"Why ‘Redwall’ Should Be the Next Huge Movie Series"

[Grond]

Yeah as others have said it would be crucial for the movie or series to strike the right balance between childish vs. an older audience. If the movie or series stayed true to the books it would be way to violent to ever be approved as a kid's movie. It would probably be a 14A or thereabouts... Whereas at the same time not to many teens or young adults will get into a movie about talking animals...

Going off-topic but another series that I think would have made a great movie or even live acted Netflix series would have been Cybersix- and I can definitely see how it could appeal to a much older audience, especially by staying true to the comic vs. the animated series... (The only reason I brought it up is because it came out in 1999 too same as the Redwall series did and I liked watching it as a kid- I kind of remember the 2 together....)

[KoudoawaiaVortex]

I'd be perfectly fine with the movie not being for kids. They aren't kids' books even though they're in the Children's sections an awful lot. Fuzzy animals seems to equal children's books no matter how violent it is inside. =p

[Sunflash the Mace]

I think an animated series would be great, if it was done well. I wasn't a fan of the animation of the old show, it was a bit too "cartoonish" compared to the great illustrations by Troy Howell (or even the cute stuff by Christopher Denise). If they somehow translated those styles, probably Howells, into CG, I think it'd be amazing. It'd be great in revitalizing the Redwall community, too.

I kind of like the western style anime idea. I think Redwall would work better with a hand animated/pen on paper look, as opposed to "realistic CGI." They just have to get the look and atmosphere right.

[The Skarzs]

Yes, that does sound like a viable option.

[Ashleg]

IT SHOULD LOOK LIKE THIS.

Spoiler

[close]

[The Skarzs]

I wanted more blood than that.

[Ashleg]

There's blood in the movie. But not in that picture, because nobeast got hurt yet.

Go watch it if you don't believe me.

[KoudoawaiaVortex]

I could go with a Don Bluth style movie^^

[alexandre]

On the topic of children and adult audiences and violence, its not hard to keep violence but make it children friendly, *Gabool swings his sword in the direction of Bludrigg's neck, the screen goes black and you hear a faint splat and gurgling noise* then you never actually see Bludrigg or his severed head again.

[Ashleg]

If they can show Mufasa's dead body on screen, they can get away with what Al said.

[KoudoawaiaVortex]

I agree and Don Bluth movies were really dark but I watched them when I was preschool age.

[Ashleg]

Don Bluth movies are my JAM.
They were all made way before my time, but I've been watching them since I was, I think, three or four.

[KoudoawaiaVortex]

Oh yeah they're awesome and that's around the age I was when they were coming out in theaters^^

[Andy]

Don Bluth style films or a Netflix series are definitely ideas I'd support for Redwall. Furthermore, considering I used to be on a rather active forum full of 20-somethings who loved films about talking animals, and that the most active forum I've ever seen is inhabited mostly by adults and teens and is about My Little Pony, I'm pretty sure they wouldn't have trouble getting the attention of older audiences. Plenty of people who aren't kids like talking animal stories/films.

[Sunflash the Mace]

Yeah, I don't think the animal aspect would turn many people off, except for grumpy old people without much imagination. Redwall isn't really "cutesy" animal storytelling; the different species and their cultures serve a purpose in the story beyond just being cute for kids. Plus, the stories, legends, setting and atmosphere are strong enough to draw in people initially skeptical about the anthropormorphism anyway I think. And I would really hope the art of the series would draw people in too. If they got good enough artists working on the series, that would draw in a crowd too.

I like the idea of a TV series, but I'd like to have at least one big theatrical release too. There's just something about the magic of a movie theater.