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[Anthony]

Yay!  It looks like this film *is* being made and is heading for a 2008 release.

Animated News says:

IGN FilmForce reports on yesterday's preview of some upcoming Walt Disney Studios releases. The big announcement was for the 2008 release Gnomeo and Juliette, a gnome version of the famous Shakespeare play and featuring music by Elton John who previously contributed to The Lion King. The report does not mention if the movie will be hand-drawn, computer animated, or "claymated."

[Patrick]

Oh this sounds exciting, I am so glad they are creating some cool new ideas and songs by Elton John, even better, could this be Disney improving once more, I hope so

[Kristof]

According to Jim Hill has John Lasseter cancelled this project last month, but Elton John wasn't that happy about this, so he made an agreement with Miramax so that the movie would be released afteral.

[Kristof]

Weeks after Disney's new animation chiefs scrapped Elton John's musical "Gnomeo & Juliet," the pop star has taken his project to Miramax Films.
"I am very excited about working with Miramax," John said in a statement. "'Gnomeo' is an edgy concept, and Miramax is the perfect home to push the envelope in animation."

The animated twist on Shakespeare's tragic romance is set in the world of tacky garden gnomes. It will be produced in Britain, with lyricist Tim Rice still on board to collaborate with John on the songs, and Kate Winslet attached to voice Juliet. Rice and John won an Oscar in 1995 for their work on the "Lion King" song "Can You Feel the Love Tonight."

"Gnomeo" was in development for several years at Walt Disney Feature Animation, but was axed last month in the wake of Disney's purchase of Pixar Animation Studios. Pixar chiefs John Lasseter and Ed Catmull are reviewing all Walt Disney Feature Animation legacy projects while simultaneously developing new animated titles.

Since Miramax is also owned by Disney, the transfer of the project went fairly smoothly. Miramax Films chairman Daniel Battsek used to work for Disney's international arm, and has a longstanding relationship with John's Rocket Prods. banner. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

"Gnomeo" is the first computer animated film to be produced by Miramax since Battsek took over from studio co-founders Bob and Harvey Weinstein in July.

Animation veteran Baker Bloodworth is serving as producer and guiding production. He previously worked at Disney on 1991's "Beauty and the Beast" and 2000's "Dinosaur." He was nominated for an Oscar in 2004 for "Destino," an animated short initiated by Salvador Dali and Walt Disney in 1945.

[Kristof]

*Bump*

IMDB.com lists this as a 2010 release!

[Kristof]

News from The Hollywood Reporter!  Looks like Kate Winslet is out.

Wherefore art thou 'Gnomeo'?
NEW YORK -- James McAvoy and Emily Blunt might soon discover the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence -- if you're a garden gnome in love.

The pair are in negotiations to play the title roles of "Gnomeo and Juliet," a CGI-animated Shakespeare adaptation from Miramax and Elton John's Rocket Pictures.

The film will feature several John classics but not Kate Winslet; she was first attached to voice Juliet two years ago and fell out because of scheduling conflicts. Tim Rice also was approached to write original songs with his "Lion King" partner John at the time, but the soundtrack now will be filled with the performer's well-known hits and possibly a few new tracks.

In the loose and edgy adaptation of Shakespeare's play, McAvoy ("Atonement") and Blunt ("The Devil Wears Prada") would play lovers from rival gardens. John, who is producing alongside his offscreen partner David Furnish, Baker Bloodworth and Steve Hamilton Shaw, is said to be pursuing big-name talent to voice supporting roles.

Rocket initially brought "Gnomeo" to Walt Disney Feature Animation, but several years later the project was dropped by incoming Pixar executives John Lasseter and Ed Catmull. Miramax president Daniel Battsek, who followed the project while at Buena Vista International, persuaded Disney Studios chairman Dick Cook to revive it at his specialty division in April 2006.

Kelly Asbury will direct from an original script by Rob Sprackling and John R. Smith. Kevin Cecil, Andy Riley and Mark Burton have worked on later versions of the screenplay. Now in the storyboard stage, production is expected to be completed by 2010.

McAvoy, repped by WMA and United Agents, had his first big-budget hit with this summer's "Wanted." After a string of upcoming indies, the CAA- and Ken McReddie Associates-repped Blunt is expected to follow suit with "The Wolfman" in summer 2009.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/con ... 4b43fc1b1e

[Pete's Dragon]

Kinda glad Miramax are making this. Gives them a bit more freedom than if it was a full-on Disney production. Hopefully they can make it a bit edgier, as long as they don't take it down the Dreamworks Road of quickfire slapstick and toilet gags

[Kristof]

And five years later, here's the official trailer...  

Disney's Touchstone is now releasing it since Miramax was sold recently.

[youtube:1yqn8km7]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Dl3bjC21oc[/youtube:1yqn8km7]

Thoughts?

[peep]

I think it looks like good fun, cheesy jokes and decent animation means it is at least going to be watchable.

[JelleP]

The trailer is extremely funny
Really had some good laughs while watching!

[AmericanMouse]

Other voices in the film include Maggie Smith as Lady Blueberry, Michael Caine as Lord Redbrick, Ashley Jensen (Ugly Betty), Julie Walters as Miss Capulet, Richard Wilson as Mr. Capulet, Ozzy Osborne, Hulk Hogan, Dolly Parton, Patrick Stweart, Jason Statham, Matt Lucas (Little Britain) and Steven Merchant.

This will be the first Disney-produced film not under the Walt Disney banner.

[Masamune]

:lol: I laughed quite a bit at that trailer.

[15MagicalYears]

I found this intresting -

According to EW, Lady Gaga and Sir Elton John have collaborated on a new song called "Hello, Hello". The "charming pop track" will appear in the upcoming Disney animated film Gnomeo and Juliet which hits theaters on February 11, 2011.

[Touchstone]

Hey everyone! I thought I would update this thread. Finally, the release date is getting closer and closer! Who's excited?? There are so many new videos and images out for you all to check out. Check out the links to the official site and Facebook page below. I work with Touchstone, but am interested to hear what you are all looking forward to the most!


http://www.gnomeoandjuliet.com/main/
http://www.facebook.com/GnomeoandJuliet ... vie?v=wall

Enjoy!

[littlemermaid83]

Saw the trailer yesterday and thought how cheesy lol. Will take my Daughter to see it, she has a thing at the moment about Garden Gnomes lol