Larry the Cucumber, Bob the Tomato and the rest of the garden-variety heroes will reportedly be back on the big screen in 2008. According to Daily Variety, Universal Pictures has acquired worldwide theatrical and home video distribution rights to The Prirates Who Don’t Do Anything’A VeggieTales Movie, a follow-up to Big Idea’s successful 2002 CG production, Jonah’A VeggieTales Movie.
Big Idea’s VeggieTales began life in 1994 as a popular home video series of animated biblical tales featuring talking and singing vegetables. Since then, aound 30 titles have been released at retail, selling nearly 50 million units. With a built-in audience in place, Artisan’s FHE Pictures decided to release the first movie in more than 1,000 theaters in the U.S., where it grossed north of $25 million with the grassroots support of church groups and became the first successful independent CG feature.
The VeggieTales property, which has spawned a line of books and PC video games, became part of the Classic Media library when the family entertainment company acquired Chicago-based Big Idea in September of 2003. Artisan then announced plans to release a second feature, titled The Bob and Larry Movie, in 2005. Instead, writer Phil Vischer, director Mike Nawrocki and producer David Pitts of Big Idea have apparently been busy at work on their pirate adventure, which will star a trio of lethargic swashbucklers who appeared in the first film.
