Vintage PC Edutainment game fans (that surely must exist, yes?); you may finally be getting a Hollywood blockbuster to call your own: Walden Media (the folks behind the “Narnia” movies) has comissioned a screenplay for a feature film adaptation of “Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego?”
Jennifer Lopez is one of the project’s producers, and has been developing it as a potential star-vehicle for herself – the title character is a master-thief of (presumably) Latin/Spanish descent who prefers to pilfer items of historical/geographic significance. In the games, players took on the role of Interpol experts who had to use their knowledge of geography to suss out clues and chase Carmen and her associates around the world.
Outside of “The Oregon Trail,” WITWICS? is probably the most successful/well-known franchise in the “edutainment” genre; and in it’s heyday inspired tie-in books, school materials, museum/zoo events, merchandise and even an animated Fox TV series – however, it’s probably best remembered by Gen-Xers for the uniquely-bizzare kiddie game show that aired on PBS…
MOVIEBOB CENTRAL 
How the hell did Battleship get a movie before “Carmen Sandiego?”
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What about Gen Y? Why do you always forget us, Bob?
'86 represent!
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And with some luck, it will be like the genius “Where The F**k is Carmon San Diego”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYhodCCUyBs&feature=fvwrel
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Actually, Rockapella is still happening. They have changed a good number of its members, but they still exist.
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Jennifer Lopez? No. No no no no. She is NOT Carmen Sandiego.
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Was it ever explained how ACME, the company that provided While E. Coyote with of his failed Road Runner catching gear, also managed an international law enforcement agency?
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I remember the game show from when I was a kid, mostly for the theme song. I more vividly remember it's successor though, “Where in Time is Carmen Sandiego?” Weird show, Carmen had a army of supervillains with pun-tastic names like “Sir Vile” & “Baron Wasteland” that she sent back in time to steal shit.
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Ah, yes. I remember playing that on 5 1/4″ floppies in the 6th grade. I was the only one in class who played it, so I had all the high scores. It must not have worked, though, 'cuz I went on to get a D in geography later…
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You can keep Rockapella…Dic's opener was actually a lot better…series too. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGufyFt6zQc
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OT: Bob, how can you support Obama when his military policies have killed as many people as Bush's?
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James, you need to get a grip and a life. In that order.
Not sure if Lopez = Sandiego, but as I always say when I hear strange casting choices, “Heath Ledger?!”
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So if this turns out successful, how long do you think it will be before they decide to make a Captain Planet movie, since it's basically edutainment + Superheroes?
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James, as a fellow “libertarian”, drop it. If he ain't gonna admit it now, reminding him every single day won't change that. Go see if you can change someone else's mind. Here, you're just wasting your time.
On topic, I'm really looking forward to this. The Quebec version was one of my favorite shows as a kid. Really, really not sure if J-Lo as Carmen would work, though… but right now I don't have a better casting idea. I'll have to give it some thought.
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Angelina Jolie can be CS before J-Lo is.
I personally don't believe Jennifer Lopez is famous any more, much the way morons can not believe in evolution.
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It ought to be a simple film: a detective hunts for an elusive master thief who steals famous world monuments.
The opening could have Carmen stealing the Eiffel Tower.
And yes, “seraphmaclay”: That DiC opener is animated awesome.
J-Lo won't have to do much: with a skilled director and solid writing, the film almost makes itself.
As for CAPTAIN PLANET: The Movie. NO. Just…NO.
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I was hesitantly on to this project until I read Lopez as a name of importance.
Another 8 dollars the theaters won't be seeing from me.
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@King Kool I can think of a stranger casting choice that predates Heath Ledger's Joker by nearly 6 years. Imagine this: Simon Pegg playing a New York mob boss from the late 1930s. If you can't, then give this a listen and then get back to me: http://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/invaders-from-mars-652
On topic, I actually used to play those games a LOT when I was a kid. I enjoyed them about as much as the “Monkey Island” series. However, I must like “Monkey Island” more cos I'm still playin' 'em, but I digress. I'm not so sure about Lopez playing Carmen, but you never know. Maybe it's something for her kids to watch. Hell, it's why Gary Oldman did “Harry Potter”! 😀
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'86 representing, gavstern.
I was a devotee of the PBS game show, I still have a gazillion episodes recorded on sadly-deteriorated VHS tapes (just labeled “Carmen”). I wish they'd make a DVD release, although game shows typically don't get that. It's a shame. I wonder if I can download them somewhere.
I'm curious as to what angle they'll take with this. I assume they'll be taking most of their cues from the animated series (the only non-interactive iteration of the franchise AFAIK), but at which arc? Will Carmen herself be the antagonist, or will it be one of the arcs where she turned into an anti-hero? Either would be interesting.
As for the casting… huh. Jennifer Lopez is an actress best described as “fairly decent,” but the material isn't exactly crying out for Oscar-winning performance, so I'll allow it. She always did look a bit too Caucasian in the animated forms.
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