Live-Action "Jetsons" Film Gets Off The Ground

According to Variety, Warner Brothers is returning a bigscreen live-action version of "The Jetsons" to the launch pad.  The studio has tapped Donald De Line ("The Stepford Wives" and "The Italian Job" ) to produce and Adam F. Goldberg ("Revenge of the Nerds" remake and "Fanboys") to draft a new screenplay.

De Line will produce the feature with Denise Di Novi ("Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" and "Catwoman") who has been developing the comedy project for well over a decade, working with a string of writers. Previous attempts to create the live-action feature (and to follow on the success of "The Flinstones" live-action films) have failed for numerous reasons.

The storyline will be based on the popular animated Hanna-Barbera TV show, which revolved around the ups and downs of the  Jetson family - George, wife Jane, daughter Judy, son Elroy, their dog, Astro, and robot maid Rosie. 

The original show only ran for one season between 1962 and 1963.  However, after the success of Saturday morning re-runs over the next two decades, additional episodes were produced between 1984 and 1987, followed by three feature films.

The most recent bigscreen installment of the Jetson clan came from Universal and Hanna-Barbera in 1990 when they released an animated feature adaptation ("Jetsons: The Movie"), which took in $20.3 million domestically.

De Line is developing several other comedies for Warner, as well as the spy thriller "Penetration."  He is also producing the upcoming "The Untouchables: Capone Rising" and "The Brazilian Job."

Di Novi's upcoming productions for Warners include director Curtis Hanson's gambling drama "Lucky You" staring Eric Bana.   She is also slated to produce the upcoming film adaptation of the Philip Reeve fantasy-adventure book "Larklight."

No word on a production schedule or possible release date for "The Jestons."-- Shannon Nolley

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