that The Simpsons movie trailer debuted in advance of the animated Ice Age 2 in theaters last week, showing Homer Simpson, in his underwear on the couch, fretting about the show's announced start date of July 27, 2007. (IMDB link) The idea of a Simpsons movie is likely as old as the series itself, and has itself been considered an urban legend - joining the Apple tablet PC, and the imminent release of Duke Nukem 3D. But, just like Apple's "surprising" move to Intel and announcement that its machines will now have the capability to run Windows, stranger things have happened, and we may have to adjust to the fable turning to reality.
(You can view The Simpsons Movie teaser on Apple's Web site)
In parallel, Jack Bauer's dominance over all terrorists and worldly threats, along with a new lucrative contract for Kiefer Sutherland, has launched speculation that a 24 movie is next. In fact, Sutherland, playing the role of spoiler, as MTV put it, has confirmed the movie is a go. The show has at times been riveting, and at other times, befuddling with plot twists the actors themselves can't seem to get behind, but for it to go from a 24 one-hour episode format to a single 2-hour format might be the show's biggest challenge yet. The 24 movie would likely hit screens in 2008, though a script is in development.
Listening to ''Lyteo'', by Mr. Sam (Play Count: 1)