Abbott Elementary creator Quinta Brunson will develop and star in a new film based on cartoon icon Betty Boop.
The Emmy winner’s company, Fifth Chance Productions, will team up with the character’s owners, Fleischer Studios, and Mark Fleischer, grandson of Betty Boop creator Max Fleischer. According to a report from Variety, the film will follow the framework of 2023’s Barbie, reimagining a famous female character through a modern perspective.
The article states that “the film will trace the origin and evolution of Betty Boop through the perspective of her creator, Max Fleischer, examining the relationship between the artist and his creation as he navigates the creative and commercial pressures of building one of the world’s first animated icons.” Further details are yet to be announced.
Created in 1930, Betty Boop was a cartoon interpretation of the “Flapper Girl” subculture of the 1920s, a teenager with a child-like voice and the famous catchphrase “Boop-Boop-Be-Doop”. She appeared in numerous films and comic strips through the 1930s, becoming a cultural icon and featuring in media and merchandise for decades. She made a cameo in the Oscar-winning 1989 hit Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, while a Broadway musical based on the character opened last year.
Brunson, who created, writes and stars in the sitcom Abbott Elementary, said in a statement: “Betty Boop is one of our nation’s most beloved cartoon characters, yet somehow still remains pleasantly niche. She has had a quiet but undeniable impact on culture for nearly a century.
“After Erin [Wehrenberg, Fifth Chance Productions executive] and I met with Mark and learned more about his grandfather’s creation of Betty, I realized there was a much deeper story to tell. One that could be explored in a way that feels refreshing, subversive, and timeless, much like Betty herself.”
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