Hey Disney! It's Time to Make a Live-Action GARGOYLES Movie
Gargoyles has been popping up around me a lot lately. There's a great set of fan art that I've shared, the whole series is on YouTube for your viewing pleasure now (and I've watched it), and then I recently had the opportunity to interview Gargoyles creator Greg Weisman. Being showered with all of this Gargoyles awesomeness makes me want Disney to finally make a live-action film, and I honestly don't understand why they haven't yet. When I asked Wiseman if there have been any talks with the studio regarding the movie, he said,
"Over the years, there has. But nothing current. Disney doesn’t seem interested in developing a movie based on the series at this time. I obviously hope that changes."
How can they not be interested?! That just seems silly to me. Over the last few years Disney has snatched up some major studios, including Marvel and Lucasfilm. Add Pixar Studio to that list, and they are a force to be reckoned with. What I find funny is that for all this time Disney has been sitting on one of their most popular properties ever. If Disney ever made Gargoyles, it would be a massive hit. Hell, they could even weave it into the Marvel universe if they wanted too! Personally, I think Gargoyles is awesome enough to stand on its own, though.
Remember that time Disney spent over $200 million making a Lone Ranger movie? And it ended up bombing at the box office? I love a good western, but even with Johnny Depp in one of the the lead roles it was bound to fail because, unfortunately, westerns aren't popular with audiences anymore. You know what is popular, though? Movies like Gargoyles. Had they taken that $200 million and invested it in a Gargoyles movie, cast Depp in the role of David Xanatos along with the original voice cast of the gargoyles, they would have made a killing! I'm not saying Depp is right for the part, I'm just saying that it would have been a better role for him than Tonto.
With the technology we have these days, the gargoyles in the movie would look incredible, and seeing those characters brought to life on the big screen would be a dream come true for every fan. With the epic story they could tell, I seriously think that they could have a Lord of the Rings sized franchise on their hands if they actually made it happen. I love Disney, but not making a Gargoyles film is one of the biggest mistakes they could ever make.
It makes me wonder if maybe they are waiting to see what happens with the live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie that Michael Bay is producing before they see if it's something they want to pursue, because the movies would somewhat be similar in how they would be made. If Ninja Turtles does well at the box office, it would add weight to the case I'm making. So I am keeping my fingers crossed for Ninja Turtles. It really does matter for our chances of seeing a Gargoyles movie.
If the studio really isn't interested in this, they need to change their way of thinking. It baffles me that this isn't something they wouldn't be excited about making. Disney has access to the best talent in the world. All they need to do is reach out to them and start the process of making a kick-ass movie. Of course Weisman needs to be involved. Hell, bring back the team the made the series!
I would love to go to San Diego Comic-Con one year and have the studio surprise fans with some teaser footage, just like they did with Tron: Legacy. Only I think Gargoyles would be way more successful than Tron was. Witnessing a reveal like that would be one of the coolest things they could do for the fans.
Gargoyles is a movie that ever single Disney fan wants to see made. What more does Disney want to finally start developing it? They have the means and the talent to do it, it's box office gold, and will do just as well as the Marvel movies are doing. Then there's the simple fact that it's an insanely cool franchise!
I love ya, Disney, but you've got to seriously make it happen. You'll thank me when it's made several hundred million dollars that you can dump into Scrooge McDuck's Money bin and then swim in it.