Though it just barely lost the box office battle to Disney’s Glory Road, the CG-animated indie Hoodwinked is set to become a franchise. Daily Variety reports that The Weinstein Co. and Kanbar Ent. announced plans to produce a sequel titled Hood vs. Evil. Made for less than $20 million, Hoodwinked earned just shy of $17 million over the four-day Martin Luther King Jr. holiday period.
Harvey Weinstein told the trade that the modest budget will be doubled for the sequel in order to get the animation closer to the quality of Pixar product. He also noted that he and brother Bob Weinstein wouldn’t have been able to release such a successful independent toon if they were still with Disney. While the Mouse House marketing machine may be a force to be reckoned with, The Weinstein Co. team is to be commended since Hoodwinked managed to reel in audiences with only an eleventh hour promotional blitz.
Anne Hathaway (The Princess Diaries, Ella Enchanted), who voices the role of Little Red Riding Hood in the first film, is in talks to reprise the role for Hood vs. Evil. The sequel will have Red teaming up with The Wolf (Patrick Warburton) to investigate the disappearance of Hansel and Gretel. Writers/directors Cory Edwards, Todd Edwards and Tony Leech are bringing most of the other characters back as well, with the original voice cast expected to come aboard. Hoodwinked also features the voices of Glenn Close, Jim Belushi, Anthony Anderson, Andy Dick and recording artist Xzibit.
Co-produced and co-financed by the Weinsten Co., the sequel will be animated at Kanbar Animation, which SKYY Vodka entrepreneur Maurice Kanbar and former Disney Animation exec Sue Bea Mongomery established in Manila. Kanbar, who bankrolled the first film, will produce alongside David K. Lovegren, while Eric Robinson oversees production for the Weinstein Co. If successful, the franchise may go on for at least two more installments.
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