Mining the Vaults

These days, there is never enough animation in the marketplace.

Universal To Unleash ‘Clifford The Big Red Dog’ In Spring 2016

The live-action/animated 3D pic Clifford The Big Red Dog has fetched an April 8, 2016, release slot. Scholastic Media’s Deborah Forte will produce and Matt Lopez (The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, the just-announced The Day The Crayons Quit) is working on the script. ...

There have, of course, been various iterations of Clifford over the years.

That other big cartoon dog Scooby Doo also made the transition from small to big screen, from hand-drawn to CGI. And the Clifford-on-the-big-screen idea ain't new. TAG organized the tail-end of a Clifford animated feature produced at Mike Young Productions several years ago, and back in May 2012 there was this announcement:

Illumination Entertainment and Universal Entertainment are teaming to put together a feature-length adaptation of children's book series-turned PBS cartoon Clifford the Big Red Dog. Bedtime Stories writer Matt Lopez has been hired to plot out when and what Clifford will crush, and the plan is to mix sheepish, live-action actors and massive, talking CGI dog. ...

Seems as if the Lopez version didn't lift off, but maybe this version will have the sweet touch of genius and corresponding big box office. We'll wait with held breath.