Joel Silver is a name intimately associated with some of the biggest action movies of all time (Die Hard, The Matrix, Lethal Weapon) as well as some crashing duds (Ghost Ship anyone?) but all in all it’s probably a good thing that he’s turned his beard in the direction of hit cartoon Ben 10.
Ben 10 is highly successful series on Cartoon Network which tells the story of Ben Tennyson, a boy who comes into possession of a watch called the Omnitrix, which enables him to turn into one of ten super-powered aliens. He uses his new-found powers to fight evil and help his grandad and sister.
It’s gone through a few incantations already with three separate series and a couple of TV movies (directed by Alex “Bill S Preston Esquire” Winter) and starring Graham Phillips as Ben the first time, and Ryan Kelley the second. This new version is to be completely recast though.
Silver was introduced to the series by his sons and Variety reports that Turner Animation COO Stu Snyder couldn’t be happier, “I can’t imagine anyone better suited to develop a theatrical action-driven adventure based on our franchise.”
Kudos to Silver for admitting when he’s screwed up kids’ animation adaptations in the past – the wounds left by Speed Racer still give me gyp of frosty mornings. . “I tried something similar to this once before with Speed Racer and failed miserably,” he said, “but you learn much more from the ones that don’t work than the ones that do.”
Let’s hope so.
