Bill Watterson doesn’t give many interviews; however, Mental Floss managed to snag one with the creator of Calvin And Hobbes for their December issue. They’ve posted some of the interview online and have addressed one of the obvious questions: will Calvin and Hobbes ever be animated?
The familiar characters seem perfect for an on-screen adaptation and some have taken it upon themselves to animate them. But, Watterson points out that film is a different game. When Mental Floss specifically pointed out the competency of Pixar, Watterson replied:
The visual sophistication of Pixar blows me away, but I have zero interest in animating Calvin and Hobbes. If you’ve ever compared a film to a novel it’s based on, you know the novel gets bludgeoned. It’s inevitable, because different media have different strengths and needs, and when you make a movie, the movie’s needs get served. As a comic strip, Calvin and Hobbes works exactly the way I intended it to. There’s no upside for me in adapting it.
Selfishly, I’m bummed because I’d love to see the comic strip introduced to a new generation in that medium. They’ll probably find it in print anyway, but I think a movie would be a more direct route. You’ve got to respect Watterson’s wishes though, and I do admire him for sticking to his guns.
Be sure to go to Mental Floss to read more of the long interview excerpt.