Variety reports that Ron Howard and Brian Grazer’s Imagine Entertainment is set to collaborate with Australian production company Animal Logic (animation teams behind The Lego Movie series and Happy Feet) for a collection of animated and live-action hybrid movies.
The first of these projects will be an adaptation of The Shrinking of Treehorn, which tells the story of “a young man who begins shrinking in size after playing a strange board game, which goes largely unnoticed by his parents.” Based on the book by Florence Parry Heide, with illustrations by Edward Gorey, the film will be scripted by Rob Lieber (Peter Rabbit) and directed by Howard, his first animated feature.
Another project in development between the two is Rainbow Serpent, which the trade described as “an original conceit deeply rooted in Australian aboriginal culture” and also “a creation story.” Stuart Beattie (Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl) will write the film with Paramount Pictures set to distribute both Treehorn and Rainbow Serpent.
The third film in the works between Imagine and Animal Logic is named Zero, described as “a buddy comedy” that “explores the connection between family and technology” and drew comparisons to Academy Award winner Inside Out. Carlos Stevens will direct from a script by Jonathon Stewart and Eyal Podell, Warner Bros. will distribute.
Finally, Muttnik, a live-action/animation hybrid tells the story of a dog sent into space by Russia who returns home “an evolved creature.” No attached creatives or distributor were revealed.
(Photo by Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images)
