The new VeggieTales movie, The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything, is well underway! A few weeks ago I was down with Mike in Franklin, TN recording the voices. Mike is doing a stellar job directing the film, and things are looking great. He wrote a hilarious new song that takes place in a swarthy Pirate pub in the middle of the film, and the highlight of the recording session was packing a bunch of us together in the studio to sing the song in our bestest, swarthiest pirate voices. Me and Mike, Kurt Heinecke, frequent Big Idea singer (and director of an upcoming show) Brian Roberts, plus Big Idea editors Chris Wall and John Wahba (our original Big Idea Productions editor who took a few years off to work on Jimmy Neutron and Ant Bully before joining the new Big Idea for the pirate movie), all locked in a booth, hollaring away. It was a hoot. (I seem to remember a video camera set up in the corner, so the recording session could wind up as a DVD bonus feature.)
Anyway, the film is coming along great. Since it isn't constrained to following an existing story like our first film Jonah, we really had the freedom to craft the best story we could, and I think you're going to like it a lot. Lotsa action, lotsa laughs, and a surprising amount of heart. (Actually choked up a bit just watching the storyreel earlier this week! I'm not sure that has ever happened before with a storyreel.)
There is a lot of other stuff going on at Jellyfish Labs… my grown-up book – Me, Myself & Bob – is headed to the printers and already got a good review in Publisher's Weekly. Sidney & Norman is out in stores and seems to be doing well, and my second kids book, 47 Beavers on the Big Blue Sea, is also off at the printers and headed for a release date early next year. Then there's a bunch of other fun stuff, too. But I can't tell you about that yet!
Stay tuned… more to come…
The new movie sounds cool. Also looking forward to Me, Myself and Bob.
-a
Thats sounds awsome Phil!!
I wish you the best of luck with it all 😀
My son will love this movie! Can’t wait to see it.
When my son was a few years younger (he’s 6 now) he used to sing:
We are the pirates we don’t do anything!
We just stay at home, and FLY around!
I can only imagine the images going through his mind when he sung about pirates flying around their house. We never corrected him because it was just SOOOO cute!
Great news. Cant wait!
Awesome news Phil, it just gets more exciting by the minute.
Argh. Can’t wait, Matey. Or to quote a favorite decorative gourd, “Antsies in me pantsies!”
Our whole family has enjoyed Sidney and Norman and we’re looking forward to your next releases. May God continue to bless you with creative ideas and wisdom to know what to do with ’em.
–Amy
PS–When’ll we see more puppets? 😉
Our household is looking forward to the pirate invasion!
Aaaaaw, you didnt get choked up wth Snoodle? I always get choked up with Snoodle. Thats always a good one.
Ooo and I got one my “I really hate veggietales” friends to read your book about the pigs. And although I said I was going intot he next room, and snuck about around to secretly watch him read it…I think he was holding back tears , and THAT never happens. Like ever…
Cheers, have a great weekend!
Awesome! My campus has many “Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything” fans (including me) and we’re all excited! Can’t wait to hear more!
By the way, any chance of outtakes in this movie (like in Jonah)?
Sounds awesome!! You`re an inspiration. I want to be a writer, so your example serves as role model for young people like me. Keep up the good work. God is definatly using you. 😉
Thanks for keeping us posted. Looking forward to your new books and the Pirate movie!
So glad to hear the movie is going well! Sounds like busy times for you.
Hey, on a different note, I heard that you are pretty tight with Junior Asparagus? Well, could you tell him that we really miss his sweet little voice in the movies.
OK i just read all the different blogs on this site and figured out what was going on! DUH!!
My kids will love this! I didnt realize that you wrote books now! I am going to get them for my kids for xmas!
only 2 months left for shopping everyone!
THANKS PHIL! CANT WAIT FOR THE NEW FILM!
That sounds great phil! I can’t wait for the movie to hit the big screens and DVD!
Yay!!! I’m really excited about the new movie, but do we really hafta wait a year till we see it????? *pouts*. Just kidding, I know you’re all doin’ a fab job, can’t wait!
Heh, just watched the most recent Jelly News… the final comment (“We can still say that on the Internet, can’t we?”) made me laugh. Classic stuff, I’m loving this “Aimed specifically for an older audience” humour that you have going there. It seems to be something that’s lacking a little more in the more recent Veggie videos.
