When every studio is so IP crazy, it’s surprising to see Warner Bros. put a valuable property like the Looney Tunes into cold storage. Yes, their latest feature film outing, Looney Tunes: Back in Action, failed to perform, but enough time has passed to give those beloved characters another shot. However, rather than try to get all of them in one go, the studio is wisely focusing on them individually. Specifically, they’ve set their eyes on the fast Mexican mouse, Speedy Gonzales.
According to Deadline, the studio is considering Speedy, an origin story about Speedy Gonzales with Eugenio Derbez voicing the part. While some have viewed Speedy as perpetuating racial stereotypes, Derbez feels that Speedy is a positive character:
“In Mexico we grew up watching Speedy Gonzalez,” Eugenio Derbez told Deadline. “He was like a superhero to us, or maybe more like a revolutionario like Simon Bolivar or Pacho Villa. He watched out for the little people but with a lot of bravado and a weakness for the ladies. I’m really excited to be bringing this character to the big screen. And besides being Mexican— my full name is Eugenio Derbez Gonzalez and I have big ears. The casting couldn’t be better.”
Producer Dylan Sellers says that this new film will be “an origin story of the great master, like a Robin Hood character, who ultimately ends up taking from the rich and giving to the poor.” He goes on to say, “In a time when Donald Trump is gaining momentum, the world needs Speedy more than ever."
Who knew that a really fast mouse that shouts “Andale! Andale! Arriba! Arriba!” could become a political figure, but here we are. Personally, I just hope it’s a charming movie that does justice to the beloved character and maybe opens the door for the other Looney Tunes to get solo pictures.
