An unlikely superhero
This summer several superheroes are going to be gracing the big screen including Wonder Woman, Spiderman and the unlikely, Captain Underpants whose film “Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie” is in theaters this weekend.
The animated film is about two young pranksters, Harold Hutchins (voiced by Thomas Middleditch, “The Wolf of Wall Street” and “Silicon Valley”) and George Beard (voiced by Kevin Hart, “Ride Along” and “The Wedding Ringer”) who take things too far when they figure out how to hypnotize their principal Mr. Krupp (voiced by Ed Helms, “The Office” and “The Hangover”) into thinking he is the not-so-bright superhero, Captain Underpants.
The film is based on the “Captain Underpants” book series by Dav Pilkey who was both the writer and illustrator.
The series has sold over 70 million copies worldwide and even spawned a second series “Dog Man” that was also written by the Cleveland native.
For Pilkey, who has dyslexia and ADHD, he hopes kids who have some of the same struggles that thinking differently isn’t always a bad thing.
“When I was a kid, I wish I had known that there were other people who I looked up to who had quite similar struggles to mine. I didn’t really know that when I was a kid. I kind of felt very alone. One of the things that I love most about my job is being given the opportunity to go out and meet children all over the country, all over the world. I’m carrying on the message that my parents gave to me. Thinking differently can be a good thing. And some of these challenges, something good might come out of it,” he said in an interview with Karen Springen of Publishers Weekly.
“Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie” is rated PG for mild, rude humor throughout.
Other films coming to theaters this weekend include:
n “Wonder Woman” starring Gal Gadot, David Thewlis and Robin Wright and directed by Patty Jenkins in this action film about Diana, princess of the Amazons, who leaves her home to fight a war in the outside world where she becomes known as Wonder Woman.
The film is rated PG-13 for sequences of violence and action, and some suggestive content.
n “Dean” starring Asif Ali, Jesaiah Baer and Kathrine Barnes and directed by Demetri Martin in this comedic drama about a New York illustrator who falls in love with a woman from Los Angles while he tries to prevent his father from selling the family home following the death of his mother.
The film is rated PG-13 for language and some suggestive material.
n “Band Aid” starring Jamie Chung, Brooklyn Decker and Colin Hanks and directed by Zoe Lister-Jones about a feuding couple who try to save their marriage by starting a band and turning their arguments into music.
The film is currently not rated.