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Disney, Zemeckis Plot Remake of the Beatles’ “Yellow Submarine”

8/20/09, 11:25 am EST

The director of Back to the Future is going back to Beatlemania for his next film. Robert Zemeckis and Disney are hoping to remake the Beatles‘ 1968 animated classic Yellow Submarine, Variety reports. Zemeckis and Disney are reportedly brokering a deal that would give them access to the original film’s 16-song soundtrack. Just as the 1968 Submarine was ahead of its time from an animation standpoint, Zemeckis hopes to employ his revolutionary performance-capture 3-D digital production formula that he’s brought to films like The Polar Express, Beowulf and the upcoming Jim Carrey vehicle A Christmas Carol.

Look back at the entire Beatles’ catalog in our Fab Four album guide.

The film’s plot is something that only the psychedelic era could produce: The Beatles, posing as Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, are recruited to protect Pepperland from the Blue Meanies, with the Fab Four boarding a Yellow Submarine for the odyssey to the city under the sea. The Beatles didn’t actually lend their voices to their animated counterparts — actors played those roles — but the group did appear in a live-action segment at the film’s denouement. The film also introduced classics like “Hey Bulldog.”

Photos: The Beatles Through the Years

Zemeckis is eying a 2012 release to coincide with the Summer Olympics in London. Variety also writes that the deal for Yellow Submarine would include the option to spin a stage musical out of the remake. The Yellow Submarine remake is just the latest in a massive resurgence of the Beatles’ legacy in recent months, a renaissance that will be capped off on September 9th with the release of both the band’s entire remastered catalog and the The Beatles: Rock Band video game.

The Beatles are also on the cover of the current issue of Rolling Stone, marking the 33rd time the Fab Four have graced our front page. For the story of the Beatles’ breakup, plus audio of John Lennon’s 1970 interview with RS and our look at the Liverpool quartet’s legendary recordings, check out our Beatles hub.

Related Stories:

Why the Beatles Broke Up: The New Issue of Rolling Stone
New “Beatles: Rock Band” Trailer Arrives, Alleged Track List Leaks
The Beatles’ Remastered Albums Due September 9, 2009


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Comments

Pete | 8/20/2009, 11:31 am EST

Igh. Yellow Sub was dreadful I’ve tried so many times to watch it and either fall asleep of have to turn it off. It’s sooooo bad.

teresa | 8/20/2009, 11:46 am EST

FUCK YOU ZEMECKIS. WHY WOULD YOU SCREW WITH A CLASSIC? DON’T FIX IT IF IT’S NOT BROKEN.

Kevin the Robot | 8/20/2009, 11:57 am EST

Classic songs like “Hey Bulldog” and “Only a Northern Song”??? Hardly. How about featured classic songs like “All You Need Is Love” and “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.”

Pete | 8/20/2009, 12:13 pm EST

Oh, it’s broken, and it ain’t worth fixin’

Joe | 8/20/2009, 12:35 pm EST

I’m waiting for Zemeckis’ take on Sgt. Pepper.

Carrie | 8/20/2009, 1:24 pm EST

This movie changed my life ten years ago when I viewed it a child, I can’t wait to see it in 3-D.

This is a precarious venture, because one slip up and there will be millions of angry Beatles fans. It’s a daunting task, but if they want to try, more power to them.

matt in farmers branch | 8/20/2009, 1:45 pm EST

the blue meanies are so ugly.

CrystalSpyder4 | 8/20/2009, 1:48 pm EST

I generally don’t believe in remakes, and messing with anything in the Beatles stellar legacy is an extremely risky affair.

Yellow Submarine is a work of absolute genius. It’s difficult to imagine anyone improving upon it, especially with a typical soulless CGI Hollywood interpretation. I would say that the Beatles camp would have to be directly involved, but they barely contributed to the original, so who knows.

Ian | 8/20/2009, 2:11 pm EST

I’m not completely against a remake, I just do not want it to be another motion capture CGI Robert Zemeckis movie like Beauwulf and polar express.

I do not like the look of his motion capture films. If he wants to make the people look realistic then use real people, if you want to make a cartoon, then animate it.

