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Astro Boy comes to Jim Henson Pictures

By Brian Knatchbull
Courtesy of Jim Henson Pictures
March 17, 1999

Astro Boy appears to be headed to the big screen.

Columbia Pictures is in final negotiations to buy film rights to Astro Boy with an eye toward creating a tent-pole picture for a Christmas 2000 release.

The science-fiction film is to be produced by Don Murphy, former partner Jane Hamsher and Jim Henson Pictures. It is also possible that Jim Henson's Creature Shop will build Astro Boy.

The Astro Boy film is envisioned as the story of Pinocchio in the 21st Century. Combining CGI, animatronics and live action, the film would tell the tale of a grieving scientist who builds a robot in the likeness of his son who was killed. The robot boy possesses extraordinary powers and fights crime in a no-nonsense manner.