MovieChat Forums > Madeline (1993) Discussion > Idea for a New Madeline series in 2014 f...

Idea for a New Madeline series in 2014 for the book's 75th anniversary


Don't think I'm a lunatic, but I'd like to tell you my ideas.
First of all, Madeline is still the smallest and bravest of the girls, but now the other girls (besides Nicole, Danielle and Chloe) will have personalities as well, and serve as major supporting characters, like Miss Clavel, Pepito, Genevieve, and to a lesser degree, Lord Cucuface. My ideas for girls are as follows:
1) a tomboy girl who is always on Madeline's side no matter what (except when it comes to music. The girl likes rock n' roll and especially heavy metal, while Madeline likes Norah Jones, Dinah Washington, Dinah Krall, Frank Sinatra, and Maurice Chevalier (because Madeline is French, of course)). This tomboy tries to be as brave as Madeline and would go on adventures with her. She's sorta inspired by Sam in Lord of the Rings.
2 and 3) A bully girl who always tries to ruin Madeline and get the other girls to like her so she can cause trouble around the neighborhood. She believes that Madeline is nothing more than a raving egomaniac! But she always fails thanks to the foolishness of her sidekick girl, and when Pepito and his friends get in the way to help Madeline and her friend move forward.
4) A supercool, yet cynical, sarcastic, paranoid conspiracy theorist girl who is wary of Lord Cucuface. She also has a talent for mimicing people's voices. She takes Nicole, Danielle and Chloe under her wing.
5) A mature but kind and benovelent girl who is a devoted follower of Miss Clavel as serves as a mini-Miss Clavel when Miss Clavel is not around.
6) A nerd/geek girl with allergies and asthma that the bully always makes fun of.
7 and 8) A petulant, Jewish girl who doesn't like to be disturbed when playing video games and her friend, an arrogant, conservative, athletic girl.
Also, I know that the original series follows the books, but some elements of the books haven't dated well, including the 1940's setting. So to appeal to kids now, it would be cool to have it take place in the present. But this system, while they let Madeline do whatever she wants, have forced the girls to take a backseat and act like goody-goodies while documentarians document Madeline's adventures (this is fictional of course, but in that universe it is real). Also, they make it look like it takes place in the 1940's when it's happening now. Basically, they're manipulating how Madeline lives her life to keep it like the Madeline books, and while Nicole, Danielle, and Chloe can say things, the other girls can't. Whenever they say something, they're forced to speak in squeaky, high-pitched French accent. I had this idea, the tomboy and Yvette (from Madeline and the Showoff) are dopplegangers, and the tomboy was switched with Yvette from Montreal when the tomboy tried to breach this whole system.
Ultimately, this should appeal to more than just 2-6-year-olds, but also 7-12-year olds, even boys. I think the lessons of love, sharing and friendship could appeal to any child boy or girl, ages 2-6 or 7-12. Also, the conspiracy theorist girl is for the adults, because I noticed that adults have been watching this with their children. It could have some satire remeniscient of Rocky & Bullwinkle, which was for both kids and adults. The most important thing is that Madeline is basically the same as she was before, and so are Miss Clavel, Pepito and Genevieve. And Madeline is THE main character. The other characters would be just major supporting characters like Miss Clavel, Pepito, Genevieve, Nicole, Danielle and Chloe.
Oh, one more thing. In the 1998 Tristar Madeline movie, most of the other girls, while not fully developed, have personalities of their own (e.g. Vicki, the mean, arrogant one; Aggie, Madeline's sidekick; Lucinda, the girl who always says "Super;" Lolo, Vicki's friend, and Chantal, the doofus). So whaddya all think?
Also, could you tell me which one is Nona? I might want to see which one I'd like to give the personality to.

reply

Well, 2014 is still quite a while away you know, and considering your post is a year and a half old, it was even further away then, maybe it's a little too early to be thinking about this.

reply

I like your ideas. I wouldn't mind seeing a new Madeline series as long as they kept it being as good as the old series.

reply