Wendell & Wild

Wendell & Wild is an upcoming American stop-motion animated dark fantasy comedy horror film directed by Henry Selick, from a script by Selick and Jordan Peele, based on Selick and Clay McLeod Chapman's unpublished book.[2][3] Produced by Netflix Animation, Monkeypaw Productions, Gotham Group,[4] and Principato-Young Entertainment, the film will star Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele as the titular characters. It will be Selick's first feature film since 2009's Coraline.

Wendell & Wild
Official logo
Directed byHenry Selick
Screenplay by
Based on
Wendell & Wild (unpublished)
by
  • Henry Selick
  • Clay McLeod Chapman
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyPeter Sorg
Edited by
  • Robert Anich
  • Sarah K. Reimers
Music byBruno Coulais
Production
companies
Distributed byNetflix
Release date
  • October 2022 (2022-10)
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Wendell & Wild is scheduled to be released in October 2022, on Netflix.[5]

Premise

Two scheming demon brothers, Wendell and Wild (Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele), enlist the aid of 13-year-old Kat Elliot (Lyric Ross) to summon them to the Land of the Living.[5][6]

Voice cast

Natalie Martinez, Tantoo Cardinal, Igal Naor, Gary Gatewood, Gabrielle Dennis, David Harewood, and Maxine Peake will appear in undisclosed roles.[5]

Production

Development

On November 3, 2015, it was reported that Henry Selick was developing Wendell & Wild, a new stop-motion feature with Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele, based on an original story by Selick.[8] On March 14, 2018, the film was picked up by Netflix.[9] In a July 2019 interview, Key described the voice acting process, where "Jordan and I came in and did a session against static at recording booths, sitting looking across at Jordan and it's lots of ideas flowing, cutting each other off to keep that organic feeling. That usually ends up on the cutting room floor as you find the voices and you want a little refinement–some rhythm. We spent a good deal of time with an initial scene that Henry wrote discovering the characters and the framework of the scene. And then he uses that as inspiration to keep writing".[10] Pablo Lobato served as lead designer on the stop-motion puppets.[11] On June 4, 2020, Bruno Coulais was confirmed as the composer.[12][13]

Animation

On June 15, 2020, production was being done remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic, with lead writer and voice actor Peele explaining he, "had an absolute blast working with Henry Selick and the crew for Wendell & Wild. I cannot wait for you to discover this film".[14] In an October 8, 2020 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the film's producer, Gotham Group CEO Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, elaborated on the project by saying, "we're mid-production in Portland, Oregon, where the crew has suffered through fires, most recently, COVID and a lot of political and social unrest. It's been a very challenging movie."[15] Editing was done by Robert Anich, while Peter Sorg served as cinematographer.[16][17] By February 2021, production on the film was ongoing in Portland.[18]

Release

Wendell & Wild is scheduled to be released in October 2022, on Netflix.[5] On November 6, 2018, Netflix announced the film was scheduled to be released in 2021.[19][20][21] On July 18, 2019, Key announced the film was planned to be released in late 2020.[11] On January 14, 2021, Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos revealed that the film's release would be moved to "2022 or later", to meet Netflix's criteria of releasing six animated features per year.[22] Simon & Schuster would adapt the screenplay to novel form, to tie into the film's release.[15]

References

  1. Hipes, Patrick (January 27, 2020). "'Rafiki' Helmer Wanuri Kahiu To Direct Gotham Group's YA Adaptation 'The Black Kids'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  2. "Wendell & Wild". Writers Guild of America West. Retrieved April 9, 2022.
  3. Flores, Terry (January 25, 2020). "'Klaus', 'I Lost My Body' Top 47th Annie Awards as Netflix Dominates". Variety. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  4. Petski, Denise (February 6, 2020). "The Gotham Group Inks First-Look Deal With Fox 21 Television Studios". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  5. King, Jack (March 14, 2022). "'Wendell & Wild' Teaser Announces Ving Rhames, David Harewood, and More Joining Voice Cast". Collider. Retrieved March 14, 2022.
  6. Second 'Wendell & Wild' Teaser Introduces Kat
  7. Netflix Tunes the Dial to Demonic with 'Wendell & Wild' Teaser
  8. Flores, Terry (November 3, 2015). "Henry Selick, Key & Peele Developing Animated Feature 'Wendell and Wild' (Exclusive)". Variety. Retrieved October 9, 2019.
  9. Fleming, Mike Jr. (March 14, 2018). "Netflix Wins Stop-Motion Animated 'Wendell And Wild': Henry Selick, Jordan Peele, Keegan-Michael Key Aboard". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 9, 2019.
  10. Milligan, Mercedes (July 19, 2019). "Keegan-Michael Key: 'Wendell and Wild' Could Premiere Next Year". Animation Magazine. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
  11. Graves, Sabina (July 18, 2019). "Key and Peele's 'Wendell and Wild' Eyeing Late 2020 or 2021 Release". ComingSoon.net. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
  12. Hopewell, John; Lang, Jamie (June 4, 2020). "Annecy Film Festival Presentations Include 'Frozen 2' Doc, Lord & Miller, and 'Chicken Run' Reunion". Variety. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
  13. Desowitz, Bill (June 4, 2020). "Annecy 2020 Online's Masterclasses and Previews, from 'Spider-Verse' Follow-Up to 'Frozen 2' Doc". IndieWire. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
  14. Lang, Jamie (June 15, 2020). "Annecy Hosts Netflix Masterclass for 'Wendell & Wild's' Henry Selick, Bruno Coulais". Variety. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  15. Siegel, Tatiana (October 8, 2020). "Gotham Group CEO Ellen Goldsmith-Vein on Mass Agent Exodus and the Future of the 'Maze Runner' Franchise". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
  16. Peter Sorg Biography
  17. Robert Anich Biography
  18. Solem-Pfeifer, Chance (February 10, 2021). "Portland Remains a World Hub for Stop-Motion Animation". Willamette Week. Retrieved August 22, 2021.
  19. Trumbore, Dave (November 6, 2018). "Netflix Sets Guillermo del Toro's 'Pinocchio' and Henry Selick's 'Wendell & Wild' for 2021". Collider. Archived from the original on November 6, 2018. Retrieved October 9, 2019.
  20. Wilson, Lena (January 20, 2021). "The 25 Most Anticipated Horror Movies Of 2021". The Playlist. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
  21. Elvy, Craig (January 6, 2021). "The Most Anticipated Movies of 2021". Screen Rant. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
  22. De Wit, Alex (January 14, 2021). "Netflix Unveils 2021 Animated Film Slate, Including Sony Pictures Animation's 'Wish Dragon' And Two Aardman Specials". Cartoon Brew. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
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