Genndy Tartakovsky's Popeye- Lost Potential

If you were to ask me what canned movie had the most potential to really be something but never reached what it could have been, the first movie that would instantly come to my mind would be Genndy Tartakovsky's Popeye. 

Hacked Sony Email About Genndy's “Popeye” Found on Wikileaks | IndieWire

Genndy Tartakovsky is consider a legend in animation. The man has been responsible for some Cartoon Network's most iconic shows from Dexter's Laboratory to Samurai Jack. Popeye is considered to be a classic character for both his comic strips and his shorts made by the renowned Fleischer Studios. 

Genndy Tartakovsky - IMDb


In 2012, Genndy had been announced to be the director of a CG Popeye movie to be made by Sony Pictures Animation. Genndy had already done work for the studio after bringing their long in development project, Hotel Transylvania, to the big screen and putting his signature style on it. 

RICHARD DASKAS — POPEYE (2012) Photoshop Sony Pictures...

It seemed like a match made in heaven. With Genndy's style resolving more around character and focus on physicality and Popeye already having high physicality and character in its DNA. This only drove the potential of the project more when, in 2014, Sony Pictures Animation released a four minute video featuring Genndy talking about the project and showcasing concept art as well as test footage for what his vision of the project was.

Will This Eye-popping CG Animation Test Power Up Genndy Tartakovsky's <em> Popeye</em> ? | HuffPost Entertainment

Popeye — Aurélien Predal

Popeye — Aurélien Predal

Genndy Tartakovsky Exits Popeye

There was so much passion in that video in both Genndy's introduction to the test footage itself. He really took what he did with Hotel Transylvania and brought it to the next level to bring Popeye to CGI in a style that channels the character's 30's roots. Which it makes it truly a shame that it never saw the light of day. 

Between the hack that happened at Sony at the time to studio executives not wanting to make a version of Popeye that was true to the character's legacy the project crumbled and Genndy left it behind in 2015.

However, it was reported in 2020 that the project has possibly reemerged thanks to King Features, the owners of Popeye. Not only that, it was also reported that they want Genndy back to direct it. So chances are this project could see the light of day. 

Link to Introduction and Test Footage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1lzJuwJD9k



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