GARFIELD: Animated Adaptation In The Works

Alcon Entertainment picks up the rights to adapt Garfield for the big screen. The production company plans to produce a series of animated films based on the beloved comic strip.

As part of it’s agreement with Jim Davis, the Garfield creator will serve as an executive producer on the project. Joining Davis on the production team is Bridget McMeel of Amuse.

The planned franchise is hardly the first time Garfield has been adapted into film form. The character previously featured in two live-action movies in the 2000’s, brought to life by CGI and voiced by Bill Murray. Alcon’s production, however, will be the first time a fully animated Garfield adaptation has seen theatrical release:

Garfield debuted in 1978, becoming a sensation in the 1980s as the strip took over best-seller lists in the form of collected book. Merchandising and cartoon specials followed.

The strip holds the Guinness record for being the most widely syndicated comic strip in the world and is seen in 2,580 newspapers and journals, with an estimated readership of 260 million.

The character already hit the big-screen in the form of two live-action/cgi hybrids (Garfield: The Movie and Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties) that featured Bill Murray as the voice of the cat.

The story revolved around a fat, lazy, lasagna-loving cat who never hides his contempt for his put-upon owner, Jon Arbuckle, and fellow pet Odie, a dim-witted dog.

Leave your thoughts on Alcon Entertainment picking up the rights for Garfield in order to make animated films based on it (via Thehollywoodreporter) in the comments section below. For more Garfield photos, videos, and information, visit our Garfield Page, and consider subscribing to us by Email, “following” us on Twitter, Tumblr, Google+, or “liking” us on Facebook for quick updates. No official release date has been offered for Garfield yet.