'More bloody penguins' surf to theaters

(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-03-16 15:42

LAS VEGAS - Don't view "Surf's Up" as just another penguin movie -- that was the message delivered to movie theater owners Thursday as Sony Pictures unveiled footage from its upcoming animated film.

"More bloody penguins, that's what we're here for," joked producer Chris Jenkins, giving voice to what many attendees at the ShoWest convention were probably thinking. But he quickly added, "This is not just another penguin movie."

In fact, the June 8 release is constructed as if it were a sports documentary about aspiring penguin surfer Cody Maverick, voiced by Shia LaBeouf. The movie's introductory sequence even includes material that looks like archival footage of great penguin surfers from the past.

Jenkins said directors Ash Brannon and Chris Buck worked from the premise that they were telling a story as if it had been filmed by a reality TV crew.

"Our movie is more 'Spinal Tap' than tap dancing," he said, taking a light swipe at last year's animated penguin movie, "Happy Feet." "The movie's killer," he promised.

"Surf's Up" is the second feature from 5-year-old Sony Animation, which also was responsible for last year's "Open Season."