Dreamworks' future films: About Bees and Pandas!

[Timon/Pumbaa fan]

Well, whether you love them or hate, you have to admit, it's at least interesting to know what you competition is doing.

And inside scoops from our beloved Jim Hill show pics for Bee Movie, Horton Hears a Who(already mentioned in another thread) and Kund Fu Panda.

Thoughts? While Kung Fu Panda doesn't interest me(I don't know, seems a bit stereotypical, but maybe that's just me ), Bee Movie sounds interesting. The story about bees just sound completely original. I can't even recall a short just about bees, and for some reason, I think it sounds fun. Plus with Jerry Seinfeld casted, and producing and writing it, so far this has winner written all over it.

[James]

Bee Movie looks like the best of the bunch. Kung Fu Panda looks cute and the most realistic, animation-wise. Jack Black annoys me, but hopefully this film doesn't, because it looks really good. Horton Hears a Who looks interesting, but since there's not many photos there, I don't know what to think. But Jim Carrey sounds like he's a good choice for Horton. Maybe I should go to the other thread for that info. Bee Movie sounds very interesting, judging by the array of the voice cast. I've heard that besides Jerry Seinfeld, Matthew Broderick and Renee Zellweger, that Oprah Winfrey herself is doing a voice. Imdb.com also lists Alan Arkin, Kathy Bates, John Goodman, Larry King, William H. Macy, Megan Mullally,Tim Blake Nelson, and Patrick Warburton. I thought that Uma Thurman was also doing a voice, but I guess that I was wrong.
Anyway hopefully these films turn out to be good.
-James

[Jules]

I think I must have known about these two for over a year now, but I could never get to know more information about them other than that they're about a bee and a panda and that they're made by DreamWorks. Thanks for the link T/P Fan. Other than those two, Dreamworks will be spouting out Shrek the Third next year (as everybody knows) and a sequel to Madagascar is in the works, called Madagascar II. Not looking forward to that one...

[Wonderlicious]

On the topic of Dreamworks, Jim Hill has posted a reader's review of a work in progress version of Shrek the Third. So far, it's supposed to be a bit of an underdeveloped and unfunny disappointment, as is highlighted in the "impressions" section of the review (by the way, a huge chunk of this review is full of spoilers).

My impressions:

* Mike Myers is so subdued here that he almost disappears from the movie for long stretches - but it’s not his fault. Few lines give him much to do.

* Cameron Diaz does well with what she has. No problem there.

* Eddie Murphy and Antonio Banderas are in the same boat –talented voice actors wishing they had more and better lines. Why don’t they use the comic duo and have a lot of fun with them? Too much exposition for the gags.

* Justin Timberlake barely registers. It is not a horrible misfire but also nothing special at all. Again, the script doesn’t develop Artie at all. Why make him a sort-of wimp but not really very interesting. He's just a dull character. Why not an ADD fratboy or something more inclined to give us laughs? Some kind of traits that would make him funnier would be nice. As it is, Artie gets plenty of screen time but not much development. Their take on characters like Fairy Godmother and so many others have been so inventive. Why is Artie such a bore with nothing to do?

* Eric Idle – What a waste that they don’t give Merlin more. They could have some fun with it but they miss the chance. Eric Idle is one funny guy but they don’t give him anything to do (seems like a lot of his lines are not in there yet anyway, so maybe he’ll help them out with some adlibs). This character needs to be seriously redeveloped – just a crotchety old guy who lost some of his abilities. What a bore! They need to find a way to reimagine Merlin in an interesting way – not just toss him in there with no development. Artie and Merlin are so carelessly and humorlessly shoehorned into this movie, they hardly seem to be from the Shrek universe.

* Charming – Rupert Everett gives it a good try but the character that was so witty in Shrek 2 is reduced to little more than a revenge-minded buffoon. I wish they’d let him be a little more inspired like he is when recruiting the others. I wish his plan would be more interesting than running in there and taking everything over. He ends with a whimper, too. Ho-hum again.

* Saturday Night Live Princesses – A funny idea and, in action, it works okay. These are hysterical ladies and they could do a lot more if given better material. As it is, they make do with occasionally witty lines that mostly lack bite. Maya Rudolph (Rapunzel) is the only one that seems a little out of it. Tiny Fey might have been better.

* Minor characters – Most of the best humor is from the minor characters and they just don’t get used. The Three Blind Mice are barely in one scene. The rest of the other characters are so rarely show it is just a shame (making way for the one-joke princesses (although it is a good joke) and the underdeveloped Merlin and Artie. The Gingerbread Man is hysterical but other than one brilliant moment of his life flashing before his eyes (another absolute high point and one of the few times I laughed out loud), he’s not given much to do.

[Jules]

What a coincidence! I read that same article a couple of hours ago!

I actually, I read about 1/50 of it, because of the spoilers, but I did get the parts about its slightly disappointing nature. I'm not surprised really. It is a second sequel after all...

Edit: Yaay! I'm a collector's edition! What a momentous event!

[lord-of-sith]

So far, I'm very "meh" on Shrek 3 and Kung Foo Panda. Really, the only part I am looking forward to in Shrek 3 is the SNL princesses.

However, I am interested in Bee Movie, as I am a huge Jerry Seinfeld fan.

[ichabod]

My God, Shrek 3 is going to be worse than Shrek 2? How is that possible!

Anyway, I have to say I don't like the character designs for Bee Movie, they almost seem to have taken a step backward technology wise and don't appear to look as good as those from Over The Hedge. But I'll have to see it considering Megan Mullally's in it.

[Kingpopper]

From comingsoon.net

"Shrek 4 Coming to Theaters in 2010
Source: DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. November 1, 2006


DreamWorks Animation reported its earnings for the third quarter of 2006 on Tuesday and revealed that Shrek 4 will hit theaters in 2010. Also, the Puss in Boots movie, previously expected to go straight to DVD, will instead be a theatrical release sometime after Shrek 4.

"'Puss in Boots' is a unique creative property that has the potential to be a valuable extension of the 'Shrek' franchise," stated Jeffrey Katzenberg, CEO of DreamWorks Animation. "We are excited to be developing this into a feature film where we think it has the greatest opportunity."

The company announced that its new partnership with Nickelodeon has identified its first two creative concepts for ongoing television series based on DreamWorks Animation theatrical properties. The first will be based on the hit penguin characters from the company's 2005 theatrical release Madagascar and the second series will be derived from DreamWorks' 2008 theatrical release Kung Fu Panda.

Lastly, the company revealed its theatrical release slate for 2009 from its projects currently under development. Monsters vs. Aliens, the working title of an original concept from DreamWorks Animation, is scheduled for release in the summer of 2009. How to Train Your Dragon, based on the book by Cressida Cowell, is scheduled as the company's release for the 2009 fall/holiday season.

DreamWorks Animation's next project, Flushed Away, hits theaters on Friday, November 3. It will be followed by the company's Shrek the Third on May 18, 2007."



So right now the release dates will be...

Flushed Away - November 3, 2006
Shrek the Thrid - May 18, 2007
Bee Movie - November 2, 2007
Kung Fu Panda - May 23, 2008
Madagascar 2 - November 7. 2008
Monsters vs. Aliens - May 2009
How to Train Your Dragon - November 2009
Shrek 4 - 2010
Puss in Boots - 20???

[Loomis]

I wrote a short film once called "The Bee of Love", and plan to make it sometime within the next year.

As such, I am fascinated by all thing Bee-able.