The trailer for the upcoming live-action film based on the beloved children's book and animated TV show, Clifford the Big Red Dog, has audiences hilariously shaking in their boots.
While taking liberties from the kids' book by Norman Bridwell, the movie is about a middle school girl befriending the eponymous red puppy which magically balloons ruff-ly thirty-times its size overnight and wreaks havoc in New York City.
In the trailer for the CGI-rendered family comedy, Clifford innocently slams the young girl's uncle into a wall with his tail, almost swallows a pug, and mistakes an inflatable ball with a kid inside for a game of fetch.
For those being introduced to Clifford for the first time, the scenes can look like they're from a horror movie if it wasn't for BTS's catchy "Dynamite" song playing in the background.
You can see the trailer here.
This fall, heroes don\u2019t get any bigger. Check out the new trailer for Clifford the Big Red Dog, coming to the BIG screen September 17. Help us to #LoveBIG! For every or share the #CliffordMovie trailer gets, we\u2019re donating $1 to Best Friends Animal Society, up to $20,000.pic.twitter.com/JIwQxuqKYf— Clifford Movie (@Clifford Movie) 1624971602
Ok so the dog is scary but at least Dynamite is playing in the bg LOL— L \u2077 (@L \u2077) 1624973777
It might as well be categorized as a thriller.
Anyone else wanna see an R-Rated version where Clifford's red because he's been stained by the blood of his victims in monster attacks.\n\nJust me?— ToqKaizogou (@ToqKaizogou) 1625005745
I was hoping for this movie to be a thriller. Focusing on the fact that Clifford could accidentally kill any living being at any moment.\n\nAfter watching this trailer: I'm getting what I wanted.https://twitter.com/CliffordMovie/status/1409859201502007298\u00a0\u2026— MattWillPost (@MattWillPost) 1624983286
The exclusive new poster for the upcoming Clifford movie.pic.twitter.com/D6rHjnqhJp— MisAnthroPony (@MisAnthroPony) 1624979216
Saturn Devouring His Son (Goya, c. 1820) / Clifford the Big Red Dog (Becker, 2021)pic.twitter.com/B6oKCLAD7j— Jay (@Jay) 1624998319
Those not impressed by the CGI rendering in the film were not chomping at the bit to see Clifford in theaters.
Yeah, no. This looks kinda bad.\nI wasn't even entirely against the idea of a weird realistic dog cos it makes sense given the context of the movie.\n\nBut...no— LonelyGoomba (@LonelyGoomba) 1625005703
The rendering and shadow work is not movie-quality... yeesh.— \ud83c\udf3a\u0110\u0246\u2c6b\u0142 (@\ud83c\udf3a\u0110\u0246\u2c6b\u0142) 1624987573
Hey, this is disrespectful to the original canon. Clifford was like the size of a teacup when he was a puppy and he grew up and got bigger because of her love, not because of some magical tear. Smh, movies nowadays.— Godzilla Addicted (@Godzilla Addicted) 1624987154
Y\u2019all could have just left it with this masterpiece right here.pic.twitter.com/jzhvHnvm91— Green Apples~ \ud83c\udf4f\ud83e\udd91 (@Green Apples~ \ud83c\udf4f\ud83e\udd91) 1625041157
But not everyone poo-pooed the movie.
Not gonna lie. Most live action movies based on children's show look like crap. Like Smurfs, Garfield, etc. But this looks good! I like the way they are going with the story and jokes. I even like how they are explaining where the heck he came from! A magic shop! I'm sold!— TaylorComedian19 (@TaylorComedian19) 1624979417
Okay, the nieces and nephews will love this, plus they already know Dynamite by @BTS_twt so they'll be singing along in the theater!— Mick Cee (@Mick Cee) 1624977140
It's not necessarily bad that the film doesn't seem consistent with the show - even the books and show had differences from each other. Hoping this one will be fun.pic.twitter.com/NZcTjRRxuF— Victor Truong OFFICIAL Number 1 fan of Timmy (@Victor Truong OFFICIAL Number 1 fan of Timmy) 1624993373
I don't care what anyone says I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THIS MOVIE! It looks so amazing! I honestly think clifford's design is super cute. I grew up in the early 2000s with the cartoon and I loved it but this is also so cool. Thank you everyone who worked on this movie! Can't wait :)— Grace B \ud83d\udc36\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08 (@Grace B \ud83d\udc36\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08) 1624981790
The film was directed by Walt Becker and stars Jack Whitehall, Darby Camp, Tony Hale, Sienna Guillory, Russell Wong, and John Cleese, with David Alan Grier as the voice of Clifford.
It is scheduled for a September 17, 2021, theatrical release by Paramount Pictures.