AWM at AX

Animation World Magazine has a recap of all the sights and sounds from Anime Expo last weekend. Included in the 2 page report is some coverage of the animated Astro Boy movie set for release in 2009. It's nothing we haven't heard before, but it goes to show how the word on this movie is really getting out there. Here are the Astro-related paragraphs.

Finally, Imagi Studios, who brought you TMNT in 2007, is set to release Astro Boy in theaters in Fall 2009. Created in the 1950s by the so-called "god of manga" Osamu Tezuka, Astro Boy is the tale of a young robot created by a scientist of Metro City to replace his lost son. When the relationship breaks down, the young hero then embarks on a quest to find his place in the world, which ultimately leads him back to Metro City and a confrontation with the creator who rejected him.

David Bowers, the director, spent an afternoon at the Imagi Studios booth talking about the project. While he was careful not to give away any spoilers, he did explain that he has had "a lifelong affection for the original Astro Boy," and that he strongly believes that the emotional content of the story is ripe for the big screen. Having just helmed the successful Flushed Away, and with a long history in the animation business, Bowers seems confident that this new rendition of an anime classic will be a surprise for audiences of all ages.

Astro Boy definitely seems to have the creative talent to bring off a potent recreation. The problem, after all, with revitalizing older anime is that their vision of the future is now outdated. It will be interesting to see how David Bowers and Imagi Studios recreate the world of Metro City. But everything sounds promising, and they have assembled an outstanding cast: Nicolas Cage, Donald Sutherland, Bill Nighy, Nathan Lane, Eugene Levy and Freddie Highmore. I'll be keeping my eye on this one.

For a great picture of the entire Anime Expo experience, make sure you check out AWN's Scenes From The 2008 Anime Expo article.