Watership Down Remake Planned
The BBC are planning a CGI remake of Watership Down, according to the Radio Times.
The original 1978 feature, directed by Martin Rosen (who took over after the death of John Hubley) and based on the book by Richard Adams followed the tale of Hazel, Fiver and a community of rabbits as they leave their home to find pastures new, encountering fear, danger and hardship along the way – fears that the majority of the audience shared as the film is well known for leaving youngsters terrified. According to the site an insider said:
People love the 1978 film in but with new CGI technology we can do amazing things – you can see the wind blowing the fur which you didn’t get with the cartoon film.
The original film is reported to be the most violent PG film ever made, with the BBFC still receiving complaints about it on a regular basis. Despite this the film has gained huge praise for the maturity of its animation and story. Quite what direction the BBC intend to go with this new adaptation is yet to be confirmed.