I am really looking forward to the Pirates movie (uh, and so are my kids) they are also big fans of the pig book (as they call it) looking forward to all the other great things in the works there in jelly labs!
And so we wait with great anticipation. Man, I hate the waiting part! Keep the news updated…
Hey Phil, I’m so glad your work is going well. I can’t wait to see the movie come to Australia, as Jonah didn’t and, well Universal better bring it!!
Keep on smiling and remember God is always with you!!!
I lok forward to seeing LOTB too- i think my brothers ordering it for Christmas…
Phil – I saw you on “Life Today” this morning and your story really touched my heart. It was very humbling and powerful at the same time and God spoke to my heart with a big reminder and warning to not let my aspirations or dreams become bigger than my relationship with Him.
More importantly, my daughter saw you this morning and she is 9. Our girls love Veggie Tales and she was able to watch you and see that “fame” isn’t always glamorous or what it’s cracked up to be. It was a great way for me to talk to both of my girls about dreams and about where to prioritize those in our lives.
God is still using you – and I want to encourage you to stay the course.
Thank you for being so open and transparent.
Dionna
It was great to see you on TV today and learn about your journey and beyond. What a blast from the past. I want to email you, but can’t find your address.
Hi Phil! I saw you on Life Today, I’m so glad that God has turned it around for your good. We love Veggie Tales!! I even caught my 10 yr old and the 11 yr old neighbor boy watching it the other day. May God bless your new projects as He blesses the rest of us through them!!! Thanks for sharing your gifts with us 🙂
Leslie
PS Snoodle is my favorite — it really hits home, wish that was around when I was a kid…
Phil,
Saw your interview on Life Today. I am SO glad to know you continue on. My son, Luke, (now 6) has loved Veggie Tales since he was 4 months old!!!! He knows the words to most all your movies and often uses his Veggie knowledge to relate to things he learns at church…which often confuses the teachers….”No, I don’t believe Joseph was called Little Joe or had 11 French peas as brothers!!!!:” He’ll be thrilled to know he’ll soon have new friends to join he and his Veggie friends on his adventures. I pray God will continue to bless you for the work you do and the truth you help us teach our kids.
PS Luke makes us tape the Veggies and Penquins on NBC. It’s the ONLY time we watch NBC!
Hi Phil. I saw you last night on Life Today. I could feel your pain .What a glorious testimony God has given you and your family. Thank you for sharing so openingly and honestly. You are a brave warrior. Keep fighting the good fight. We get sucked in so easily to the things of this world. Lets REST in Him .
Hello Mr. Vischer! Absolutely loved Sidney and Norman! Looking forward to 47 Beavers on the Big Blue Sea!!! Interesting title, by the way…
Man i cant wait to see it ever since the first feature came out i couldn’t wait to see the next
Wanna hear something really cool? I have a three year old son who has REALLY been through the ringer. He had a brain tumor that was found just after his first birthday and was treated with chemo for almost a year. On top of that he’s had a host of other medical problems and a communication and cognitive delay to boot. But that doesn’t stop him from trying to sing (and doing quite well I might add) the Dance of the Cucumber or Cebu at the top of his lungs. And what’s more is that he’s starting to actually quote the movie. The BEST part is the fact that the kid who some thought wouldn’t ever say much of anything can sing the entire chorus to “My Day” (they have the Boyz CD). It made me and my mom cry like babies. And he’s still the happiest kid going. And VeggieTales played a MAJOR role in doing that. In some ways I truly feel like I owe you his life. Not medically, but the fact that his love for Bob and Larry (and “Boy” aka LarryBoy) kept a smile on his face when he could hardly lift his head off the pillow. So thank you for that. And thank you for this website and finally FINALLY giving me a chance to say all that.
I hope this movie is as funny as the commentary track on Jonah. After viewing it again, I didn’t think the Jonah movie was that great, but watching it with the character commentary track, it was HILARIOUS!
I thought Jonah was incredible. My mother in law still doesn’t believe me when I tell her that there are three voices in the Second Chances song. LOL. But I gotta tell you that song was very wonderful for me. Jonah came out while I was away at school and after growing up in Bishop Joseph Garlington’s church, that song SERIOUSLY took me home! LOL. I’m looking forward to the new soundtrack.
I hope this film will be great Phil!
I hope this film will be great Phil!
Jonah was the studio first try but it’s ok
this is so cool! God bless