’21 Jump Street’ is in theaters now, starring Channing Tatum and recent Academy Award nominee Jonah Hill. It is loosely based on the 1987 television series of the same name, which launched the career of Johnny Depp.

The movie has already proven to be a favorite of the critics and strong box office performer, grossing over $100 million worldwide since its release on March 16. Sony recently announced that a sequel is already in the works, and that stars Tatum and Hill are expected to return.

The film’s success can perhaps be attributed to its accessibility to audiences unfamiliar with the 1980s television series. It features a new cast, makes contemporary cultural references (Tatum’s character cites ‘Glee’ as the reason for the new high school hierarchy), and offers only passing remarks about its 1980s predecessor (Nick Offerman’s character notes that in their jobs, “all they do now is recycle stuff from the past and expect us not to notice”).

Michael Bacall’s screenplay keeps things simple and sharp, while directing duo Phil Lord and Chris Miller keep things moving at a snappy pace, leaving behind all traces of the brand’s past screen life.

Making the transition from television to film has been a tricky business in the last couple of decades. From ‘The X-Files’ to ‘The Simpsons,’ producers have attempted to find the right balance between continuity from the series and accessibility for new viewers. Here is a brief look at how some have fared:

‘The Simpsons Movie’ – Budget: $75 million / Box Office: $527 million.

After several years of talks and delays, the big-screen adaptation of FOX’s long-running animated series was released in summer 2007. ‘The Simpsons Movie’ was a huge box office success and garnered strong critical acclaim, being nominated for a Golden Globe, a Critics’ Choice and four Annie Awards. Its success has been credited with reinvigorating interest in ‘The Simpsons,’ as the series recently celebrated its 500th episode and was renewed through the end of the 2013-2014 television season.

‘Sex and the City’ – Budget: $65 million / Box Office: $415 million.

HBO’s 2008 adaptation of its hit series proved to be a huge box office success and the biggest ever R-rated opening for a comedy. The film came four years after the series went off the air, and picked up on many of the narrative strands left presumably resolved in the final episode.

As audiences continued to flock, a sequel was greenlit, the budget was increased to $95 million, and it hit theatres in May 2010. However, the sequel grossed a weaker $295 million and was critically maligned, all but ending future big-screen outings for the franchise. Still, The CW network recently ordered a pilot for ‘The Carrie Diaries,’ a prequel series charting the adventures of Carrie Bradshaw through her adolescence, showing the studios’ belief in the brand still having an impact on the small screen.

‘The X-Files’ – Budget: $66 million / Box Office: $189 million.

Right in the middle of the sci-fi thriller’s ninth season run on FOX, came its first film adaptation featuring stars Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny. The film almost tripled its budget, received generally positive reviews, and capitalized on the success of the series’ highest-rated season.

However, it would be ten years, and six years after the series went off the air, before a sequel would be released. ‘The X-Files: I Want to Believe’ was released in July 2008 with a budget of just $30 million, grossing $68 million. While it still earned back its budget, the numbers were significantly lower than what fans had hoped, and have cast serious doubt on whether a third film will be made.

Then there is the case of the long-awaited ’24′ feature film, based on the FOX series of the same name, which ran for eight successful seasons between 2001 and 2010. The film has been stuck in development for several years, even while the series was in the midst of its run.

In March of this year it looked like the cast and crew would soon be ready to commence production. However, delays in finding a director and scheduling conflicts with star Kiefer Sutherland have meant that the film has been shelved for at least another 12 months. Like ‘The X-Files,’ ’24′ was heavily serialized and had declined in the ratings toward the end of its run. It therefore might struggle to succeed on the big screen as more years go by with it out of production.

Yet with the success of ’21 Jump Street’ more than two decades after the end of its television run, there is hope that the issue of ‘timing’ is just one of many needed for the successful transition of a television series into film.

Case in point is ‘Glee: The 3D Concert Movie,’ which was released last summer and failed to replicate the success of the television series, ultimately grossing just $18 million. TV-to-Film adaptations is a tricky business, but one in which networks and studios are perpetually interested in trying to get right.

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Paramount Pictures ‘Rango’ took top honors as the Best Animated Feature at the 39th Annual Annie Awards, Saturday, February 4, at UCLA’s Royce Hall. With the expanded list of categories from 25 to 28, and the addition of two new categories – Editing and Best Animated Special Production - this year’s show honored more nominees than in the past.

The newly created ‘Member’s Favorite’ award voted on by the entire ASIFA-Hollywood community also went to ‘Rango.’ Newcomer Minkyu Lee’s ‘Adam and Dog’ won for Best Short Subject while Psyop’s Twinings ‘Sea’ was selected Best Television Commercial. ‘The Simpsons’ took Best Animated TV Production and Shadow Planet Production’s ‘Insanely Twisted’ was selected as Best Video Game.

‘This was a great evening, with a lot of fun and surprises,” said ASIFA-Hollywood President Frank Gladstone.  “Annies went to a huge variety of individuals and studios. This goes directly to ASIFA-Hollywood’s vision of celebrating the best in animation across project, studio and geographic boundaries.”

