Astro Boy Troubles

"Astro Boy," a film, based on the manga by Osamu Tezuka, tells the story of boy robot built to replace a scientist’s lost son.
Now the film is having problems with casting and financing.

First of, there were rumors that Scarlett Johansson would be playing a voice of a character in the film.

MTV News caught up with Johansson at the junket for “He’s Just Not That Into You” and asked her about the “Astro Boy” rumors.

“I had kind of sort of met on it and stuff, but I don’t know where that came from,” Johansson told MTV. “I had never been committed to it. I don’t know what happened to it.”

So she is not in the film then. Hopefully this will put an end to the rumors. But does this mean someone else will have to take her place? How will this affect the film?

Clearly Imagi Entertainment, the company making the film, has to get its priorities straight because it is believed that the film might be delayed due to financial problems.

A RUMOR from First Showing said, "Apparently Imagi Animation Studios is running out of money and may be temporarily shutting down operations. The official news will supposedly hit the wire tomorrow, but employees are being told not to show up to work starting on Monday. Imagi, based out of Hong Kong, is the animation company behind 2007's 'TMNT' as well as the upcoming 'Astro Boy' movie and also 'Gatchaman.'"

But i09 had the chance to interview Imagi U.S. president Erin Corbett, who set the record straight on the company's finances and the fate of "Astro Boy."

"Corbett says Imagi definitely has the money to finish making 'Astro Boy,' which already has distribution with Summit Entertainment and a release date of Oct. 23, 2009. She says the film remains on course to make that release date.

"Our number one objective is to get back on the rails," says Corbett. "We want to do everything to get Astro Boy out the door."

"The film is entirely storyboarded and planned out. The animation is about 50 percent rendered and completed at this point, and almost all of the film's vocal talent has already been recorded. Most importantly, the company already has enough money coming in, in February, to finish off work on 'Astro Boy.'

Meanwhile, the company is continuing to raise money for upcoming projects. Corbett wants to put out a CG 'Gatchaman' movie in November 2010."

Glad to have everything cleared up then. "Astro Boy" will indeed be hitting theaters this October, so be sure to check it out!