Oscar-winning writerJordan Peele–doesn’t that have a nice ring to it?–now has some serious momentum following his Academy Award win and it’s already starting to percolate out to his other ongoing projects. One such title isWendell and Wild, a stop-motion animated picture that would star Peele alongside his regular collaboratorKeegan-Michael Keywith Oscar-nomineeHenry Selickdirecting. If that project sounds familiar, it’s because weoriginally reported on itback in November of 2015, but the news today is that Netflix has stepped up to finance and distribute the film.
Deadlinereports that Netflix has become the final piece of theWendell and Wildpuzzle. Based on an original idea by Selick, the story centers on “two scheming demon brothers who must face their arch-nemesis, the demon-dusting nun Sister Helly, and her two acolytes, the goth teens Kat and Raoul,” in the director’s words. Key and Peele will be voicing said demons. Selick and Peele are writing the script along withClay McLeod Chapman. Additionally, publisher Simon & Schuster will also feature a tie-in book from Selick and Chapman timed for the film’s release. Also onboard to design the characters is Argentinian artistPablo Lobato.
Believe it or not, this is the second high-profile stop-motion animation project ordered up by Netflix. The other is theTaika Waititi/Mark Gustafsonco-directed pictureBubbles, which somehow tells the tale of the lateMichael Jackson’s beloved chimp; hear some of Waititi’s thoughts onthatprojecthere.
As for Selick, he’s also working alongsideJoe and Anthony Russofor a TV series adaptation of theLittle Nightmaresvideo game. The last we heard on that project was the announcement of that creative team last summer, but Deadline’s report confirms that it’s still in the works. Unfortunately, few other details onWendell and Wild,Bubbles, orLittle Nightmaresare available at the moment, but stay tuned! We’ll be sure to share more as we hear it.