Actor and comedian Patton Oswalt’s hosting duties kept the show moving at a lively pace.  He was joined on stage by animation luminaries, celebrity presenters and comedic talent including animation legend June Foray, J.K. Simmons, Judy Greer, Zachary Levi, Peter Baynham, Mace Heufeld, Weird Al Yankovic, Bruce Boxleitner, Ahmed Best, Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, Jim Cummings, Phil Lamarr, Diedrich Bader, Daran Norris, Tara Strong, Kelly Stables, Dee Bradley Baker, Nika Futterman, Ariel Winter, Logan Grove, James Hong, Brian Posehn, Greg & Evan Spiridellis and Jim Meskimen (Jib Jab), Bridgit Mendler,Brittany Snow, Jason Marsden and Joe Letteri.

Honored with the Winsor McCay award were Walt Peregoy, Borge Ring and the late Ronald Searle. The Winsor McCay Award stands as one of the highest honors given to an individual in the animation industry in recognition for career contributions to the art of animation.

Art Leonardi was honored with the June Foray award which is presented to an individual who has given significant and benevolent contributions to the art and industry of animation.

Often a predictor of the annual Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, the Annie Awards honor overall excellence as well as individual achievement in a total of 28 categories ranging from best feature, production design, character animation, and effects animation to storyboarding, writing, music, editing and voice acting.

Entries submitted for consideration were from productions that originally aired, were exhibited in an animation festival or commercially released between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2011.

Image Courtesy of   https://www.facebook.com/Rango.lefilm

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Fans of The Simpsons may have reason to worry as talk of the show’s cancellation sparked this week. The Simpsons has been aired since 1989 and has broadcasted more than 500 episodes worldwide.

Approximately a week ago, FOX decided to apply an enormous salary reduction of The Simpson’s key dubbing staff. The sector’s employees were outraged by the proposed pay cut which would lessen their pay by 50 percent.

This mean a reduction from 400 thousand dollars to 250 thousand dollars a year for the crucial staff members including Dan Castellaneta, the voice of Homer, Julie Kavner, the voice of Marge, Nancy Cartwright, the voice of Bart, Yeardley Smith, the voice of Lisa, Hank Azaria, the voice of Chief Wiggum, Moe and Apu and Harry Shearer, the voice behind the characters Ned Flanders, Principal Skinner and Kent Brockman.

FOX defended their plans for salary cuts. According to the Network, their aim is to cute off 30 percent of the total costs associated production of the show. Fox also gave a clear warning of their intended salary cuts prior to them making the official announcement.

“We believe that this brilliant show can and must continue but we can not produce the next seasons under this [current] financial model,” the Network said.

After 24 seasons, the conclusion of The Simpsons is a very real possibility. However, negotiations between FOX and The Simpson’s dubbing staff have resulted in the agreement to produce two more seasons to our favorite TV show.“Negotiations are like a baseball game: You never know how it’s going to turn out” (…) “I thought it could be [the end], because everything comes to an end at some point.

And I’ve always felt that whenever the end comes, it’ll be for economic reasons,” Al Jean, one of The Simpson’s executive producers, said. Jean said that he is grateful that the show will continue for at least two more seasons which will be the 24th and 25th season of the show. Jean added that he hopes the show will reach its 30th season.

Image Courtesy of   http://www.thesimpsons.com

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Gaga has recently recorded a guest spot for an episode of The Simpsons, titled “Lisa Goes Gaga” which will air in spring 2012. As many celebrities before her, Gaga will play herself told Yeardley Smith, the voice of Lisa at The Simpsons.

In her interview with Broadway.com, Smith said that The Simsons writers describe Gaga as “the happiest, most optimistic person in the world.” Smith also commented on her excitement of Gaga’s appearance on such a legendary animated show: “This is extraordinary! I’m stunned that she has time in her schedule that she’s coming to our studio to record,” Smith said.

In the episode, superstar Gaga comes to Springfield after learning that the whole town community suffers from low self-worth. Gaga’s mission is to cheer up Lisa, who is very down. Gaga revealed that she ends up kissing Marge in the episode – an unexpected event. Gaga laughed about the scene and jokingly said, “I play a little bit of a slut. The apple doesn’t fall far from my artistic tree.”

In her interview for the Entertainment Weekly, Gaga said that she felt a bit scared and overwhelmed when it came to record her parts in The Simpson’s studio. “I make music, but I don’t do voice-overs every day of the week, and their characters are so awesomely convincing and sincere and wild and funny, I had to remind myself constantly of the sincerity of the humor,” Gaga said. ”That’s what I was trying to focus on, not putting on a character too much and really being as sincere as I could with the lines.”

As an artist and musician Lady Gaga is well-known for her daring sense of style and provocative music videos. Her achievements in the music industry are tidy, including five Grammy awards, two Guinness world records, 15 million albums, and 51 million singles sold worldwide.

Forbes placed Gaga at number seven on annual list of the world’s “100 Most Powerful Women” and Time’s Magazine put her on the list of “The World’s Most Powerful Celebrities.” She has also been named by Billboard magazine as the “2010 Artist of the Year” and the “Top Selling Artist of 2010.”

Gaga is recognizable for her made of meat dresses, Kermit the Frog costume, and now she is going to add another score to her pop culture history – a role in The Simpsons Show.

While Gaga is very excited about guest starring on the show, her father may be even more thrilled about his daughter’s appearance in the animated show. “I would say this is one of the coolest things I’ve ever done,” she says. “My dad’s probably going to do 80 back flips when the episode comes out.”

The Simpons has been on-aire since Gaga was just two years old.

Image Courtesy of   http://www.flickr.com/photos/luigioss/

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