Goodman Pictures and Tim Johnson (director, Over the Hedge, Home, Antz) have formed Underneath the Umbrella Productions and plan to adapt beloved comic strips for the screen, acquiring the rights to Johnny Hart’s “B.C.” and “Wizard of Id”–two of the most enduring and internationally recognized strips in newspaper history–alongside Walter Wangerin Jr.’s National Book Award-winning novel “The Book of the Dun Cow.” Goodman Pictures is run by producer Joe Goodman who most recently produced the Flannery O’Connor biopic Wildcat directed by Ethan Hawke, and next is an executive producer on Terrence Malick’s upcoming film The Way Of The Wind.
In addition to producing, Johnson is attached to co-write and direct an animated version of the “Wizard of Id,” the first film from the new venture. Tom Astle (Home, Epic, Get Smart) is co-writing the adaptation. While Underneath the Umbrella launches with plans for major animated fare, they also intend to introduce an equally strong live action slate in the months to come.
“B.C.,” launched in 1958, has run for nearly seven decades and remains one of the longest-running comic strips ever created. “Wizard of Id,” launched in 1964 by cartoonist/creator Hart and illustrator Brant Parker, has likewise enjoyed a decades-long international run. Both titles were syndicated in thousands of newspapers worldwide and reached millions of readers daily over the course of their long runs. Additionally, both titles won the National Cartoonists Society’s Reuben Awards, one of the highest honors in the field–an exceptionally rare achievement for any comic strip, and even more remarkable that both properties from the same creator earned that distinction.
“Wizard of Id” follows the antics of a large cast of comic characters living in a fantasy medieval kingdom. The comic strip’s humor takes sharp aim at politics, marriage, power and wealth, using frequent anachronisms and contemporary sensibility.
Meanwhile set in a comic version of prehistoric times, “B.C.” explores the life of a group of cavemen and their various anthropomorphic animals and dinosaurs. For decades, the strip has skewered contemporary politics, technology and the battle of the sexes using irreverent humor and anachronistic wit.
Underneath the Umbrella secured the rights to “Wizard of Id” and “B.C.” from Patti Hart, of John Hart Studios who oversees her father’s legacy, with strong stewardship of the strips.
“This is a dream project,” Johnson said. “As a young boy, I learned to draw by tracing the original Johnny Hart and Brant Parker comic strip. I grew up on the timeless humor of ‘Wizard of Id.’ Similar to my experience directing Over the Hedge, I believe the rich characters and sharp wit of ‘Wizard’ offer incredible potential to create a family film that appeals to many generations and cultures. Teaming up with Tom Astle on this new film project is a real joy.
“I’ve spent my career working for the big studio system of producing animation. But the recent changes in Hollywood present an unprecedented opportunity. I’m partnered with Joe Goodman to bring a fresh, efficient, creatively driven model for producing new feature films for the underserved animation market.”
Johnson continued, “All three initial Underneath the Umbrella Productions projects are rare finds–unicorns! They have strong four-quadrant, family-audience appeal. They work internationally. They are based on high quality, award-winning IPs. They have humor and heart, and a natural fit for animation.”
Goodman of Goodman Pictures asserted, “When something has been read daily by millions of people for decades across the world, that’s not just popularity–that’s cultural permanence. These properties have already proven their staying power. Our goal is to translate that into films that families return to for generations.”
Patti Hart added, “‘B.C.’ and ‘Wizard of Id’ have connected with readers around the world for generations.” “Their humor is timeless, and their reach has always been international. It’s exciting to see them positioned in a way that can introduce these characters to new audiences while honoring what made them endure.”
The rights for “The Book of the Dun Cow” were secured from Ruthanne M. Wangerin, trustee and widow of author Walter Wangerin Jr. The fantasy novel, an acclaimed piece of young adult fiction, won The New York Times Best Children’s Book of the Year honor and the US National Book Award for Science Fiction. The novel features an all-animal cast, set in an alternate timeline where mankind has never existed. The Animals explore the challenge of courage and the power of innocence as they face off against an existential terror–the Wyrm living at the center of the Earth. The characters are drawn from the story “Chanticleer and the Fox” in Geoffrey Chaucer’s “Canterbury Tales” and other medieval beastiaries.
