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[Dan]

Wes Anderson is set to direct a stop-motion animated film based on Roald Dahl's Fantastic Mr. Fox for Revolution Studios. Anderson will also be writing the film alongside Noah Baumbach, who teamed for The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou. No word on when production is set to begin or who will be handling the animation. It seems likely that Anderson was inspired by Henry Selick's work on Life Aquatic, but it's unknown if Selick will be working on the project, especially given his commitment to directing Coraline.

The book tells the story of a crafty fox who finds himself and his family targeted for death by the three dumb, plug-ugly farmers who tire of sharing their chickens with the critter.

I'm fucking pumped. I love stop-motion animation and Roald Dahl's book will work perfectly for it. Between this, the Wallace and Gromit movie, The Corpse Bride and even the far down the line Flushed Away, it's awesome to have a bunch of cool stop-motion films on the way.

 

[bridegur]

That's awesome, it should be interesting to see what Wes does with a more family-friendly subject.

 

[Randam_Hajile]

I never saw the movie version of James and the Giant Peach. Was it any good?

 

[borghe]

IMHO James and the Giant Peach was a fantastic movie.

And Wes Anderson is in my top 5 current filmmakers. The guy is a fucking genius.

As for Roald Dahl movies, Willy Wonka and Matilda are both in my top 20 family movies of all time. Matilda probably in my top 5.

 

[StoOgE]

I was hoping for the great glass elevator

Are the owen brothers involved in this or the life aquatic in any way? I heard that Owen isnt co-writing the life aqautic, so Im a little worried.

 

[borghe]

you mean the wilson brothers?

owen wilson I believe plays bill murray's son in life aquatic. I imagine he will have a part in this movie also.

 

[Felidae_Khrall]

That's awesome, it should be interesting to see what Wes does with a more family-friendly subject.

The Fox in W.Anderson's version is a serial chicken rapist, with a penchant for figgy pudding.

 

[Dan]

Owen Wilson isn't writing with Anderson anymore, no. I recall Owen downplaying his writing contributions to The Royal Tenenbaums though, and by all accounts The Life Aquatic is pretty great, so I'm really not concerned. There may or may not be any noticeable changes in the writing, but it should still be great in its own right. Change is not an inherently bad thing.

 

[MetatronM]

Wes Anderson's my fucking hero. :lol

Wes Anderson + Roald Dahl....this can't possibly be anything but great.

 

[mattx5]

Wow, this is great news! Wes Anderson doing a stop motion film? Completely out of left field, but awesome none the less. I can't wait to see Anderson spread his wings!

 

[DjangoReinhardt]

I'd much rather see Anderson stick to original work; anyone can do this project.

 

[ohamsie]

Jeeze, I knew I read that one, but it was a LONG time ago, I can't even remember anything about it.

I think my favorite Dahl book is The Twits.

 

[StoOgE]

Most of the Dahl movies have been pretty decent, with the exception about the one about the witches that turn a kid into a mouse.. the movie version of that was pretty bad.

 

[Dan]

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/topnews.php?id=7600

Well, a couple new details about this have been confirmed. To start with Henry Selick has confirmed that he'll be doing the animation and co-directing with Wes Anderson. It's a few years away though, especially since Selick hopes to have his Coraline film done within two years.

Also, several animating techniques will be combined, which Selick describes:
"It's going to be all animated, but it may be a blend of a few techniques. Right now, Wes is thinking that all the characters in it will be stop-motion. The animals will be very lifelike, except where they wear clothes and talk, but the humans will be crude caricatures. But then some of the backgrounds, say like a moving field of wheat or a sky with clouds, will be another hand animation technique. As far as compositing and blending, we will use CG or whatever it takes to make it look good."

Sounds fucking awesome to me, especially the combination of the hand-drawn backgrounds and stuff. I can't wait.

ComingSoon will apparently have a full interview with him later in the week talking more aboujt Life Aquatic, Fantastic Mr. Fox and Coraline.

 

[Arwen]

This sounds like an awesome movie.

Hopefully its success will get film makers interested in some of Roald Dahl's other great books--I feel like I've been waiting forever for The BFG.

 

[Particle Physicist]

It's a few years away though, especially since Selick hopes to have his Coraline film done within two years.

this Coraline:: ? ::

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...103-8600136-9287846?v=glance&s=books&n=507846


awesome if true.

 

[Dan]

Yes, that Coraline. Gaiman approached Selick about making a movie out of it before he had even finished the book. Selick wrote the screenplay, which has apparently been more or less finished since late 2002, and will also direct.

Hopefully more info will be revealed about that project in the full interview that will go up later in the week.

 

[sefskillz]

I'm extremely excited about Selick doing Coraline. Can't wait to hear more. Mirrormask (Gaiman/McKean) is due out soon, isn't it?

Great news about Anderson/Selick too, Dahl is great stuff and that's a solid team to take it on.