If it was a Pixar style movie, well that would be a different story…

laura | 8/20/2009, 6:07 pm EST

I think that they should leave well enough alone. I love the original and somethings shouldn’t be messed with ie: The Grinch that stole Christmas. Boris Karlof is the only Grinch in my book.

spencer | 8/20/2009, 11:32 pm EST

this will end up worse than the sgt. pepper movie.

Anonymous | 8/21/2009, 1:01 am EST

the beatles are still#1

stop robert | 8/21/2009, 10:06 am EST

very bad idea. ROBERT: YR FILMS SUCK! THEY LOOK HORRIBLE. don’t mess with the Beatles! is nothing sacred anymore? I hope Yoko, Paul and Ringo shut this one down.

JRW | 8/21/2009, 1:37 pm EST

This is a VERY VERY BAD idea. Let Disney remake one of its classic animated features into some 3-D mess. Does anyone seriously think they would let that happen? So they can just leave the classic animated Yellow Submarine alone.

Sparks | 8/22/2009, 2:34 pm EST

Are you fucking kidding me?

omfg | 8/24/2009, 6:17 am EST

why?

Angered Fan | 8/24/2009, 3:32 pm EST

This is a TERRIBLE idea. Why not remake “Help!” and “A Hard Day’s Night” as well?

While we’re at it, remake the White Album and Please Please Me with auto-tune and Akon singing the hooks.

This is untouchable stuff, it’s THE BEATLES people.. anyone who is involved in this is pure evil.

huh? | 8/24/2009, 9:40 pm EST

Blasphemy.

Mr Sub yellow dawg | 8/25/2009, 1:35 pm EST

I thin this is great idea and screw all you who think otherwise. Rob Z makes some of the best films known to man or woman, wit hthe possible exception of On Golden Pond.

I’d imagine his version of yellow sub will be a bit like back to the future meeets lady and the tramp ie. full of beauty and passion but also with crazy white-haired scientists and bitches.

Disney probably shouldn’t get too involved here though – they make films with a sugary-sweet coating and what you want from yellow sub is an acid-fuelled trip down psychedelia lane, with some good tunes and scouse accents.

bring on the remake! let it be fresh and yet true to its predecessor!

j | 8/26/2009, 9:29 am EST

I have mixed feelings about this idea. Wonder what Paul and Ringo think about it.What about the end when the four appear in the film.

Jared | 8/27/2009, 12:12 pm EST

I guess it could go either way, but I heard Paul said he was okay with it and he is going to help remake the song. I don’t know if that is true but I am not happy and not sad you know? I just hope Disney doesn’t screw it up.

Long live The Beatles, the best band ever. :)

natashk | 9/1/2009, 6:27 am EST

нахрена все это.

ys | 9/5/2009, 2:17 am EST

it would be better if it was a pixar movie
but I’m still looking forward to it
but please don’t make it look like beowolf!

Eliana | 9/18/2009, 8:20 am EST

Disney is nothing more than corporate pigs trying to monopolize everything. As a kid, I always wanted to work with them as an animator and director, it’s amazing that, right when I start my college life, getting ready to make a bachelor’s in programing and art, I find out this. It breaks my heart that Apple Corps would sell out one of the greatest movies of all time. I don’t think Disney and/or Robert Zemeckis will be able to remake this masterpiece as great as it was. The Blue Meanies, the Nowhere Man, the Animation as it is, all will be replaced with this new generation’s beliefs. It won’t be the same; same goes for the jokes that no one will get now days. I feel old talking like this, and I’m only 18, and I grew up watching the movie over and over again, listening to the music, and believing in what the Beatles always talked about. I swear, if they screw this up, I’ll hit depression. I’m absolutely out-raged but this!!!

princess | 9/21/2009, 9:40 am EST

Angered Fan said it all.. Don’t mess, remake or do anything related to the Beatles, they are untouchable

Beatles | 9/28/2009, 8:36 pm EST

i think its great i see good in it and i see bad but im happy Robert Zemeckis is making it cause “Back to the Future” is my favorite movie of all time! =D

animator | 10/12/2009, 9:02 am EST

Sounds like Eliana applied at Disney and got turned down, since their work may not have been up to par.

Cassie | 10/20/2009, 1:34 am EST

no…just..no.

Re-make Let It Be | 10/22/2009, 6:37 pm EST

Here’s an idea…re-make Let It Be where the main characters actually like each other and get along and manage to stay together for another 10 years. Now that would be a great movie. Either that or re-release the original.

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