THE GEEKLY INTERVIEW: Paul Reubens Discusses New ‘Pee-Wee’ Movie, “Weird Twists” & Danny Elfman’s Involvement

by Chris May 12, 2012

Before Paul Reubens brings Pee-Wee Herman back to the big screen in the upcoming Judd Apatow-produced adventure, he will show up on our small screens, and more specifically, inside THE GRID of “TRON: Uprising,” the all-new animated series on Disney XD. And while Reubens had much to say about his new animated character “Pavel,” an evil commander who will do whatever it takes to get ahead… we couldn’t help but ask a few questions about Pee-Wee’s next big adventure…

On the current status of the project:

“It’s very close to getting going. We just did a very quick lean and mean re-write on it and we have a meeting with Judd Apatow five days from now and I’m hoping we’ll go into production soon after that. I’m really excited about it because it’s a really funny script and I’m excited to work with Judd on it… and it’s a character I’ve always loved so I can’t wait to put the shoes back on and put that suit back on and do this movie that I love… it has such a funny script, such a weird twist to it all that I’m excited for. Honestly, I wish I could just go ‘Here’s what it’s about, here’s the co-star…’ There’s some really great details to it.”

On whether Danny Elfman, who scored both “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure” and “Big-Top Pee-Wee,” will be involved with the new film or not:

“Well, Danny and I– I shouldn’t say this because I haven’t talked to Danny about it, well, I did talk to Danny recently, but we haven’t talked about that for a long time, and also I’ve never made a movie with Judd so I don’t know what Judd, music-wise, how he would feel, although I can’t imagine Judd would be like ‘Danny Elfman? No!’ But Danny, I feel like we have an unspoken sort of, ‘You’re doing the music if I’m doing a Pee-Wee movie… don’t make me point out that I started your career!’ So the answer is yes, hopefully.

On his infamous “Dark Pee-Wee” screenplay:

“I have two other Pee-Wee movies, and you know, hopefully the Judd movie will top all of The Avengers records and then the other two will be no-brainers!”

On “TRON: Uprising”…

“I’m excited about it… I’m getting some sci-fi cred on this project! I feel like I have another year of Comic-Con in me.”

And we are excited as well! So, while Reubens gears up to begin shooting Pee-Wee’s new road picture, be sure to check out his voice work in “TRON: Uprising,” where he plays the untrustworthy “Pavel” — right hand man to Lance Henriksen’s villainous “Tessler.”

The new animated series can be seen this FRIDAY, May 18 at 9:30 PM on the Disney Channel in a special prelude episode which leads into the series which premieres on DISNEY XD on June 6 at 9 PM.