Zootopia was almost a very different movie

[thistlechaser]

Somewhere online I saw mention of a dark AU Zootopia webcomic, so with my love of dark things, I checked it out. While the art is a tad challenging at times, I love the story dearly. Check it out here.

I had thought the author/artist came up with the "tame collar" idea (all predators have to wear them, it shocks them if they let their emotions get too high). Supposedly it keeps them from going feral/attacking prey animals.

But that was actually originally how the movie was going to be! Check out this deleted scene (animation not complete in it), it's heartbreaking:

Comments

[teaandfailure.livejournal.com]

God, yes, isn't it freaking terrible? There is a whole section on it in the dvd where they're talking about it, and they show the storyboards for that scene, and also one at the beginning where Nick has his collar off briefly for a doctor's visit, and has a flashback to when he was tiny and jumping freely through the grass, and it is just DARK AS HELL. They actually got really far with it before they decided they had to make a change because the movie was just too bleak and was bumming everyone out.

There is also a hilarious deleted scene from the old draft where Judy is hiding Nick in her apartment AND HER WHOLE FAMILY SHOWS UP THERE and her dad is all, "... please tell me he isn't your boyfriend." Which was to me both hilarious and also WAY TOO CLOSE TO HOME BECAUSE OH MY GOD NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS DAD.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

I'd pay so much to see the darker version of the movie! That webcomic touches on a lot of it, but to see it fully animated? Movie-length? Oh yes please!

I really need to grab the DVD and see the extras. I liked the movie when it came out, but oddly the comic got me really, really into it. (I followed his tumblr, and he reposts lots of great fanart and stories and such.)

[wow-hazmat.livejournal.com]

Hah, you're very much into the dark grim stuff, Thistle. :)

The AU comic works as an adult dystopian tale; it even has a protagonist who's at first part of the system and then rebels, which is a classic element of a dystopian film.

IIRC, the original concept had Nick as the protagonist instead of Judy, and one issue that came up is "this society is terrible, why do we want it protected/saved?" Sounded like less a properly developed dystopia story and more like the story they came up with except with the horrible collars. Which would have made for a very jarring, mismatched film. Like one of those movies that can't decide what it actually is.

Zootopia works well the way it is, and the dystopian AU works because the dystopian elements aren't just bolted on.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

I so totally am. It's just so satisfying to me somehow!

And agreed: Zootopia works really well as it is. I'm glad we have both options, even though the comic artist is taking a break from it. I can always reread it and enjoy it again. (Not that I'm caught up yet, I'm trying to take it a slowly as I can, make it last.)

Hmm, you're right, that doesn't sound like it would have worked that way. Judy as the protagonist and the collars would have worked, but not Nick, not unless the whole story was quite different.

[wow-hazmat.livejournal.com]

I actually really like how the AU's author worked in the discarded concepts from the early versions of the film. Like Wilde Times. :D

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Thanks for linking me! I hadn't had time to hunt it down myself.

Agreed! I love that he kept all these great ideas from dying. :D

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Jeepers Creepers! Man, this would have been dark as hell!

[jeane nevarez (from livejournal.com)]

Thx for sharing that link- I'm enjoying reading thru it for the first time. I like the sketchiness, too.
Yeah, really dark. And definitely more adult themes. This wouldn't have been billed as a kids' movie if they had followed this script, I'm thinking.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Drat, window crashed and I lost my comment. Anyway, I'm glad you're enjoying it as well! I've been trying to read it slowly so it lasts, but I'm nearly caught up with it.

And agreed, it would have been an adult animation movie, which would have been a harder sell for them.