It looks like we might be heading to Orbit City! Reports indicate that beloved comedic actor Jim Carrey is currently in negotiations to star in Warner Bros.’ upcoming live-action film based on the classic 1960s animated TV series, ‘The Jetsons.’ Adding to the excitement, Colin Trevorrow, known for directing ‘Jurassic World,’ is lined up to helm the project.
According to The Wrap, Trevorrow will not only direct but also co-write the screenplay alongside Joe Epstein, who previously worked on ‘The Idol.’
Originally a sci-fi counterpart to another popular Hanna-Barbera creation, ‘The Flintstones,’ ‘The Jetsons’ captivated audiences for three seasons (a total of 75 episodes) when it first aired on ABC from 1962-63. The show depicted a fantastical future filled with flying cars, automated sidewalks, and helpful household robots, which were all part of daily life.
The animated sitcom centered on George Jetson, who Carrey is expected to portray. George is a dedicated employee at Spacely’s Space Sprockets, residing in the high-tech Orbit City with his wife Jane, their children Judy and Elroy, their canine companion Astro, and their notably sarcastic robot maid, Rosie.
The idea of a live-action ‘Jetsons’ movie has been floating around Hollywood since the 1980s, with various studios including Paramount, Universal, and Warner Bros. attempting to bring the futuristic family to the big screen over the decades.
Many notable talents have been attached to different iterations of the project throughout the years. These include producer Denise Di Novi (known for ‘Batman Returns’), director Rob Minkoff (who directed ‘The Lion King’ and ‘Stuart Little’), director Adam Shankman (‘Bringing Down the House’), writer Adam F. Goldberg (‘The Goldbergs’), director Robert Rodriguez (‘Spy Kids’), and writers Van Robichaux and Evan Susser (‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’).
Back in 2015, Matt Lieberman of ‘Short Circuit’ fame was hired to pen an unproduced ‘Jetsons’ animated movie for Warner Bros. At one point, Conrad Vernon (co-director of ‘Shrek 2’ and ‘Sausage Party’) was set to direct that animated project.
Even ‘Back to the Future’ director Robert Zemeckis was involved in 2017, attached to executive produce a live-action ABC sitcom version of ‘The Jetsons.’ However, that particular project ultimately did not materialize.
The last time this beloved cartoon family graced the silver screen was in 1990 with ‘Jetsons: The Movie,’ an animated feature film directed by the original creators, William Hanna and Joseph Barbera.
Fans can also look forward to seeing Jim Carrey reprise his role as the villainous Dr. Robotnik in ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 4,’ which is scheduled for release in March 2027.