Genndy Tartakovsky Has Said Goodbye to 'Popeye', But Sony's Feature Cancellation Rumors False

Despite what you may have read in the Hollywood trades or other animation news blogs, I'm here to tell you they've all got it wrong. Sony is still moving forward with Popeye, probably just not the version that director Genndy Tartakovsky wanted to make. Tartakovsky revealed in a Moviefone interview that he's no longer working on the film.
Putting a polite spin on the recent upheaval at the studio, Tartakovsky was quoted as saying, “We definitely won’t be talking about Hotel 3, with me at least. Popeye, at least, we put up a great screening, everybody really liked that sizzle, we got a positive reaction. I was in love with what we were doing, but I think the studio is going through changes and I don’t know if they want to make the 'Popeye' that I want to make.”  He went on to say, “Right now, I’m off that project and moving on to the other one we soft-announced, which is Can You Imagine?...It was hard to let Popeye go, but that’s the business.”
The "changes" at Sony that Tartakovsky alluded to in his comments are the canning of Sony Pictures Digital Productions president Bob Osher (and his enabler Amy Pascal) and the hiring of former DreamWorks producer Kristine Belson as president of Sony Pictures Animation.
The Animation Guild blog hinted that Kristine Belson "is likely itching to put her own stamp on SPA, so look for some previously-announced pictures to be pushed back....or pushed overboard."
I have read a lot of comments by folks, saying how upset they are over news that Sony has cancelled the Popeye movie, but I'm here the set the record straight.
Sony hasn't cancelled the film. What has happened is that Genndy Tartakovsky had moved on to completing Hotel Transylvania 2 and has started production on an original flick, Can You Imagine?
According to a Sony Pictures Animation spokesman: "Genndy has been developing both Popeye and his original idea Genndy Tartakovsky's Can You Imagine? (temp title) at the same time while directing Hotel Transylvania 2."
"It initially looked like Popeye would happen first but Imagine pulled ahead and is now scheduled to be his next directorial film at Sony Pictures Animation. That said Popeye is still very much in active development."
That's the official word. Beyond that, both King Features and producer Avi Arad remain dedicated to bringing the famed comic strip sailor man - hopefully at Sony - to the screen. Sony has not commented yet on whether they intend to continue making Popeye without Tartakovsky's participation.
It was sad news when I found out Genndy Tartakovsky was off the Popeye feature. It was one of the very few things that were truly separating from the usual business we see coming from the big studios in terms of style. I admit to having been a bit apathetic to the thought of one of my favorite animators doing a Popeye film in the first place; it would be an awful shame if the feature failed at the box office (a sad possibility, as the scrappy sailor is almost unknown among younger generations), which would leave Genndy in a more difficult position to get funding for projects of his own creation. If Sony wants to make a lot of money, they should give Genndy a blank check to produce an original action picture. Let him do what he is great at.
To sum up: The rumors of Popeye's death have been greatly exaggerated. His voyage to the screen has been delayed - but is still on course. So put that in your pipe and smoke it!