The Flintstones & WWE: Stone Age SmackDown!

The Flintstones & WWE: Stone Age SmackDown!
Blu-ray Disc cover featuring John Cenastone and Fred Flintstone on the foreground.
Directed by	Spike Brandt Tony Cervone
Produced by	Michael J. Luisi Spike Brandt Tony Cervone
Written by	Jed Elinoff Scott Thomas
Based on	The Flintstones by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera
Starring	Jeff Bergman Kevin Michael Richardson Tress MacNeille Grey Griffin The Bella Twins Daniel Bryan John Cena Rey Mysterio The Undertaker Mark Henry CM Punk Vince McMahon
Music by	Austin Wintory
Edited by	Bruce King Kyle Stafford
Production company	Warner Bros. Animation WWE Studios
Distributed by	Warner Home Video WWE Home Video
Release dates	March 10, 2015 (2015-03-10)
Running time	51 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

The Flintstones & WWE: Stone Age SmackDown is a 2015 American direct-to-video animated film starring The Flintstones. It is the second co-production between Warner Bros. Animation and WWE Studios following Scooby-Doo! WrestleMania Mystery. The film features Fred Flintstone, Barney Rubble and the whole Bedrock gang with stone age versions of WWE Superstars and Divas.^[1] It was released on March 10, 2015 by Warner Home Video.^[2]

It is the first new Flintstones production in over 14 years since On the Rocks, 55 years after the original 1960s series and also the first Flintstones film without the original creators William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, who both died respectively in 2001 and 2006. The film marked the first time the character of Mr. Slate was voiced by someone other than John Stephenson. The film was directed by Spike Brandt and Tony Cervone.^[3]

Plot

Fred Flintstone promised his wife Wilma to take her on vacation. For that, he needed days off at work and a check, which was going to ask his boss, Mr. Slate, who just then it was hiring an indirect relative, John Cenastone. After getting into trouble and be saved incredibly by Cenastone, Fred does not get the check as Mr. Slate had rejected, and does not know how to tell Wilma. Therefore, the fair organized by the Lodge of the Wet Buffalos, found a way to make money, and his plan was to use Hoppy, the "kangaroo-saurian" of his friend Barney Rubble, to challenge people to a Boxing match. When they arrive, among other attractions, the Boulder Twins put a kissing booth, causing jealousy in Wilma and Betty.

Many people fall defeated by Hoppy, but the streak ends when the ruffian CM Punkrock humiliates him. Barney, angry, challenges Punkrock and hopefully defeats him. Punkrock left angry with his teammate Marble Henry. Fred sees a great opportunity to make money with wrestling after the success of Barney's performance, including a greeting from a seller of seafood, Mr. McMagma, and decided to organize an event in an abandoned circus.

Fred asks Cenastone recruiting more wrestlers, being Rey Mysteriopal, a masked clerk; and The Undertaker, a somber gravedigger. The event begins between Cenastone and Mysteriopal, but as both can not fight and do not hate each other, the fight fails, that is when Fred decides that Barney fights with Undertaker. Barney refuses but Fred forces him. Just when Barney was going to beat Undertaker, Wilma and Betty burst and scold their husbands, but everything happens because Fred had earned enough profit for the holidays.

However, Fred aspires to more, inspired by McMagma, and decided to organize a second event, and renting the Bedrock stadium and promoting the rematch between Barney and Punkrock, who accepts, also adding Henry and the Boulder Twins. Barney does not agree to participate and Fred leaves without him, starting his show. Mysteriopal and Cenastone fight again, but people were cheering for Barney. Fred announced that Barney will not fight and looked for his fighters, who walk out on him for having neglected his friend.

Fred takes courage and faces Punkrock's gang, being brutally punished. Seeing his friend's sacrifice, Barney decides to go and face Punkrock, encouraging other wrestlers to participate. Even Wilma and Betty intimidate the Boulders, and Bam-Bam easily defeated Henry. The team of Fred and Barney claims the victory and they were applauded. Finally decided to quit wrestling, Fred takes his profits and sells the idea to McMagma. At the end, the Flintstones, the Rubbles and the wrestlers enjoy their holidays.

Development

According to Daniel Bryan, the wrestlers recorded their lines during SummerSlam in 2013.^[4] Collette Sunderman was the casting and voice director. Also, this was the last WWE related thing CM Punk did, and it was actually released over a year after his unfavorable departure from the company, but by that time, production and development of the movie was too far along to edit him out in any way without causing significant delays.

Cast

• Jeff Bergman as Fred Flintstone
• Kevin Michael Richardson as Barney Rubble
• Tress MacNeille as Wilma Flintstone
• Grey Griffin as Betty Rubble
• Russi Taylor as Pebbles Flintstone
• Eric Bauza as Bamm-Bamm Rubble/Dino/Hoppy
• John O'Hurley as Mr. Slate^[5]
• The Bella Twins (Brie Bella and Nikki Bella) as The Boulder Twins
• Daniel Bryan as Daniel Bryrock
• John Cena as John Cenastone
• Rey Mysterio as Rey Mysteriopal
• Vince McMahon as Mr. McMagma
• CM Punk as CM Punkrock
• The Undertaker as himself
• Mark Henry as Marble Henry

Additional Voices by Doug Erholtz, Charlie Hewson, and Tom Kenny.^[6]

Reception

A review from Indiewire calls the film "a brand-new release that so meticulously recaptures the salad days of Hanna-Barbera (that it) only makes one yearn for more Flintstones cartoons".^[7] Den of Geek gave the film a 2 out of 5, calling the film "half-baked and half-assed" and stating, "It might be worth watching if you’re a wrestling fan."^[8]

References

External links

• The Flintstones & WWE: Stone Age SmackDown! at the Internet Movie Database