What you want to see in mainstream animated movies

T

tadah!!

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We all know studios are reluctant to bring back hand-drawn animation. But they are also afraid to explore animation beyond comedies and family films because we're in the animation age ghetto. With that said, here is what i would want to see in future animated movies:

Animated Horror films: Now this one is tricky cuz you have to make a good horror story without making the characters too cartoony, or else it wouldnt be taken seriously. Ghost stories and HP Lovecraft tales would be perfect.

Animated Suspense thrillers: I would like to see some Hitchcock styled suspense translated in the medium. Theres alot of opportunites for dark art directions and complex characters.

Animated adaptations of musicals: Ok ok, i know this wasnt successful before (The King and I), but theres alot of shows that would never fly well with liveaction. I once heard that Universal was going to do a Cats movie at one point, that wouldve been interesting. Also, as much as i love the 80s little shopof horrors movie, i think its cartoony humor and camp value translates better in animation.

Anymore ideas?
 
I always wanted to see American animated dramas. The most we seem to get from that is a superhero cartoon or preteen series that focus mainly on comedy. When I think about it, As Told By Ginger had all the elements of a standard Disney or TeenNick sitcom. I guess along with animated horrors or suspense films, it all deals with the idea of taking "cartoons" seriously, allowing them in the same element as other blockbusters while experimenting with the vast amount of creativity animation can stem from. With cartoons you truly are the master of your own shot. Virtually anything is possible, just look at the awesomeness they did with Tangled, Toy Story, Nightmare Before Christmas, even Avatar. I hope it's something we can eventually see in the future, and me wanting to become an animator, I hope it's something I can be apart of.
 
I've always wanted to see sci-fi animated movies that offer a Star Wars-like spectacle. You'd think Hollywood would realize it would be cheaper to do such things in animation than in live-action, but after the failures of the original Transformers movie, Titan A.E., and Treasure Planet , they probably realized audiences didn't want that.
 
Horror animation-I too want to see horror animation that isn't done for laughs. I would like to see animated horror films that are on the same level as Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street(The original, not any of its sequels). I think the perfect horror movie would have been the original concept for Cool world before it was reworked into a wannabe Roger Rabbit movie. A few friends of mine were talking about a Nightmare on Elm Street animated feature on how neat it would be(if handled correctly of course).

Animated Film Noir- Please tell me i'm not the only one who like to see this. I know there are a few parodies, but i'm not aiming for parodies. I'm talking about an animated film taken seriously that has elements of film noir. Like say mysteries or on the edge of Sin City for instance. Not that stuff that parodies it like in certain kids shows.

Animated films of Comic books- We know that there are some comic book movies that work well in live-action, while others do not work well for live-action.I think all comic books should be adapted for animation. The best example of live-action not working well for a comic book is Howard the Duck and Tank Girl(besides, tank girl had two clips of animation in that one). I just hope that the upcoming animated feature of The Goon is a success so that can happen. Howard the Duck, Tank Girl, Scott Pilgrim, and the Spirit would have made great animated features. But Hollywood thinks nobody would watch an animated film based on a comic because the viewer thinks animation 'Is too childish'.

Live-action/2D animated hybrids- I would like to see more animated films explore this one. Because I'm just annoyed that most people pretend that this can never work due to most of the characters looking so real that they are creepy to look at. I just hope that Roger Rabbit sequel can greenlight more of live-action/2D animated hybrids.
 
More human protagonists, more dynamic female roles (especially female leads and female comedic roles) and less reliance on the standard cut-and-paste formula (wacky CGI talking animals, gratuitous celebrity voices, rapid-fire barrage of pop-culture jokes and 'hip' buzzwords, regulatory gross-out gags, endings featuring the characters rocking out to some pop song, etc.)
 
Always appreciate the interest in female representation in animation ^_^. It's something that's in short supply nowadays. For example, I always loved Pepperann and thought she was an excellent protagonist, someone that both boys and girls enjoyed. That's So Raven was also a show with a fun female protagonist I could see turned into an animated series.
 
