Wow, it’s been years since I first heard Maurice Sendak’s beloved children’s story was getting the 4-star movie treatment from director Spike Jonze. Finally, a release date has been set, and Where The Wild Things Are is coming to theaters this October.

While I don’t really know the reason behind the delays, I’m hoping that it was in search of the perfect script – and to give the CGI workers enough time to perfect their craft. If, after all this anticipation, this turns out to be lame and fake-looking (ie…Muppet-like), I’m going to be very disappointed.

They’ve certainly gathered a large cast of well-knowns to lend their voices to the fantastical creatures, I’ll give them that. They’ve got everyone from Mr. Soprano James Gandolfini to Forest Whitaker to Catherine O’Hara (the mom in Home Alone (1990) and Chris Cooper. Star-studded! But, will the voice cast be the best thing about this film?

I hope not. While it’s been eons since I read the children’s story, this is one of those classic stories that needs the perfect treatment in movie form. It’s an icon among children’s stories, and is fondly remembered even to this day by most of us. If they screw it up (which they so often do), it’s going to be a MAJOR disappointment.

Let’s hope not. Still, I think I’ll preserve my good vibes from the book for a little bit longer, and wait for the DVD for this one.

After all, even if Where The Wild Things Are turns out to be excellent, we don’t want to encourage them to make a (shoddy and embarassingly bad) sequel, now do we?