Anyone seen the new Jem & The Holograms movie trailer?

[Taffeta]

I guess the lady that worked on JEM in the 80 is not at all happy with this new JEM movie.
I woulden't be eather..

I read from a credible source that the original creator of JEM wasn't even consulted for this movie remake. Red flags up!

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10152262186282559&id=200249107558
^^ Christy's statement about the Jem movie and her non-involvement.

I have a strong feeling that she has been involved in it since that point but not in a creative capacity. I can't remember for sure, though...either way, there's none of Christy's plot base in the movie, which is something that made a lot of people cross (especially since Christy has always been very actively involved with the fanbase).

The Jem community have been ripping each other to shreds over this whole movie thing for the last year and a half, as to whether it's a good thing or a bad thing, whether you can update a 1980s based show...but now the trailer is out, I have only seen negative comments from them. It's pretty much what most people here have said - it's fine, but why attach the name Jem to it? I don't understand why, if they want to take every story point out and rework it, they need to use the Jem name.

I'm a Misfit fan, and always have been, so I'm happy they're not involved in this plotline. I think it would've made me rage-throw socks at the computer xD. But although I dislike Jem herself as a character, the whole core value of why Jerrica becomes Jem in the first place is totally lost in a wave of teenage superficial "uploaded a video on youtube, LOL". No orphan children to protect, no home to run...no Synergy...no Misfits...

The only thing I could see in the trailer that had any correlation to the original Jem was the resentment over Jem getting all the attention instead of the whole band. I'm pretty sure that's somewhere in the original 5 episodes that make up Truly Outrageous. Otherwise it's a completely different story.

I don't have an issue with the film, I just have an issue with it being called Jem. It's like they've chosen to name the characters Jem names in order to try and pull in viewers from an older demographic who remember the original Jem, but it's nothing like it.

A lot of people on the TOJ! list are comparing it to Josie and the Pussycats. I personally wish they'd left Jem alone. If they aren't going to use the original basis and original plot structure, then better to call the characters something else. I'd just recommend people to watch the original cartoon instead

[Galactica]

Original episodes are all on Netflix!  They are maybe a tad more hilarious now as an adult- but quite enjoyable

[CadePony]

Hmm, I wonder... with all the poor/negative responses to the new Jem movie trailer, maybe they might decide to scrap the movie and either leave Jem alone or decide to bow to the fans of the original cartoon and redo the movie so it's more faithful to the cartoon? I don't know, it's just wishful thinking.

Though, I could have sworn a few years ago or so I heard they were going to do a live-action treatment of Voltron (yet another 80s cartoon), but I guess it didn't get the green-light as I think the rough script was leaked online and it turned out that the script -- or rather the idea for the live-action Voltron movie -- wasn't faithful at all to the original cartoon and... I don't know... maybe enough fans of Voltron raised such an uproar over it online that no further talk of a live-action movie Voltron was ever brought up (as far as I'm concerned). So... maybe this new Jem movie might not happen with all of these poor responses to the trailer? *Shrugs* Like I said, probably wishful thinking.

[Taffeta]

Hmm, I wonder... with all the poor/negative responses to the new Jem movie trailer, maybe they might decide to scrap the movie and either leave Jem alone or decide to bow to the fans of the original cartoon and redo the movie so it's more faithful to the cartoon? I don't know, it's just wishful thinking.

If they were going to do that, I think they would've done it already, sadly. And they would've hired Christy to help with the writing.

It could be done really effectively with the real plot and characters. It could be set back in the 1980s, if need be. With modern effects, Synergy could be really cool and the sci fi element would have worked nicely. But I imagine we're stuck with social-media-teen instead.

[ladybastilla]

I'm going to assume the change to Erica Raymond is tied to the change to teenage girls as protagonists. Pitting them against an adult male villain, especially with online themes and components, could be seen as unscrupulous, immoral and unquestionable.

I also think it's safe to say that the people developing this movie don't give a thought to what fans of the original show want, think or feel. They are interested in hooking tweens from 2015. There's nothing wrong with making stuff for this group, but gutting something from the 1980s and rehashing it for them seems like a really poorly planned move. Of all the remakes or retro throwbacks I've seen, this seems like it is going to be the most butchered and botched.

Such a shame when Jem is a premise that has so much potential.

[Loa]

I am just so disappointed. Why ruin such a good thing?

[Wardah]

I think a lot of people are forgetting why they did this. When it was announced was before they had the Disney (including the Decedents) license. While Equestria Girls is doing okay it was skewing younger than the lucrative tween audience that loves MH. They brought back Jem to sell dolls. The movie is simply an effort to make the dolls appeal to the target audience. I really don't see what's so offensive about it being different. FIM is very different from the G1 cartoon but yet everyone is okay with that.

