in 1980, a theatrical live-action movie called "popeye" was released, featuring an original story written by jules pfeiffer, directed by robert altman, and serving as a more faithful adaptation to segar's "thimble theatre." it brought almost every friend of popeye's to the silver screen, although it showed the well-known sailor (as whom robin mclaurin williams starred) as having an initial aversion to spinach, and the setting took place in a port town called sweethaven, created on the island of malta by altman's set decorators. it eventually went on to gross $49,823,037; more than double the film's production budget.