Jeff Smith’s Classic ‘Bone’ Animated Trilogy in the Works

Nov 17, 2016

Warner Bros. has revealed director Mark Osborne (Kung Fu Panda) has been signed to helm the studio’s animated adaptation of the classic Jeff Smith comic series Bone. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Osborne will also co-write the script with Adam Kline (Artemis Fowl) as they aim to create a trilogy of films. A move forward with Bone has been a long time coming since Warners has held the rights since 2008.

“Bone is very special and unconventional because it blends elements together that you don’t necessarily expect — soft, little comic characters and epic high-stakes fantasy adventure,” Osborne told The Hollywood Reporter. “To carry this into the cinematic realm presents both an opportunity to represent what readers of all ages have loved about the series, while pushing animated storytelling into exciting and different areas.”

Added Kline, “As source material goes, Jeff’s epic is something of a unicorn: mythic, whimsical and pure in equal measure.”

The beloved comic series follows the adventures of the three Bone brothers (Fone, Smiley, and Phoney) in what begins as a lighthearted romp which soon fleshes out into a Tolkeinesque grand epic. Readers of all ages have been enthralled by not only Smith’s wonderfully classic artwork (inspired by the great Carl Banks and Walt Kelly) but the series’ encompassing themes of courage, friendship, and battling corruption that the quest for power always brings.

As someone who treasures a copy of the 1300+ page single volume of the series, I’m thrilled to finally see some forward momentum for a Bone adaptation in the near future!

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Jeff McAleer

Founder/Editor-in-chief of The Gaming Gang website and host of The Gaming Gang Dispatch and other TGG media for fifteen years, Jeff takes on any and all sorts of games but is especially ready to tackle roleplaying games and strategy games. He's been involved with the hobby since he was just a wee grade school lad, over four decades ago.