Laika, the groundbreaking animation studio behind films like Coraline, ParaNorman, The Boxtrolls, Kubo and the Two Strings, and Missing Link, is expanding into the world of live-action films.
Deadline reports that The Oregon studio secured the screen rights to Seventeen from Hodder & Stoughton after an intense bidding war. The UK publishing house will also partner with Hanover Square in the US to publish the story in 2022. The story will be John Brownlow's – known for his work on Sylvia, Fleming, and the Miniaturist – debut novel.
“For the past 15 years, Laika has been committed to making movies that matter,” said Laika's president and CEO Travis Knight. “Across mediums and genres, our studio has fused art, craft, and technology in service of bold, distinctive and enduring stories. With Seventeen, Laika is taking that philosophy in an exciting new direction. Seventeen is a stiff cocktail of wicked wit, exhilarating action and raw emotion. John has such a wonderfully unique voice. He’s crafted a brilliant universe with its own powerful identity. Seventeen is a thriller with soul, a sinuous adrenaline-fueled actioner with a sincere heart beating underneath its rippling pectorals.”
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Transformers fans may recognize Knight's name. In addition to his duties as CEO, he made his directorial debut on Kubo and the Two Strings and then made his way to Paramount's Bumblebee. While interesting anecdotally, it also helps explain this new adventure into live-action films for the studio.
Not a lot is known about the future of the film, as the rights were just purchased. However, we do know that John Brownlow will be partnering closely with Laika to bring his story to life.
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