Studio:
Walt Disney Pictures.
Production Company:
DIC Pictures/Caravan Pictures.
Project Phase: Greenlighted.
Who's In It:
Matthew Broderick (Inspector Gadget); Rupert Everett (Dr. Claw); Joely Fisher (Brenda);
Michelle Trachtenberg; Cheri Oteri; Andy Dick; Fred Williamson (Voice of Gadget's Car).
Who's Making It: David Kellogg (Director); Jeff Berry,
Kerry Ehrin, Dana Olsen (Screenwriters); Roger Birnbaum, Andy Heyward,
Gregg Hoffman, Jordan Kerner (Producers); DreamQuest Images (Special Visual Effects);
based on the animated television series Inspector Gadget.
Premise: The world's number one super secret agent is also unfortunately a bumbling, disaster-prone individual. One day his bad luck catches up to him when said agent tries to foil the plans of his long-time nemesis, and the result is one blown-up secret agent. Thanks to the ingenuity of a beautiful doctor skilled in robotics, our hero returns in the form of Inspector Gadget. Now outfitted with telescoping arms and legs and other gizmos, Gadget takes up pursuit of the insidious Dr. Claw and his evil organization dubbed MAD.
Release Date: Summer 1999.
Comments: None.
Rumors: Unknown.
Scoop Feedback:
[Page draft submitted by 'Widgett'.]
August 19, 1997... It has been mentioned that a script is in the works somewhere, and the people mentioned as possible Inspectors (since, as Harry over at AICN points out with a tear in his eye, Peter Sellers is no longer among us) are Jim Carrey, Nathan Lane, Mike Myers, and Robin Williams. Nothing has been confirmed as yet, though. [Scoop submitted by 'Widgett', Aint-it-Cool News.]
March 24, 1998... The film's budget is set at $70 million. [Scoop submitted by 'Widgett', IMDB, 'Bort', ]
April 18, 1998... Judging from the casting announcements that would take place a month from this scooper's submission date, it seemed like Disney had been playing serious ball on getting this one up to bat by summer '99...
"I was just in L.A. and I was on the set of the teaser Disney is making for Inspector Gadget. It starts as an E.R. rip off and then takes the comedy turn when the doctor says, 'Scalpel, bone cutter, wrench.' HA! Anyway.....tthe movie is pretty good, starring Penny, but not the ever faithful dog, instead Gadget's car has been given a personality of it's own. As far as actors....Jim Carrey wants ten million and the studio isn't sure they want to pay that. They are also talking about Kevin Klein. Doctor Claw is in it and also the origin of Gadget (he's a security guard, or a cop who is caught in an explosion). That's all for now." [Sent in by anonymous.]
At first glance, you think the scooper is off their rocker (Jim Carrey only asking for ten million?) But one month later that same scoop bore fruit...
May 11, 1998... In today's daily mail was a message telling us one of the sisters of a collegue of the scooper just landed a contract for working on this picture. But it's not greenlighted, right? *BEEP!* Wrong answer! [Anonymous.]
May 12, 1998... Today is the day that Matthew Broderick is revealed as the actor chosen to portray the loveable cyborg of disaster, Inspector Gadget. Broderick, set to make his own impact very soon as the lead in Sony/Tri-Star's Godzilla, will match wits against the fiendish Dr. Claw, to be portrayed by Rupert Everett (My Best Friend's Wedding, Dunston Checks In). Broderick will take home $5 mil cool ones for his work on Disney's tentpole release for summer '99. Cameron Diaz is considering the part of Gadget's savior/romantic interest, a medical doctor who bionically re-assembles the disaster-prone hero when he's blown up by one of Claw's bombs. [Scoops sent in by field agents Todd Dupler, 'cmbtaco' and anonymous. Go Gadget scoopers!]
July 14, 1998... Filming is set to start next week on July 20th. [Anonymous.]
