Though still very much in the preliminary phases of development, THR reports that Illumination Entertainment, a Universal-based animation house, is working on a project to bring the somewhat psychotic cartoon bird Woody Woodpecker to the big screen.
Illumination is best known for bringing us Despicable Me and next year's Dr. Seuss' The Lorax. Blades of Glory writers John Altshuler and Dave Krinsky are in talks to develop a story.
Woody Woodpecker first appeared in a short in 1940 and was co-created by cartoonist Walter Lantz. Early on, he was voiced by Mel Blanc (future voice of Bugs Bunny) and was initially rowdy, brash and a huge hit during World War II-era America. He mellowed out in the ‘50s and developed a love interest as well as a recurring nemesis, Ben Buzzard.
The character took its place in pop culture history when he moved to television in the late ‘50s. Universal bought the library of shorts and the rights to the character from Lantz in 1985 but hasn't done much with it since.
That may change as Illumination and the writers will seek to create a story that both modernizes the character and launches a new movie franchise.
Would you be interested in seeing Woody (and hearing that famous laugh) in a feature film?
