Treehouse Pictures has come on to fully finance Anders Walter’s feature length directorial debut, I Kill Giants, a film adaptation of Joe Kelly’s critically-acclaimed graphic novel about a young misfit girl battling both real and imagined monsters in her life. Chris Columbus is producing through his 1492 Pictures/Ocean Blue Entertainment, along with Treehouse, Man of Action Entertainment and XYZ Films. Kelly wrote the graphic novel and will write the screenplay adaptation.
“Joe Kelly has written a deeply insightful story about a child using fantasy to navigate through a harsh reality,” says Columbus, “and I am excited and proud to finally be able to bring this wonderful material to the screen.”
“I’m overwhelmed by the enthusiasm, vision and sheer talent of the team we’ve assembled,” says Kelly. “Chris and Anders understand the book on an instinctive level and will translate it into a hell of a film. I could not be happier.”
“I am very excited to be working with Chris again,” adds Treehouse’s president Justin Nappi. “We both feel strongly that Anders has the depth and vision needed to bring the amazing story and characters of I Kill Giants to life. As exemplified by his work inHelium and 9 Meter, Anders has a unique understanding of children and their uncanny ability to face life’s most difficult challenges.”
Kelly is a partner in Man of Action Entertainment, creators of the team and characters in Academy Award winner Big Hero 6, and creators of the worldwide action franchise Ben 10. Walter, meanwhile, is best known for writing and directing the 2014 Academy Award-winning live-action short Helium. I Kill Giants will be his first foray into feature length filmmaking.
I Kill Giants, illustrated by J.M. Ken Niimura, Kelly’s co-creator, won a Gaiman Award in 2013 (an overseas manga award selected by readers); the International Manga Award in 2012; was named to the “Top Ten Great Graphic Novels for Teens” in 2010 by the Young Adult Library Services Association; as well as “Best Indy Book of 2008” by IGN and was an Eisner Award finalist.
The producers are currently casting, with production on I Kill Giants targeted for later this year. XYZ is handling worldwide sales on the project.