We've also been told that SNL cast member Cheri Oteri gets to play the mayor character in the movie, while the role of Penny, Gadget's sleuthy niece, will hopefully be Michelle Trachtenberg's next gig. Andy Dick (NewsRadio) also will draw a paycheck for his acting services. [Say 'Flynn', nice gadget!]
July 23, 1998... We were just told that Matthew Broderick is getting either around or exactly $4 million for his paycheck for Gadget. he inked the contract before Godzilla had been released, using the high publicity from the Tri-Star film to drive up his asking price. [Relayed by 'Vodoo Daddy'.]
August 4, 1998... Thanks to our scooper, we now know DreamQuest Images is providing the visual effects for Inspector Gadget. ['Oberon' rocks.]
August 6, 1998... In a move that elevates this scoop to the current frontrunner for 'Coolest Scoop of the Week', 'Big Shemp' reveals that none other than Fred Williamson himself is set to be the voice of Inspector Gadget's car. Cool. ['Big Shemp' knows all.]
August 25, 1998... Turning a spotlight on a subject we're sure Disney doesn't want us to, we've been told that screenwriter Audrey Wells (The Truth About Cats and Dogs, George of the Jungle, and the forthcoming Mighty Joe Young) is performing "uncredited rewrites to try and pull another live-action Disney film to safety." [Anonymous.]
September 7, 1998... We've been hearing for about a month from some sources that the film is being shot under the name of The Real Inspector Gadget; however, other media outlets have refered to the picture as just Inspector Gadget. Without any real way to confirm the title change we left the matter alone.
This past weekend we received a scoop from a trusted source who has also heard about the subtle title alteration. The scooper's theory as to why Disney may be tweaking with the title is the best we've heard yet, so let's give him the floor:
"Disney's Inspector Gadget film may be more narrowly defined upon release as The Real Inspector Gadget or something along the lines. No concrete reason I've heard as to why this may be, but usually its because some party holds the rights to do a film or tv project with the basic title and subject matter and for whatever reason is not involved in the production which then must take on the Real or somehow buy the rights to use the title.
"This for example was what happened with the animated
Like we said, it's the best explanation we've heard so far. Officially the title is Inspector Gadget but Disney also makes it a point to mention that this is a running title and thus runs a greater possibility that it could be subject to change. [Thanks to Brent Lynch for some good detective work.]
November 17, 1998... "I recently saw the teaser for Inspector Gadget, and I give it a mixed review. Ya see, well, it looks a little promising, but then some other aspects of the film look like pure shit. Let me give you a breakdown:
"The trailer starts out with doctors working on somebody, and then we see that they're operating in a different way, by using all sorts of weird objects. All of a sudden, we see Matthew Broderick in his typical scared look, or the look of paranoia that he ALWAYS has in every movie. He's introduced at some police party in one scene, where Cheri Oteri from Saturday Night Live looks on.
"Gadget spots some girl, don't know the name, and then he says, 'Wowsers!' The special effects there look great, especially when his head pops out. Other than that, we see the car, which is nothing like the cartoon, and more like an advertisement for soft drinks. Then, at the end (this is pretty funny), we see Claw (Rupert Everett) and Gadget talking to each other for a brief second. Broderick tells him that he'll never 'get away with it.' In response, Everett says, 'Oh, how cliche! Obviously, somebody's been watching way too many Saturday morning cartoons.' After he says that, Gadget, Claw, and then Andy Dick at the camera. The last 30 seconds of the trailer are somewhat good, but I still have my doubts."
[Thanks to our man 'AMC Dave' for reporting the news.]
January 5, 1999... What are the differences between this movie version and the original animated series you ask? "The film version of Gadget's vehicle is called 'The Gadget Mobile', contradicting the original cartoons 'Gadget Car'. Plus it sounds simply stupid coming out of Joely Fisher's mouth 'Just say Go Go Gadget Mobile!'. What the F**K???" [Scoop provided by 'Larry De Meza II'.]
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