Hugh Jackman, Zoe Saldana and Zach Galifianakis will star in an untitled new animated movie from stop-motion studio Laika for Annapurna Pictures, the companies announced Wednesday.
Chris Butler, who directed the studio’s Oscar-nominated 2012 movie “ParaNorman,” will direct the globe-trotting comedy-adventure.
The film will be the Oregon-based studio’s fifth feature, following Oscar-nominated successes like “Coraline,” “The Boxtrolls” and “Kubo and the Two Strings,” and marks a break from its longtime U.S. distribution partner, Focus Features.
“Our next film represents an evolutionary shift for Laika,” Laika president and CEO Travis Knight said in a statement. “It’s an exciting bridge to our future. Director Chris Butler and the wizards at LAIKA have crafted a moving work of art, layered with wit and imagination and soul. Plus it’s really, really funny. It’s a privilege to partner with Megan [Ellison] and her exceptional team at Annapurna to bring this beautiful original story to the world.”
Annapurna founder Megan Ellison added, “We’re excited for the opportunity to collaborate with Travis and the amazing team at Laika. We appreciate their trust and look forward to having some fun together.”
In 2014, Laika announced a deal with Focus Features to continue their domestic distribution partnership for three more films, starting with “Kubo.”