Netflix Unveils Eight-Strong Euro Animation Slate Including ‘Klaus’ Follow-Up, ‘A Christmas Carol’ & Richard Curtis Adaptation – Annecy
An animated Christmas Carol, follow-up to Academy Award-nominee Klaus, adaptation of Richard Curtis’ That Christmas and untitled project from Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were Rabbit’s Steve Box feature on an eight-strong slate of Netflix animated films and TV series.
The streamer is taking the projects from the UK, Spain, Italy and France to Annecy International Animation Film Festival next week as it doubles down on animated projects.
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Scroll down for the full list but leading the slate is Ember from Klaus creator Sergio Pablos and The SPA Studios, an epic adventure tale of humankind’s quest for fire told through the eyes of young Dikika, who embarks on an impossible race to a distant volcano to retrieve the precious spark that will save her tribe.
Next comes the latest Scrooge: A Christmas Carol adaptation, directed by Stephen Donnelly, with the ageless classic reborn as a musical adaptation with songs from double Academy Award-winning composer Leslie Bricusse (Doctor Dolittle, Victor/Victoria).
Marking the feature film directorial debut of renowned character animation and story artist veteran Simon Otto (How to Train Your Dragon trilogy), Curtis’ That Christmas adaptation is based on his successful children’s books about love, loneliness and Santa Claus making a big mistake.
Rounding out the movies is Academy Award-winner Box’s untitled French animation about Tibbles and his rag-tag gang of stray cats, who are forced to go undercover to pull off the biggest heist of their lives.
The four TV projects include Wereworld, based on Curtis Jobling’s books, and Italy’s Mermaid Magic.
The full list
New films
Ember (Spain)
Logline: From the BAFTA award-winning and Academy Award-nominated Klaus director, Sergio Pablos and The SPA Studios, comes Ember an epic adventure tale of humankind’s quest for fire told through the eyes of young Dikika who embarks on an impossible race to a distant volcano to retrieve the precious spark that will save her tribe.
Format: Hand drawn animated feature film
Production: The SPA Studios
Scrooge: A Christmas Carol (UK)
Logline: Produced by Timeless Films and Axis Studios and directed by Stephen Donnelly, Charles Dickens’ ageless legend is reborn in this supernatural, time-travelling, musical adaptation of the definitive Christmas story. With his very soul on the line, Scrooge has but one Christmas Eve left to face his past and build a better future. Featuring re-imagined songs from the legendary and two-time Academy Award-winner Leslie Bricusse OBE, Scrooge: A Christmas Carol is one for a new generation to sing.
Format: CG animated feature film
Production: Timeless Films and Axis Studios
Timing: December 2022
That Christmas (UK)
Logline: Based on the successful series of children’s books by BAFTA winner and Academy Award-nominee Richard Curtis (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Love Actually, Yesterday), Locksmith Animation’s heartwarming film marks the feature film directorial debut of renowned character animation and story artist veteran Simon Otto (How to Train Your Dragon trilogy). That Christmas follows a series of entwined tales about love and loneliness, family and friends, and Santa Claus making a big mistake, not to mention an enormous number of turkeys! Nicole P. Hearon (Moana, Frozen) and Adam Tandy (The Thick of It, Detectorists) are producers.
Format: CG animated feature film
Production: Locksmith Animation
Untitled Steve Box Animated Film (France)
Logline: From Academy Award?-winning and three-time BAFTA-winning Director Steve Box (Wallace & Gromit: The Curse Of The Were Rabbit) and SUPERPROD Animation, comes a yet to be titled, all original animated family comedy heist movie. Struggling to feed themselves with the proceeds of their ever-inventive, but low-yield heists, Tibbles and his rag-tag gang of stray cats are forced to go undercover to pull of the biggest heist of their lives, posing as the thing they most despise – the pampered pets of suburbia.
Format: CG animated feature film
Production: SUPERPROD Animation
NEW SERIES
Bad Dinosaurs (UK/ Spain)
Logline: Bad Dinosaurs is the debut animated series from Snafu Pictures, a high-octane thrill ride through the Mesozoic, that follows the hilarious shenanigans of a Tyrannosaurus family as they deal with the trials of life in the prehistoric wilderness, while surrounded by incompetent dinosaurs. Based on a series of phenomenally successful online shorts co-created by animation veteran Joel Veitch; animation will be produced by Able & Baker (Love Death & Robots, Dragon Rider), and directed by Academy Award? shortlisted and multi award winning Simone Giampaolo.
Format: CG animated series
Production: Snafu Pictures
Mermaid Magic (Italy)
Logline: From multi-award winning creator and director Iginio Straffi (WinxClub) and Emmy award winning animation studio Rainbow/Bardel (Rick and Morty, Dragon Prince), together with highly acclaimed head writer, Rich Burns (Spirit Riding Free) comes a groundbreaking animated series about a teenage mermaid princess named Merlinda who leaves her undersea world for the unknown land above to track down a rare source of magic that will help her take on the evil forces above the waves and below that seek to destroy her kingdom.
Format: CG animated series
Production: Rainbow
The Seven Bears (France)
Logline: Forget the Seven Dwarfs, here come the Seven Bears! So, look out Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, and Snow White, because this lovable pack of furballs is putting a fuzzy twist on the fairytales we thought we knew. Based on the acclaimed graphic novels by Emile Bravo, The Seven Bears are brought to animated life by the award-winning Animation Studio Folivari.
Format: CG animated series
Production: Folivari. CG Animation by Cube, Showrunner Robert Vargas
Wereworld (UK)
Logline: Based on the books by Curtis Jobling, Wereworld is an epic fantasy adventure series that follows Drew Ferran, as he comes of age and discovers he’s the last of a long line of Werewolves, and rightful (yet reluctant) ruler of a land governed by Werelords. Drew must fight to abolish the tyranny of the Lionlords and reclaim the throne. The series is directed by Tom Brass for Jellyfish Pictures and produced by Angelo Abela, Tim Compton, Curtis Jobling and Barry Quinn for Lime Pictures.
Format: CG animated series
Production: Lime Pictures (Producers) Jellyfish Pictures (Studio)
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