Jeff Smith’s Bone Has The Makings Of An Animated Classic (& Hollywood Needs To Stop Chickening Out)

From reading Jeff Smith’s interview with Ain’t It Cool News, it’s obvious he’s precious about the source material. He goes on to talk about how Nickelodeon wanted to change so much, and that didn’t sit right with him. That’s probably one reason why it’s taken so long for “Bone” to get adapted. The world and modern sensibilities continue to change while “Bone” remains in its perfect form from when it ended in 2004. 

And for some, a “Bone” adaptation may be the only way to find this story. The books frequently wind up on Banned Books lists due to the story’s violence and political viewpoints. Smith wears the distinctions as a badge of honor, but it may be hard for some kids to find “Bone” at their local library. It would be much easier to take in the story as a streaming series, and honestly, not much needs to be changed. It’s a universal story about the battle of good versus evil with ample parts scariness and slapstick. Wherever there are online lists ranking the best comic books of all time, “Bone” is bound to make an appearance. 

If Netflix could adapt “The Sandman,” there’s no reason “Bone” should languish in development hell. But there’s reason for fans to keep hope alive. In 2023, Smith told CBR, “There’s always hope. After the announcement, there was immediate interest from other studios, but Netflix owns the rights, so it’s in their hands. We’ll have to see.” 

Adapting “Bone” would be monumental in getting the general public to take animation more seriously, offering a deep, mature story that fully takes advantage of the medium. The right studio just needs to come along that’s not afraid to take a chance on one of the wildest adventures ever depicted in a comic book. 

From reading Jeff Smith’s interview with Ain’t It Cool News, it’s obvious he’s precious about the source material. He goes on to talk about how Nickelodeon wanted to change so much, and that didn’t sit right with him. That’s probably one reason why it’s taken so long for “Bone” to get adapted. The world and modern sensibilities continue to change while “Bone” remains in its perfect form from when it ended in 2004. 

And for some, a “Bone” adaptation may be the only way to find this story. The books frequently wind up on Banned Books lists due to the story’s violence and political viewpoints. Smith wears the distinctions as a badge of honor, but it may be hard for some kids to find “Bone” at their local library. It would be much easier to take in the story as a streaming series, and honestly, not much needs to be changed. It’s a universal story about the battle of good versus evil with ample parts scariness and slapstick. Wherever there are online lists ranking the best comic books of all time, “Bone” is bound to make an appearance. 

If Netflix could adapt “The Sandman,” there’s no reason “Bone” should languish in development hell. But there’s reason for fans to keep hope alive. In 2023, Smith told CBR, “There’s always hope. After the announcement, there was immediate interest from other studios, but Netflix owns the rights, so it’s in their hands. We’ll have to see.” 

Adapting “Bone” would be monumental in getting the general public to take animation more seriously, offering a deep, mature story that fully takes advantage of the medium. The right studio just needs to come along that’s not afraid to take a chance on one of the wildest adventures ever depicted in a comic book.