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Popeye is public domain, but there's one heartwarming reason why Genndy Tartakovsky said he'll never try to make his unmade Popeye movie
There's one thing stopping Genndy Tartakovsky from trying his Popeye movie again - the success of his own projects.
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Sometimes, even spinach isn’t enough to revive Popeye.
In 2012, Sony Pictures Animation announced that Genndy Tartakovsky would be directing a 3D animated Popeye movie. Tartakovsky had made a name for himself as the creator of Dexter’s Laboratory and Samurai Jack, in addition to his work on shows such as The Powerpuff Girls and the original Clone Wars miniseries.
A sizzle reel was released to a positive reception, but in 2015, Tartakovsky announced that he was no longer involved in the project (which has never materialized). Tartakovsky went on to direct the Hotel Transylvania franchise for Sony Pictures Animation.
Now that Popeye is in the public domain, is there a chance Tartakovsky will return to the project? “No, that one I stopped. That one is done,” Genndy Tartakovsky tells Popverse’s Grant DeArmitt at New York Comic Con 2025.
However, Tartakovsky is excited about numerous projects he has in the pipeline.
“I’m always trying to sell my original movies. That’s always a thing, So, constantly trying that. And I have a TV show that’s in development with Adult Swim, so hopefully that will go. I like this kind of juggling between TV show and movie. As long as people are still into what I do, I’m going to keep going.”
For more from Genndy Tartakovsky, check out the full interview below:
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