Why did the Jetsons theatrical movie fail

[TMC]

This coming July 6 will officially mark 30 years since Jetsons: The Movie was released. It came right off of the heels of the 1980s syndicated revival and the 1987 made for TV crossover movie with The Flintstones. The movie when it was released in the summer of 1990 was simply put, a major bomb both critically and commercially. Critically, it has merely a 27% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and commercially, it only grossed $20.3 million in the United States. I don't have the information for how much it cost to make Jetsons: The Movie but here is some perspective on how it struggled at the box office:

The film opened at #4, behind Die Hard 2, Days of Thunder and Dick Tracy, with a weekend gross of $5 million, for an average of $3,220 from 1,562 theaters. The film then lost 43% of its audience in its second weekend, falling to #10 with a second weekend gross of $2.9 million, averaging $1,820 from 1,566 theaters, and bringing its ten-day gross to $10.9 million.

We all know that Jetsons: The Movie was a decidedly troubled production. Daws Butler passed away prior to voice recording so they got Patric Zimmerman to voice Elroy. George O'Hanlon (George Jetson) recorded about 88% of his dialogue before he passed away of a stroke (apparently, while he was in the recording studio). Mel Blanc (Mr. Spacely) also died during production, so Jeff Bergman had to step in to fill-in the blanks (no pun intended) for both Mel Blanc and George O'Hanlon. And last but not least, there was Tiffany Darwish replacing Janet Waldo as Judy, which I go further into momentarily.

Going back to my original question, why do you think that the Jetsons movie failed to make an impression all around? Was it simply a case of "word of mouth" killing it? Both Siskel and Ebert, who at the time were basically the main authoritative voices of film criticism (in the pre-internet days), gave it thumbs down. There was likely the outrage from fans over their disapproval of having a pop singer/non-actress in Tiffany in effect, dub over the original voice actress of Judy Jetson, Janet Waldo. Apparently, the powers that be at Universal thought that having Tiffany in a major role would be a good ploy to get kids to come see the film since she was big at the time. But it's very naïve to assume that anybody was not going to see this movie just because of one voice actor. Keep in mind, that this was before casting a big time celebrity to do voices for animated movies (like Robin Williams as the Genie in Aladdin) was the norm.

Did the movie simply come out too late? By the time that Jetsons: The Movie was released, it had been a good three years since the last first-run episode was broadcast. And the two-season revival was done over 25 years after the original run back in the 1960s. In fairness, the show was still in reruns by 1990. However, the same thing could be said about He-Man (the 1987 Masters of the Universe movie with Dolph Lundgren) in that the show was still running reruns at the time and the movie still failed. And Jetsons: The Movie was actually delayed; it was originally going to be released around Christmas time of 1989.

[TMC]

After three seasons concluded the Jetsons TV series. The movie came out a few years later. Where George Jetson becomes vice president of a mining site. Dealing with big issues. Is the movie bad? Did other problems plague it to bomb. Are fans too unfair about the last outing of this classic series?

[merlinjones]

1) Like the 80s TV follow-up episodes - the movie failed to capture the full modernist look and sophisticated humor sensibility, pace and timing of the 1962 originals.

2) The characters move too much for H-B - should have stuck to limited animation.

2) It tried to be "current/relevant" Especially in the recasting of Tiffany for Janet Waldo (unforgivable).

[Charley Knox]

Originally Posted by merlinjones

1) Like the 80s TV follow-up episodes - the movie failed to capture the full modernist look and sophisticated humor sensibility, pace and timing of the 1962 originals.

1) The characters move too much for H-B - should have stuck to limited animation.

2) It tried to be "current/relevant" Especially in the recasting of Tiffany for Janet Waldo (unforgivable).

You nailed it with the 2nd part. It was a little to preachy for an H-B product. The movie was also cursed with the main voice cast passing away during production and having to be replaced on the fly.

[rusty spike]

I think the movie came too late.

I think they could have pulled it off within 5 years of the original show.

[Mario500]

Originally Posted by Charley Knox

You nailed it with the 2nd part. It was a little to preachy for an H-B product. The movie was also cursed with the main voice cast passing away during production and having to be replaced on the fly.

What "main voice cast"?

[Charley Knox]

Originally Posted by Mario500

What "main voice cast"?

George O'Hanlon (George Jetson), Mel Blanc (Mr Spacely), Daws Butler (Elroy) and Janet Waldo (Judy) being replaced by pop singer Tiffany.

[Mario500]

(believes the member of the cast named Janet Waldo died after the release of the movie)

[Charley Knox]

Originally Posted by Mario500

(believes the member of the cast named Janet Waldo died after the release of the movie)

She was replaced with 80's pop star Tiffany, because they thought it might be a selling point with an younger audience.

[Dude111]

Originally Posted by rusty spike

I think the movie came too late.

They screwed it up as most stuff started being in the 80s... If they had left it like the origianl show EXACTLY,it would be great!!

BUT NO THE 80s WERE TOO GOOD FOR GOOD STUFF!!

[Hawkee]

When it was announced that a full-length movie for The Jetsons was gonna be made many people thought that it would introduce a whole new generation of fans to The Jetsons and when The Jetsons The Movie debuted in 1990 they had hoped that it would be a smash success. But I think what the main problem that Jetsons The Movie had was that while some of the original voice cast was no longer living that they had simply wanted to give people a chance to see how The Jetsons would adjust to 90's life. But even with singer Tiffany who was coming off the success of her underrated third album New Inside which was also released in 1990 providing the voice of Judy Jetson in the movie couldn't save it from failure. And Judy's personality had changed from being a smart loving and fun girl to a fashionista boy crazy girl and it seemed that The Jetsons The Movie was all about Tiffany because she not only provided Judy Jetson's voice she also performed the end title song in the movie. Even with a deal with Wendy's to promote kids meal toys based on Jetsons The Movie couldn't save the movie from being a giant failure in theaters. When you decide to make a movie based on a cartoon especially a classic cartoon favorite you can expect people to see a movie with the original voice actors not replacement actors and a good storyline that people will enjoy. Hopefully if another The Jetsons movie is released in the future the lesson will be learned
Bestie

[Charley Knox]

Pop star Tiffany never should have replaced Janet Waldo as Judy Jetson
https://www.metv.com/stories/pop-sta...comment_487424

[TMC]

This is from the Nostalgia Critic so I should give you some fair warning about the inappropriate language in the video.

1990 was a strange time, especially for a cartoon from the 60s made in the 80s talking about the future. Does it get too much hate though? Nostalgia Critic takes a look at Jetsons: The Movie.

[merlinjones]

Being fully cogent in the 1980s, I can assure anyone younger that Tiffany had zero influence on anyone at the box-office except in the minds (and wallets) of her agents and the studio execs. D-list pop stars do not sell classic cartoons to new generations (and just piss off anyone who knows better). The loss of legendary Janet Waldo was inexcusable and tragic.

[Old School]

I think its time had past it by when they came out with the movie. A live action movie might have been better like the 1994 Flintstones movie.




Jetsons Official Movie Trailer (1990)