Didn’t the death of the great Charles Grodin at the hands of the “Beethoven” film franchise not act as a cautionary tale for all of Hollywood? We weep and shudder when we recall how Grodin’s career tragically ended largely due in part to the shame and embarrassment he carried for taking on those gigs (or at least we assume that’s why he retired; any other normal human being would do the same).
Well, Hollywood is apparently not sick of dog movies and has given up trying for the 10th billion time this decade. What’s next? A movie based on the comic strip “Marmaduke,” about a gigantic Great Dane canine whose oversized body, and overeager enthusiasm for his family leads to lots of zany accidents and punchlines (most of the comic strip seems to be thinly veiled attempt at conveying that Marmaduke wants to mount everyone and everything at all times; like most comic strips the humor is also kind of unintentionally randomly hilarious — see ridiculous example).
Fox is the studio behind this ill-conceived idea. Tom Dey is the director being entrusted to develop the idea. The Hollywood Reporter says, this is Fox’s response to “Alvin & The Chipmunks” raking in $166 million worldwide last year. Makes sense. Everyone loves a cash-cow or cash canine in this case.