Abbott Elementary’s Quinta Brunson Is Bringing Betty Boop Back to the Big Screen—and She’s Starring

Right, dig out your jazz hands and think 1930s New York, because there’s a Betty Boop film in the works – and no, this isn’t one of those random internet fever dreams. Quinta Brunson, who’s been everywhere lately thanks to the rampant success of Abbott Elementary, is now developing an honest-to-God Betty Boop feature. Yes, the very same vintage cartoon icon who’s spent the best part of a century flapping around between cult obscurity and inexplicable pop stardom.

What’s the big idea?

So here’s how this came about: Brunson and her company, Fifth Chance Productions, have teamed up with Mark Fleischer—he’s the grandson of Max Fleischer, who created Betty back in the actual jazz age—to bring Betty Boop back to the big screen. Not for a quick cameo (like her blink-and-you’ll-miss-it turn in Who Framed Roger Rabbit), but a full-length treatment.

What’s particularly interesting is that Brunson’s not just reviving Boop for the sake of nostalgia. Instead, she’s cooking up a biographical angle. The film’s going to follow the story of Betty’s creation and her rise to stardom through the eyes of Max Fleischer himself. Basically, tracking how one bloke’s doodle ended up a cultural juggernaut—with all the pressures, creative dead ends, and weird showbiz twists that come with that sort of thing. And it’ll apparently touch on the moment where Betty Boop stops just being a character and starts having a life of her own (metaphorically, before anyone gets excited about a cartoon coming to life scenario).

A quick trip down memory lane

Now, for anyone who’s not spent time in animation geek circles: Betty Boop was everywhere in the early 1930s, thanks largely to the Fleischer Studios 'Talkartoons'. After that, apart from that cheeky cameo in Roger Rabbit (she pops up before Jessica Rabbit steals the scene at the Ink and Paint Club), Betty’s been largely retired. No big features. No regular TV gigs. Just the odd t-shirt, meme, or nostalgia-driven art print.

Who’s saying what

Quinta Brunson’s not just in it for the jazzy headbands—she sees more to Betty than meets the eye. In her own words:

'Betty Boop is one of our nation’s most beloved cartoon characters, yet somehow still remains pleasantly niche. She has had a quiet but undeniable impact on culture for nearly a century. After meeting Mark and learning more about his grandfather’s creation of Betty, I realised there was a much deeper story to tell. One that could be explored in a way that feels refreshing, subversive, and timeless, much like Betty herself.'

Mark Fleischer, meanwhile, is rather chuffed about the whole thing. He said Quinta’s pitch had him 'breathtaken' (not a typo, apparently his actual turn of phrase), and said Brunson captures Betty’s 'love of life, intelligence, humour, sassiness and compassion', all of which convinced him she’s the right person to bring Boop—and her madcap origin story—back to life.

What this could mean

You can draw a direct line from Betty to pop culture icons like Marilyn Monroe and even Barbie (the last of which got her own stellar film thanks to Greta Gerwig). If Brunson’s vision is anywhere near as clever and fun as what we got with Barbie, we could be in for something genuinely refreshing—not to mention a bit bonkers. It’s rare to see a project tackling not just the icon, but the entire business of icon-making. And frankly, if you’re going to resurrect an old cartoon, you might as well do it with a point.

Key details at a glance

• Quinta Brunson (of Abbott Elementary) is leading and developing a new Betty Boop feature film
• She’s working directly with Mark Fleischer (Max Fleischer’s grandson) and Fleischer Studios
• The film explores Betty Boop’s creation and rise to fame, focusing on Max Fleischer’s relationship with his most famous character
• No word yet on casting beyond Brunson or a release date—watch this space for more as it comes in

I’ve got to admit, I’m properly curious to see a modern take on Betty Boop that isn’t just cheap nostalgia. If lightning does strike twice and this ends up even half as entertaining as Barbie, book me in for opening night.