[Tigerlilyx]

My personal beef with the movie: As someone who is working in the entertainment and music industry, I truly am sick of the tween demographic. Now the revamped JEM is just another figure to a sales value, like everything else. It is possible to create a readaptation that suits everyone but I guess the crew has something else in mind.

I agree its wasted potential considering the fact that 90s aesthetic (fashion, design etc) is making a huge comeback amongst teens. 80s wouldn't be a problem honestly. 

Looking forward to its ratings on Rotten Tomatoes.

[Taffeta]

I think a lot of people are forgetting why they did this. When it was announced was before they had the Disney (including the Decedents) license. While Equestria Girls is doing okay it was skewing younger than the lucrative tween audience that loves MH. They brought back Jem to sell dolls. The movie is simply an effort to make the dolls appeal to the target audience. I really don't see what's so offensive about it being different. FIM is very different from the G1 cartoon but yet everyone is okay with that.

Not everyone is ok with FIM, but the thing with that is that there are a ton of core G1 ideas at its foundation. It was also created by a fan of MLP. That means that, while it is different, it still retains a sense of the MLP.

The Jem Movie is none of those things. As for dolls, Hasbro have been making a mint from actual Jem fans with collector dolls for the last few years. Their age demographic  is far more lucrative considering teen allowance vs proper income, and unlike the tweens, their loyalty is guaranteed.

There isn't any indication yet of dolls for the movie, just rumours, but if such a doll line could not compete longterm in the 1980s, it seems a pointless business model now. Hasbro have already used the whole Jem concept with EG Rainbow Rocks. Plus, the demographic for the movie is older than the doll playing age anyway. More informed people than me think Hasbro has a different sale target, but the movie was made at speed and with a limited budget.

Expecting the original fandom, many of whom grew up with Jem or who have invested time and effort in tracking down all the original cast,  prototypes, artists, designers etc to just shut up and take it is, in my opinion, a bit disrespectful.

[Wardah]

This is the article where it mentions there will be dolls.

http://www.redeyechicago.com/movies/redeye-aubrey-peeples-interview-20150506-htmlstory.html

Also supposedly John Chu is a Jem fan so there is that. I mean if it is a prequel and the end hints at the Misfits I can dig it since to me it has the other main things. It has the band that has the same names and pretty much follows the original color scheme. Jem is still an orphan and the rest of the band is her birth sister and 2 foster sisters. Making her younger makes the loss of her parents that much more tragic but luckily she has a strong woman around to help her. And also they made Eric Raymond into a woman which is great because it means the Misfits won't be bossed around by a guy. I never did like that.

[Leave a Whisper]

This is the article where it mentions there will be dolls.

http://www.redeyechicago.com/movies/redeye-aubrey-peeples-interview-20150506-htmlstory.html

Also supposedly John Chu is a Jem fan so there is that. I mean if it is a prequel and the end hints at the Misfits I can dig it since to me it has the other main things. It has the band that has the same names and pretty much follows the original color scheme. Jem is still an orphan and the rest of the band is her birth sister and 2 foster sisters. Making her younger makes the loss of her parents that much more tragic but luckily she has a strong woman around to help her. And also they made Eric Raymond into a woman which is great because it means the Misfits won't be bossed around by a guy. I never did like that.

Yeah he probably said that he was a Jem fan in a weak attempt to shut fans up. He wouldn't have turned it into this if he had ever seen so much as a single episode

[gemini_pony]

:l wth did I just watch. I often stay optimistic about movies this abomination is no just no.

[Icey]

Bleh. I wanted to be excited that there was going to be a live action Jem movie, but I was not a huge fan of the creators/directors and then the casting and now the look of the film. I think it is going to suck and that makes me a sad panda

Post Merge: May 20, 2015, 08:12:15 PM

and from the IMDB page, the lady is named "Erica Raymond"
....why

The antagonist from the cartoon was Eric Raymond.

[Jordan]

Bleh. I wanted to be excited that there was going to be a live action Jem movie, but I was not a huge fan of the creators/directors and then the casting and now the look of the film. I think it is going to suck and that makes me a sad panda

Post Merge: May 20, 2015, 08:12:15 PM

and from the IMDB page, the lady is named "Erica Raymond"
....why

The antagonist from the cartoon was Eric Raymond.

I know, I'm just questioning why they changed Eric to Erica being Eric was a anagram of someone one of the writers knew irl

[Icey]

Ah, sorry I was so excited that they cast Juliette Lewis and Molly Ringwald. I thought maybe they would do something great with them in the cast (even with all the unknowns). Then I saw the trailer. The director said he was going to take fan suggestions. I doubt any real Jem fan is excited about this movie. Hollywood once again screws up something awesome from my childhood. Hollywood sucks :/