'My Father's Dragon', 'Wendell and Wild' and 'Guillermo Del Toro's Pinocchio' Set Festival Debuts
It's September (how did that happen?) so Netflix are looking ahead to their releases for the rest of the year. Amongst them are several keenly anticipated animated features from some of the biggest names in animation. It's also Festival Season and three of these films will be making their debuts at two of the most prestigious festivals in the world
Arriving first is Wendell and Wild, the new stop-motion feature from Henry Selick. As previously announced, the film's world premiere is set for Toronto International Film Festival in September. It will then be released in select cinemas from October 21, before hitting Netflix on October 28.
Selick's first film since Coraline, Wendell and Wild sees him team up with acclaimed film-maker Jordan Peele (Nope, Get Out), who co-wrote as well as providing the voice of Wild (alongside his former double act partner Keegan-Michael Key as Wendell) and children's author Clay McLeod Chapman. Key and Peele play a pair of demon brothers who convince a 13-year-old to summon them to the land of the living. But they're not expecting what she wants in return...
Meanwhile, Nora Twomey's My Father's Dragon and Guillermo Del Toro's Pinocchio will both have their world premiere at the BFI London Film Festival this October.
Cartoon Saloon's sixth feature My Father's Dragon is adapted from the children's book of the same name by Ruth Stiles Gannett. Twomey partnered with Inside Out's Meg LeFauve, who contributed the screenplay as well as acting as executive producer. The story follows young runaway Elmer as he sets off in search of Wild Island- and the young dragon who lives there and is waiting to be rescued. The film will be released in select cinemas in November and stream on Netflix later the same month.
Guillermo Del Toro's long awaited Pinocchio sees the Mexican movie maestro make his stop-motion debut and tell his own unique take on the classic Carlo Collodi tale. Mark Gustafson is co-director. The film will be released in cinemas (date to be announced) before arriving on Netflix on December 8.