I want horror animated movies to come to light. The things you can do with black paper are amazing.

I want female roles that are properly emphasised. No barbie girl damsels, but no whiners who just love to scream about their skills (but end up turning to man bait eventually.) Beans and Rapunzel come to mind as the best role models for women.

I'd also like an emphasis on silence in animated films so as to let the animation express itself. Animation is an artform that expresses itself with imagery.

Emphasis on classical musical styles and an end to dissing classical music. (Like thats going to happen.)

Less dancing endings; they are getting old fast.
 
I agree that we need more female protagonists in cartoons. No princesses, no damsels in distress, no token chicks, no teenage bubbleheads obsessed with boys and/or popularity, just good, well-established female protagonists.

Also, a LOT fewer CG talking animals.
 
I wanna see some more psychological thrillers. I think that genre has a lot more potential with animation than it does with live-action, its just a shame there isn't a lot of production companies willing to give them a chance.
 
I'm not sure why everyone thinks that horror is a difficult task for animation. Or should I say Western Animation?

I'd like to see some suspense, thrillers and mysteries (this is a genre, right?). I want to be intellectually challenged and put into a sense of not knowing what's going to happen next. I want to be on the edge of my seat as the story unfolds, constantly pulling me further into the plot.
 
Professional voice actors doing actual voice-over roles. That is what I'd like to see out of Hollywood, when it comes to animated movies.

Seriously; I am getting so sick of seeing stunt-casted celebrities get all the good voice-over roles in animated movies these days, while the real talent in this industry is only left a few scraps on the side. As far as I'm concerned, Rob Paulsen, Maurice LaMarche, Jim Cummings, and Tress MacNeille could carry an animated movie far better than the likes of Seth Rogen or Reese Witherspoon. You know people like that aren't chosen because they're good voice actors; they're chosen so the advertising company can slap their names on a movie poster, all in the hope of selling a few extra tickets... and this makes me sick.

...and on that note; less George Lopez in animated movies, please and thanks. This guy annoys me more than most, and the fact that he is almost guaranteed a voice-over role in nearly every new animated movie to come out in this day and age is something that I simply cannot possibly fathom. He's not a good voice actor, and heck, he's not even a box office draw for pete's sake! Why do they even bother?
 
I already can't stand it in Disney's marketing of the Studio Ghibli library. They can't let their A-list celebrity English dub voice cast go unnoticed.

Miramax's release of Princess Mononoke is the worst offender. Their names are on the front of the DVD box RIGHT BELOW THE TITLE.
 
I'd like to see features for a mature audience. The Illusionist was a great movie; I'd like to see more like this.


Phil
 
This might be of interest to some of you.

http://m.imdb.com/title/tt0792986/

I saw it a few years ago, but it didn't leave an impression on me.

One of the major issues with American animation that we must realize, is its cyclic. I mean in a way it influences and produces the same persons that fill the majority of the industry. I don't mean to make a broadstroke statement, but when the studios and industry simply won't allow different and opinions to sell because they sayit isn't profitable, nothing can be made. Also a new generation of artists will not be encouraged to get into the industry with their ideas.

How many shows like "Invader Zim" have been on the air since? Also, the kids interested in it are just going to watch anime that appeal to them. Perfect example, they had a chance to do a really cool Hellboy adaptation, but as mentioned took the designs, story, and tone down to a childish level and failed. The regular adult audience who were fans of the films, watched the dtvs and saw something geared toward kids, and airing on CN didn't help it.
 
Movies based on comic books. Seriously why isn't there an animated adaptation of Neil Gaimans Sandman? Hollywood adapts comic books all the time. Why cant some of them be animated?
 
I hoenstly don't see this problem, like, at all. As great as actual voice actors would be, they simply can't appeal to mainstream people.

Seriously, no problem at all.
 
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