I can't believe this, but there was some talk not too long ago about a "new Three Stooges" series! Now THAT'S scraping the bottom of the barrel.
lemee guess... the plans were by one Jefferey Scott, right? He's been trying for years to bring back his Grandfather (Moe's) work. he even incorporated it into cartoons he wrote, most noticably Muppet babies and Captain N (In "Wishful Thinking" Kid Icarus makes a wish that turns Mother Brain, King Hippo and Eggplant Wizard into Moe, Curley and Larry respectively).
Actually most of these remakes have not done well at all. Adults don't go to see them, and they don't properly introduce kids to these older characters. Plus the storylines just never work. They really haven't been selling.
I said it before and I'll say it again. The Bullwinkle movie got EVERYTHING right, even the obscure "Hail Pottsylvania" anthem that was only used in one episode. They added one tiny thing, and blew the film. I loved it, but no one else did. I say, they could have made it a real moose and a real squirrell, and they talked like gangstas or something.
But I do NOT think kids today are quite that dense. Sure, they watch Disney's crap tweencoms and keep pokemon alive for another million years (Super Mario was the best thing your company ever produced. how 'bout making another Mario cartoon instead!). But I don't think they want Underdog talking like Raphael from the 80's Ninja turtles. I remember a KID actually came up with a petition (that didn't work) to block Loonatics Unleashed.
I mean, Alvin and the Chipmunks could do fine. kids constantly hear "Christmas, christmas time is near" every year. They might have even heard them sing other songs too. But do kids even KNOW about Underdog? Syndication reruns have been dead for years (Blame Judge shows and cable).
I agree. What is the point of hipping something up for an audience that won't care, while alienating a fan base that potentially would see the movie with their kids? I'm boycotting Underdog, myself. i will buy merchandise and the crummy DVD releases, though. But as far as I'm concerned, He's a lovable nebbish who you wouldn't expect to be the strongest in the Universe (I reffer to episode "Zot").
Now, I'm repeating myslef for the trillionth time. TMNT got it right. To the older generation it took after the comics and the movies. To the younger kids, it took after the current cartoon series. It had appeal of BOTH age groups, and it was one of my favorite movies of the year.