Casting Call: Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego
In which we suggest who should star in the next big adaptation, remake, or historical film.
Jennifer Lopez appears to have a peculiar affinity for children’s cartoons. After naming her children after Emmy and Max, siblings who discover a portal to a world of dragons in PBS’ Dragon Tales, Lopez is taking on what was deemed TV Guide‘s “47th Greatest Game Show of All Time” in 2001. That’s right; buttressed by the singer, mother, and, now, producer, Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? has got a shot at the big screen. The undertaking of the project was announced late 2011, but has yet to come to much fruition. For one, the leading lady—in spite of purported claims that J.Lo will star in the live-action rendition in addition to producing it—has yet to be chosen. Walden Studios nonetheless has a bastion of industry notables backing the film, including Benny Medina (who has managed J.Lo in the past and recently got his hands tied up in a bout of drama with her ex-driver ) and Michael Bostick (Walden CEO).
The mobilization of the film comes at an especially nostalgic time in Hollywood, as producers ruminate on the creature comforts of childhood in the 20th century: along with Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax (March 2012), two Snow White productions have recently racked in millions in the last few months, and Wreck-it Ralph, which celebrates and rewrites the script for our favorite villainous video game bosses, is set to premiere this November. J.Lo has certainly caught onto the trend in signing on Jack the Giant Killer (March 2013) screenwriter Darren Lemke to pen the adaptation.
For any nameless 20something, the film production of Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? comes as a stark reminder that the nineties—and youth—are as fleeting as Sandiego herself. An elusive jewel thief/heroine in a trench coat, all the excitement of a game show, and an uncanny survey of world geography—children’s TV shows just aren’t the same anymore. Hopefully, J.Lo and Walden can restore the show’s educational value and in doing so, breathe new life into a character and an era slowly fading into the ether. Here are some picks for who we think could command the vague vixen veiled in red and her unrelenting pursuers.
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