Disney Remakes Kiki's Delivery Service

InfinitumInfinitum Anime Encyclopedia Join Date: 2002-08-08 Member: 1111Members, Constellation
<a href='http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117917408?categoryid=13&cs=1' target='_blank'>Source (Requires login)</a>

<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->"Kiki's Delivery Service," a Japanese series of books that was turned into a hit film by Oscar-winning animation helmer Hayao Miyazaki ("Spirited Away""Spirited Away"), is becoming an English-language film at Walt Disney Pictures.

Screenwriter Jeff Stockwell, who penned the partially animated "The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys," has been hired to write the new "Kiki" screenplay based on Eiko Kadano's books. The first was published in English last year.

Pic was the first big success for Miyazaki's company, Studio Ghibli, in 1989. Merchandise based on the film is still popular worldwide, and the English-lingo DVD, with Kirsten DunstKirsten Dunst providing the voice of Kiki, was released by Walt Disney's homevid division in 1998.

Story follows 13-year-old witch Kiki who moves to the city with her talking cat Jiji (voiced in the Disney DVD version by the late Phil Hartman) where she lands a job in the local bakery. But Kiki's powers are not refined, and the adventures and scrapes she gets into show she has a lot of growing up to do.

Scottish producer Susan Montford recently teamed with partner Don MurphyDon Murphy ("From Hell," "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen""The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen") to secure the rights. The duo then reunited with Murphy's "League" execexec producer, Mark Gordon; all three will produce on "Kiki's."

Buena Vista Motion Picture Group toppertopper Nina JacobsonNina Jacobson, who bought the project preemptively, will oversee it with theatricaltheatrical production exec Jason ReedJason Reed.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->

And again Disney take an already existing anime series and rehash/dumb-down for the American audience...

For a time it was heavily debated whether or not Disney ripped off Gainax's old TV series Nadia The Secret of Blue Water (Which in itself was based on 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea) to create Atlantis. Almost identical characters and plot devices condensed into a movie rather than a full length series.

Guess they have to start having a bibliography of who they plagarise these days. God bless lawyers.

It's not that I want to hate Disney, it's just that they can't stand on it's own 2 feet without Pixar anymore and they know it.

Comments

  • DrSuredeathDrSuredeath Join Date: 2002-11-11 Member: 8217Members
    I'm more surprised they didn't just outright steal the plot and branded it as their own creation.
  • ThansalThansal The New Scum Join Date: 2002-08-22 Member: 1215Members, Constellation
    ....

    well it will hopefuly be better then their dub (I realy couldn't stand kristen as Kiki)...


    well, ummm


    trying to say sometinhg good about it as I like Disny and I like Kiki's....

    but why?
    what is the point, we already have an american release (and the DVD has both the theatricle release as well as the remastered japanese one....)
  • InfinitumInfinitum Anime Encyclopedia Join Date: 2002-08-08 Member: 1111Members, Constellation
    <!--QuoteBegin-Thansal+Feb 5 2005, 02:16 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Thansal @ Feb 5 2005, 02:16 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> but why? <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
  • DrSuredeathDrSuredeath Join Date: 2002-11-11 Member: 8217Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-Infinitum+Feb 4 2005, 10:19 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Infinitum @ Feb 4 2005, 10:19 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-Thansal+Feb 5 2005, 02:16 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Thansal @ Feb 5 2005, 02:16 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> but why? <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Are you sure it's not the obligation as an artist to present this form of art in a different perspective.
  • ThansalThansal The New Scum Join Date: 2002-08-22 Member: 1215Members, Constellation
    butbutbutbut

    just give the $$ to make this to pixar and then get a GOOD film outa it...
  • RedfordRedford Monorailcatfjord Join Date: 2002-04-28 Member: 528Members, NS1 Playtester
    I dunno, I never saw disney as the "Inexplicable Huge Red Bow" types myself.
  • RaVeRaVe Join Date: 2003-06-20 Member: 17538Members
    I have the sinking feeling that the dub will be horribly done, and break the story into bits and kibbles.

    Really.
  • ThansalThansal The New Scum Join Date: 2002-08-22 Member: 1215Members, Constellation
    rave...

    it isn't a dub (they already did that, it was blech)

    this is a compleate remake.


    well, I will sstill see it when it comes out, but that is just me.
  • DrSuredeathDrSuredeath Join Date: 2002-11-11 Member: 8217Members
    Well, according to Aintitcool, it's going to be a live-action. So not exactly a remake.
  • Cold_NiTeCold_NiTe Join Date: 2003-09-15 Member: 20875Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-DrSuredeath+Feb 4 2005, 12:25 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (DrSuredeath @ Feb 4 2005, 12:25 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Well, according to Aintitcool, it's going to be a live-action. So not exactly a remake. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Yeah but shouldn't they leave that up to Ghibli, instead of stealing the thing for themselves...? I'm rather amazed at Disney's audacity. They should just hurry up and die so something better can take their place. It's obvious that the world has moved on since their original (non-stolen/borrowed/etc.) cartoons, like mickey mouse & co., were funny. They either need to adapt their own cartoon style (instead of copying storylines) or bow out.
  • MedHeadMedHead Join Date: 2002-12-19 Member: 11115Members, Constellation
    It's not stealing when the rights are secured.
  • ThansalThansal The New Scum Join Date: 2002-08-22 Member: 1215Members, Constellation
    indeed, I find it amusing that everyone is jumping on the "omgzorz they is steeelings teh moviez!"

    they got the rights to make it, aka Ghibli sold it to em.
  • lolfighterlolfighter Snark, Dire Join Date: 2003-04-20 Member: 15693Members
    Not to mention that you can't be completely blatant (like this) about stealing stuff if you expect lawyers to be able to help you. Lawyers can bend and twist the rules for you, but they can't break 'em.
  • Cold_NiTeCold_NiTe Join Date: 2003-09-15 Member: 20875Members
    But they didn't make it originally, how can they make a remake of something they didn't make. They will add their own interpretation, and that's what I'm scared of. The whole stealing thing is my just being irritated, what I really care about is whether they will butcher this or not.
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