It’s been a while since we’ve had any updates onChris McKay’s live-actionJonny Questmovie. McKay joined the long-gestating project in 2018when he replacedRobert Rodriguezas director, but we haven’t heard anything since that initial announcement. Until now.
Speaking with our own Steve Weintraub ahead of the release ofThe Tomorrow War, McKay offered an update on theJonny Questmovie, confirming it is not the next film on his plate, but teasing what makes his vision different and exciting, as he compares his take on the popular Hanna-Barbera franchise toRaiders of the Lost Ark.
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When asked why he was excited about tackling theJonny Questfranchise, McKay responded in a way that would makeVin Diesel’s Dominic Toretto proud:
“What I like about Jonny Quest is that it’s kind of a family that you make. We have all of your favorite Jonny Quest characters, and then some deep dives. Jonny is a character who experienced grief. His mother died, and it’s about how the people around you can help you overcome grief. At the end of the day there is something about that.”
Jonny Questdebuted in 1964 with an animated show created by Doug Wildey over at Hanna-Barbera Productions. The series was inspired by radio serials and actiion-adventure comics, following a young boy named Jonny as he accompanies his scientist father on exciting adventures.
Even thoughThe Flintstonesis credited as the first major TV cartoon aimed at adults, having aired on prime time, one could argueJonny Questtook that idea and fully ran with it. The show featured more realistic art and character designs than anything Hanna-Barbera had produced before, feeling more like a predecesor toIndiana Jonesthan a follow-up toThe Flintstones. Even though it starred an 11-year-old kid, the show featured enough high-stakes action to rival modern action blockbusters. This last part is what McKay wants to bring over to his live-action adaptation:
“But it’s also very Raiders of the Lost Ark. It’s a world-hopping movie looking for a real-world artifact to stop a big global catastrophe. I really love the characters, and I really love the relationships in Jonny Quest. The writers did an amazing job. And I’m hoping that WB wants to make that movie really soon because it’s going to be really cool, it’s going to be a big movie likeTomorrow War, it’s going to be a big-in-scope family action movie.”
Sadly, that last bit reveals that the movie has still not been given the greenlight by the studio to begin production, but theRaiders of the Lost Arkcomparison is enough to get us excited for whenever the project moves ahead. In the meantime, McKay’sThe Tomorrow Warpremieres July 2nd on Prime Video.
