SONY'S POPEYE 3d GETS its DIRECTOR! GENNDY TARTAKovsky!

Genndy Tartakovsky to Direct 3D POPEYE Picture for Sony Animation

Although Genndy Tartakovsky’s first feature film as a director is the upcoming Adam Sandler-starrer, Hotel Transylvania, he’ll quickly turn around and direct Popeye as his second.  Tartakovsky is best known for his phenomenal series work with a roster including The Powerpuff Girls, Dexter’s Laboratory, Samurai Jack and Star Wars: Clone Wars.  (You can check out an example of what a Tartakovsky feature film looks like by watching the recent trailer for Hotel Transylvania.) Writers Jay Scherick and David Ronn (The Smurfs) were attached to pen thePopeye adaptation as recently as last November.  Hit the jump for more on Popeye.

Variety reports that Tartakovsky is attached to develop and direct a 3D version of Popeye.  The famous sailor started back in 1929 when he first appeared in the comicstrip, “Thimble Theater.”  Known for his bizarre manner of speech and his borderline addiction to spinach, Popeye is one of the longest-running comics in history.  There have been numerous cartoon iterations and one abysmal live-action feature: 1980′s Popeye, starring Robin Williams.  Some of the other famous characters from the world of Popeye include the waif, Olive Oyl; Popeye’s adopted son, Swee’Pea, the hamburger-eating Wimpy and the antagonistic Bluto.  Sony’s production on a CG/3D version ofPopeye goes back at least two years now.  The 3D animated feature about the famous cartoon sailor is being produced through Sony Pictures Animation along with Avi and Ari Arad under their Arad Productions banner.