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Universal and Illumination Developing a 'Woody Woodpecker' Movie

by Ethan Anderton
November 16, 2011
Source: Heat Vision

Universal and Illumination Entertainment have a good collaborative relationship going with their success of Despicable Me and the forthcoming adaptation of The Lorax, which looks rather charming. Now the two are teaming up again to bring another iconic character to the big screen as Heat Vision reports they're developing a feature film adaptation of Woody Woodpecker. The character first showed up in animated shorts in 1940 with the now iconic voice of Mel Blanc (Bugs Bunny and many more Looney Tunes) bringing him to life, and his rambunctious, obnoxious personality carried him right onto television in the late 50's.

Though the character is remembered for being wild and unhinged, he chilled out a bit in some shorts in the 50's before making it to television. Universal has actually picked up the rights to all the shorts and the character himself from cartoonist Walter Lantz back in 1985, but with nostalgia being all the rage and driving force for films like Alvin and the Chipmunks and Yogi Bear taking off, now seems like the prime time to make a film actually happen. Blades of Glory co-writers John Altschuler and Dave Krinsky will develop the story which is going to modernize the character somehow and hopefully launch a franchise.

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