Debuting as short films in the 1940s, Tom & Jerry and their notorious rivalry made their way into a staple Saturday morning time slot in 1965. The cat-vs-mouse escapades became legendary and enlisted among the ranks of withstanding cartoons like The Jetsons, Scooby-Doo, and The Flintstones.
In 2019, Warner Bros. declared that a live-action/animated hybrid Tom & Jerry film was in the works. Recently, director Tim Story conveyed that the iconic cat and mouse battle will be in the form of a sibling clash.
Piloted by Story (Fantastic Four), Tom & Jerry will observe Kayla (Chloë Grace Moretz), a new employee at a hotel assigned to get rid of Jerry before the wedding of the century. After employing alley cat Tom to dispose of the cunning rodent, unrest ensues, resulting in Tom, Jerry, and Kayla teaming up against her authoritative manager Terrance (Michael Peña). Instilling the cat and mouse as 2D versions in a 3D world, Tom & Jerry also stars Rob Delaney (Deadpool 2), Colin Jost, and Ken Jeong.
Talking to Variety, Story discloses details, saying,
“They live by certain rules—they can be cut in half and smashed. At the same time, they’re being thrown into the real world. Our world, our rules. Let them fight and destroy property, furniture, all the things they’re known for. “
Variety
Contrary to the 1992 characteristic film version, the notorious cat and mouse will remain silent, relying on their actions and facial expressions to tell the saga.
Lately, Fandango posted a behind-the-scenes video on Twitter that shows Tim Story explaining his thoughts on the decision to keep the fan-favorite cat and mouse in their original 2D forms. He says,
“It was important to have the animated characters be in 2D because the classic cartoons were in 2D. We could actually have them look exactly like they always did but at the same time live in a 3D world.” After revealing that Tom & Jerry remains his favorite cartoon to this day, he added, “We thought it was the best way to give homage to what the cartoons have always been.”
Fandango
The movie’s structure developed, briefly built as an entirely animated attempt before switching back to its live-action/animated hybrid representation. After the shooting started in 2019, animators remained on set during filming, which permitted the cast greater freedom to improvise throughout their settings. Consequently, the animated parts of the film were worked to uphold cohesion with the real-world sets.
Tom & Jerry delivers a fresh reimagining of a well-known story and works as a shrewd marketing move for the unique franchise. Its release plays into the modern nostalgia for old-school television and films that have saturated pop culture. While the movie is geared toward children, it will likely also prove appealing to older generations yearning for a return to the familiar cartoons of their youth.
About Tom & Jerry
Tom & Jerry: The Movie is a 2021 American live-action/computer-animated slapstick comedy film based on the cartoon characters and animated theatrical short film series of the same name created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, produced by the Warner Animation Group and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. The film is directed (and produced as an executive) by Tim Story and written by Kevin Costello.
The film’s story follows Jerry taking up residence in a fancy hotel in New York City with Tom being hired to keep him from ruining an important wedding until they have to put their differences aside to face a staffer antagonizing the two.
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