A chat with Berke Breathed

The Chron has a chat with Opus artist Berkeley Breathed, who has a new children's book out. There's a TMI-style Q&A with him, and this interesting tidbit from the story:

His latest children's book, Mars Needs Moms! (Philomel, $16.99), which goes on sale Tuesday, features a cranky boy and needy Martians in a story about the sacrifices parents are willing to make.

Mars Needs Moms! and Flawed Dogs, a previous book, are in development as feature films. And although there have been a jillion penguin films lately, don't look for Opus on the big screen.

That project is gloriously dead and decaying on the Weinstein Co. beach, Breathed said. "They were set and determined to make the cheapest animated film in Hollywood history, and they finally gave up trying to figure it out, thank God. Opus shall remain the way he is without Hollywood's interpretation sullying his dubious legacy."

Probably for the best. I actually think Opus would be better served by another TV special, whether based on a book like A Wish For Wings That Work or not, as I believe Breathed would be able to have more control over the final product on that medium. Or heck, just get someone to show A Wish For Wings That Work again - it's a sweet little Christmas special, which thanks to some friends I now have a VHS-to-DVD copy of. It definitely deserves a wider audience.

And speaking of Opus, Breathed discusses the penguin's ultimate fate as well as his own colorful past at UT in this Texas Monthly interview. Check it out.

Posted by Charles Kuffner on April 05, 2007 to Books