Superhero Stretch Armstrong to Become Star of Motion Picture

Universal Pictures has commissioned Bruce Almighty scribe Steve Oedekerk to bring the Hasbro-owned toy based on the superhero comedy known as Stretch Armstrong to the silver screen.

According to Variety, "The project marks the latest Hasbro property to find its way onto the Universal development slate since the toymaker made an overall deal at the studio."

Hasbro's Brian Goldner and Bennett Schneir will produce Stretch Armstrong.

In addition, Universal Pictures and Hasbro are also collaborating on movie transformations of the popular board games, Monopoly, Candyland and the mysterious Ouija board.

The Variety article delves into the background of the toy for those who are unfamiliar, "The toy, a 13-inch, blond-haired muscled figure whose limbs could be stretched to nearly four feet, was launched by toymaker Kenner in the '70s. He had a dog named Fetch Armstrong, and a sibling, Evil X-Ray Wrench Armstrong."

There have been many attempts to bring Stretch Armstrong to the movie screen. One such example is Disney's 1996 attempt using Danny DeVito and later Jackie Chan.

Recently, movie transformations have become extremely profitable for studios even when the character hasn't been in the Hollywood arena for decades.

The Variety article then states, "Hasbro, which owns such toy lines as Nerf, Kenner, Milton Bradley and Parker Brothers, hits theaters twice this summer with 'G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra' and 'Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.'"

To add to that, Mattel has teamed with Warner Brothers and Joel Silver on He-Man and Masters of the Universe, with Kung Fu Panda co-director John Stevenson at the helm.

"This is a new well from which to draw intellectual properties that bring a pre-awareness and nostalgia," Schneir said. "They are drawing filmmakers who find a real emotional connection and resonance, and this is proving to be a compelling driver for motion pictures."