Steve Oedekerk Writing Stretch Armstrong Movie

Published by Jeff Leins on: February 13th, 2009

Universal Pictures has hired Steve Oedekerk (Bruce Almighty, Ace Venture 2, Nutty Professor) to write a superhero comedy based on the Hasbro toy Stretch Armstrong.

This is part of the six-year partnership between the toy company and the movie studio signed in February 2008.  Other Hasbro properties headed for the big screen are Monopoly with director Ridley Scott, Candyland with director Kevin Lima, and a Ouija Board movie from Michael Bay’s production company, Platinum Dunes.

Stretch Armstrong is a 13-inch action figure whose arms stretch to almost four feet.  He was originally created in 1976, but was re-introduced to bored kids in the 90s with his sidekick dog Fetch Armstrong (clever) and his evil brother Wretch Armstrong (cleverer).

Apparently this isn’t the first ill-advised Stretch Armstrong feature attempt. In 1998, Disney tried to make a movie starring none other than Danny DeVito and when that failed they went to Jackie Chan.  I don’t know what’s more scary, squatty Danny DeVito with big stretchy arms or the fact that this is at least the third Stretch script.

I don’t have much faith in Oedekerk either.  Bruce Almighty was mildly funny, but Evan Almighty (which he also wrote) was a disaster.  It’s going to take a lot of talent to “stretch” a toy into an entire movie, and I don’t think he can pull it off.  After five minutes, you’re going to get sick of long arms.