Pic skedded to start shooting early next year
Disney Pictures and Spyglass Entertainment are in negotiations with helmer Frederik Du Chau to direct the live-action bigscreen version of “Underdog.”
“Underdog” will use a CGI-enhanced live dog to portray the eponymous hero, a talking canine with super powers. Du Chau gained experience blending CGI and live animals on “Racing Stripes,” which combined computer-generated effects and real horses to portray a zebra-turned-racehorse. “This is a very special niche in the moviemaking business,” Du Chau said. Roger Birnbaum, Gary Barber and Jonathan Glickman of Spyglass are producers on “Underdog,” along with Jay Polstein. Nina Jacobson, Brigham Taylor and Louanne Brickhouse are overseeing the project for Disney. Erin Stam oversees for Spyglass. Exec producers are Classic Media topper Eric Ellenbogen and former Classic veep Bob Higgins, who is now at the Cartoon Network. Classic holds the rights to the original animated “Underdog.” Pic is skedded to start shooting early next year. Du Chau previously directed Warner Bros. toon “Quest for Camelot” and worked before that as an animator.
