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For many teens and young adults in the 90’s and early 00’s, Animorphs was a book series as important as Goosebumps or Harry Potter. With 54 books in the main series, and a further 10 companion books, it was a lengthy, but enjoyable series to read.
Now Scholastic is said to be teaming up with Picturestart, to turn the 90’s sci-fi book series Animorphs, into a feature movie for the first time. Although a short lived TV adaption, known as Animorphs, or the promotional title of AniTV, did run from 1998 until 2000, it received mixed reviews, and for a time it seemed that may be the last we would see of the kids that can turn into any animal they touch.
Discussions of a feature length movie for the book series surfaced again it 2015, but nothing came of it.
It seems this time, the movie may actually happen. The production will be a partnership between Scholastic, who published the books, and Erik Feig’s production company, Picturestart. Feig is best known for his role as a producer on the Step Up movie franchise.
Speaking on the Animorph movie, Feig said ‘We know these books have a deservedly deep bench of passionate fans, ourselves included, and we hope to make Katherine Applegate and her co-author, Michael Grant, proud as we bring Jake, Marco, Cassie, Rachel, and Tobias to life for a new generation.’. He may be overestimating just how much the movie is for a ‘new generation’, versus the adult fans that grew up with the books, but at least it seems the movie will finally happen!
The main thing to question now, is how close to the books the movie will keep? Its worth noting, the books are much darker, and more graphic, than most people expect. The main characters, who are children, are fighting in a war, and are regularly tortured or put through truly traumatising experiences. Wikipedia lists ‘Horror, war, dehumanisation, sanity, morality, innocence, leadership, freedom, family and growing up’, as the core themes of the books, not likely to translate well into an all ages movie.
Whatever path is taken with the movie, at least we’re getting one after decades of waiting.