LAIKAhas long been known for its animated darlings likeCoralineandParaNorman, but it is continuing to take major strides to bolster its live-action slate. The studio has acquiredCrumble, its second title in the space followingtheir announcement of the thrillerSeventeenbased onJohn Brownlow’s novel of the same name. This new feature boasts an enviable creative team toplined byNo One Will Save Youwriter-directorBrian Duffield, who penned the screenplay and will direct when cameras begin rolling. On the production end,Spider-Man: Across the Spider-VersetrioChristopher Miller,Phil Lord, andAditya Soodare attached to help bring the project to life through their Lord Miller banner.
Crumblesounds right on brand for LAIKA,following a married couple on a sweeping journey that will take them across the world in search of a cure to an ancient curse plaguing their lives.Few other details are available about the project, though it has an emphatic stamp of approval from the studio’sPresident of Live-Action Films & Series,Matt Levin. “We’re so excited to partner with Brian and the entire team at Lord Miller on this special film,” said Levin. “Brian has such a singular voice and Crumble perfectly embodies the bold, emotional, and inventive storytelling that we champion at LAIKA. Lord Miller is in a class of its own and we could not ask for a better creative team to bring this story to life.”
While their separate works have earned plenty of acclaim, Duffield and Lord Miller are no strangers to working together. Both were attached as producers onElizabeth Banks’s bonkers horror-comedyCocaine Bearlast year. It was just a small part of an otherwise massive year for both parties, with Duffield earning plenty of flowers for his alien invasion thriller and for developingthe animatedSkull Islandseries, while theSpider-Versesequel earned yet another Academy Award nomination for the Oscar-winning Lord and Miller. They were also behindSeason 2 ofThe AfterpartyandtheClone Highrevivallast year, as well as theR-rated talking animal comedyStrayswith Sood.
‘Crumble’ Adds to Duffield’s Upcoming Slate of Films
Rounding out the team areLucy KitadaandNikki Baidaof Lord Miller as executive producers. Duffield, who also produces, has an increasingly busy schedule to look forward to with the addition ofCrumble. He’s working as a producer on theSamara Weaving-led filmBorderline, which isdue out later this year. 20th Century will also place him back behind the camera as director and co-writer for an adaptation ofWhalefall, acclaimed authorDaniel Kraus’s latest novel released last August to widespread praise.
Working with LAIKA is a dream for the director and producers though. “I’ll never forget seeingCoralineon opening night at the AMC Burbank 16 and wondering who these wonderful new geniuses were,” Duffield said in an official statement. “I can’t wait to make a movie with them and hopefully live up to their banner, and I couldn’t be more excited to get to go on a new adventure with my friends at Lord Miller.” The sentiments were shared by Miller and Lord, who added, “We’re so excited to keep collaborating with our friend Brian Duffield who has written a script that is endlessly imaginative, funny, and romantic. We have long been fans of LAIKA andTravis Knight’s groundbreaking work in animation and could not be more excited to join forces with them in live-action.”
Stay tuned here at Collider for more onCrumbleand other LAIKA live-action projects as they come out. In the meantime, the studio’s haunting animated classicCoralineis set to return to theaters in Augustwith a 3D limited run to tide fans over until their next big feature release.
No One Will Save You
An exiled anxiety-ridden homebody must battle an alien who’s found its way into her home.
