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Alex Brunelle recently provided Comics2Film with a pair of audio clips of Bone creator Jeff Smith talking about the demise of the animated Bone movie with Paramount/Nickelodeon, and the future possibilities of a film. Smith made the statements at last April's Pittsburgh Comic Con.

"I wasn't willing to make it as commercial as they wanted," Smith said of the previous movie project, which he abandoned late last year. "They wanted Britney Spears songs in it and some of the things that I thought wasn't right for Bone."

Smith said he doesn't fault Nickelodeon for the project going south. "When we first signed up with them to start doing it, they understood Bone and wanted to do it," Smith said. "But about two months later the first Rugrats movie was released.

"It was a huge success and Paramount who is the umbrella company, Paramount said you're going to make all movies like the Rugrats movies." After that the efforts to get the Bone movie became increasingly frustrating.

However, Smith is still optimistic about making an animated feature based on his comic. He reports having some interesting talks with other outlets, but stopped short of naming names. 

Another possibility would be for Smith to product the movie independently. He mentioned that he and Jim Kammerud had founded the Character Builders animation studio and still remain friends. Karmmerud's star is on the rise after directing the direct-to-video Little Mermaid 2, which Smith said was one of 2000's top-10 highest grossing movies, including live-action and theatrical releases.

"Between us we might be able to raise the money ourselves now and just do it the way we want to. Once we get going I think we could find a studio," Smith told fans. The creator also cautions, "but that's all pie in the sky."

Thanks to Brunelle for delivering the goods. If you want to listen to the actual audio:
Part 1
Part 2

Bone creator Jeff Smith spoke with Comics2Film about recent reports that plans for an animated feature film version of his comic book had run aground. Although reports from late August stated that Nickelodeon and Paramount had allowed the option to expire on the project, Smith told C2F the decision to put the brakes on was his. "It just wasn't gelling," Smith said of the project. "They wanted to keep going. They offered another development period and I walked away."

Things had sounded more positive when we talked to Smith about the movie in San Diego late last July. Smith told us, "In San Diego I was hopeful that we'd actually go into [production]. Some of the things that I wasn't crazy about, once we got into [production], we could work them out. Continuing into another development period with no change in real direction, I didn't see much point in that."

This development, however, does not spell the end of the Bone movie. "The option's lapsed, but everybody still likes everybody," Smith said of his relationship with Nickelodeon. "I still think there's a good possibility we're going to do it.

"I'm definitely not running away from it. In fact we're still talking," Smith revealed. After an appearance at the upcoming Small Press Expo (SPX) in Washington D.C., Smith and his Character Builders animation crew are flying out to L.A. on Nick's ticket. "I think things are good. I'm not frustrated in any way. We're just taking a breather. I just had to hit the reset button."

Comics2Film spoke with Jeff Smith, Sunday morning at Comic-Con. Smith had spoken with studio execs regarding the fate of his animated Bone feature film.  The option on the movie was set to expire next month.

Smith told us the meeting was very positive and Nickelodeon and Paramount are committed to going forward with the film.  The next step is a polish on the movie's script, which is written by Smith, frequent collaborator Dan Rude and screenwriter Jim Cooper. 

Corona Coming Attractions reports that comic creator Jeff Smith recently spoke with The Onion newspaper about progress on the animated version of his creation Bone.

"I've found that in Hollywood there is no 'plan all along.' They don't operate under the same rules of physics as we do," Smith is quoted as saying.  "I think we were a little optimistic: We thought that, because Bone was so fleshed out, our development time would be really short, like six months or so. Instead, it's turned out to be a fairly normal development time of two years. But things are going really well, and we're hoping to put the movie out in 2002."

The article also states that the movie will begin at the same starting point of the comics and continue "right up to the 'Dragonslayer' storyline."  Also, the creator is said to like Tim Robbins (Mission To Mars) for the voice of Fone Bone.

Sources at Cartoon Books generously allowed Comics2Film readers a look at these two pieces of pre production artwork from Jeff Smith's in-development Bone animated feature.  The concept art was painted by Neil Ross, who served as a production illustrator on Braveheart.  Click the images for a full-sized view.

Bone has been in the works for over a year with Nickelodeon Movies.  Smith's Ohio-based Character Builders is producing.  Back in September, Smith told fans at the San Diego comic show that he had turned in his first draft of a screenplay for the movie.

According to Dark Horizons, Jeff Smith told fans in San Diego that he's turned in the final draft of his Bone movie script.  Things appear to be on track.  The article also indicates that Smith envisions a trilogy of movies.

A recent article in CBG gave new details about the planned animated feature based on Jeff Smith's comic Bone.   The project was announced about three weeks ago as a development deal with Nickelodeon Movies.  Smith is set to direct the movie with his Ohio-based Character Builders producing.

"We are still putting together our plans and gathering our creative team," Smith told Maggie Thompson, Editor of CBG, " but the story will cover the first act of Bone, up to the cow race - but it will have an ending."  Smith also said that the movie will have some subtle changes.  "We're debating such changes as not having Kingdoc speak - but that's not really a story change."

Lest fans fear that Smith is abandoning comics to go Hollywood Smith told Thompson, "My heart really belongs to comic books.  I'm not just selling this property to Hollywood to make a movie: I'm going to get my hands dirty myself to make Bone in another medium.  Because I'm a cartoonist first, it's not a huge hurdle for me, though there are new skills I'll have to learn.  It's different when you're playing with sound and movement.   But the comic-book story will continue."

Smith revealed that the movie will contain a revelation that has, so far, eluded comic readers, "We will find out why all the people in the valley are after the guy who wears a star."  However, Smith told Thompson that comic readers will learn this long before the movie is released.

A recent press release form Nickelodeon Movies has announced that the studio has acquired the feature film rights to Jeff Smith's acclaimed comic Bone.  The property was acquired for a high six figure amount.  It is being developed as an animated feature which Smith will direct.  

Nick's President of Film and Television Entertainment had this to say about Smith's creation, "Bone is a comic fantasy adventure in the tradition of Star Wars and Lord of the Rings, which will have a tremendous amount of appeal as a feature film to a wide audience.   We will strive to produce a film that has a contemporary sense of humor and characters that the audience can relate to and understand."

Smith founded Cartoon Books in 1991 in order to publish to comics.   Critical acclaim for the book gave way to popular acceptance.  The comic is a best seller and is serialized monthly in the  Disney Adventures magazine.  Smith seems to look forward to collaborating with the studio, "Nickelodeon is a place where traditional entertainment values are given a fresh, edgy feel.  I'm extremely pleased with this announcement. Nickelodeon Movies is exactly where Bone needs to be."

An AICN spy at the San Diego Comic-con claims to have heard an announcement from Jeff Smith that his acclaimed comic Bone is to be adapted as an animated movie. Smith worked as an animator prior to creating his self-published comic.  No other specifics about the movie were divulged.