I know there were a lot of varying opinions over the computer animated TMNT movie that came out last year, but I have to admit that I enjoyed it for what it was. It captured both the spirit of the goofy cartoon that I grew up with and the darker comic book from which the characters were born. Imagi Studios made it a visual treat as well; even though I didn’t love all of the character designs, the animation itself was pretty stellar.

For this reason, I’ve been looking forward to hearing more about the next two CG films in the works from Imagi, both of which are also based on 80’s cartoons. Gatchaman and Astro Boy are scheduled for release in 2009, with TMNT director Kevin Munroe helming Gatchaman, and Colin Brady (Everyone’s Hero) supposedly taking the reins on Astro Boy. But wait… not so fast. It seems there has been a recent change in personnel for Astro Boy, and Colin Brady has now been replaced by Flushed Away director David Bowers.

Big news, right? Yeah, not really. I haven’t seen Flushed Away and I can’t say whether Bowers is going to bring anything dramatically different to the table. It doesn’t really change my outlook on the flick, except that it makes me wonder if there is some trouble behind the scenes and whether or not it can stay on track for a 2009 release. But that’s still a ways off. Astro Boy would seem to be the higher profile project of the two, so I’m sure they’ll want to take their time with it. I just want to know what happened to those rumours of Genndy Tartakovsky being involved? Now that would have been cool.