Key & Peele are developing a stop-motion feature titled Wendell and Wild
Variety is reporting that Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key of Comedy Central’s “Key & Peele” are in development on a stop-motion animated feature film in partnership with acclaimed director Henry Selick (The Nightmare Before Christmas, Coraline) titled Wendel and Wild!
“‘Wendell and Wild’ is a comedy about 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,” says Selick of the movie, which will be based on his original story. “It is not set up yet with a buyer, but the entire team is passionate about the direction.”
While creative details are still being worked out between the three, Selick is set to co-write the screenplay with Peele, as well as directing and producing for Gotham Group.
Selick’s previous animated feature film effort, The Shadow King, was fraught with difficulty after Walt Disney Studios cancelled production after spending a reported $50 million on the project. That film, about an orphan who can use his long fingers to make shadow puppets that fight evil, had a voice cast that included Pamela Adlon, Brendan Gleeson, Jeffrey Tambor and Catherine O’Hara and was raising money for completion at the 2013 European Film Market, although nothing has been heard of its progress since.
Selick is also developing a new project with author Neil Gaiman, who wrote the novel “Coraline,” as well as an adaptation of Adam Gidwitz’s “A Tale Dark and Grimm” for FilmNation. He previously directed James and the Giant Peach, Monkeybone and the animated segments of Wes Anderson’s The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou.
Meanwhile, Key and Peele will next co-star in the indie comedy Keanu (co-written by Peele and Alex Rubens). Key will also lend his voice to next year’s The Angry Birds Movie, while Peele will lend his voice to Dreamworks Animation’s Captain Underpants, due out in late 2017.
(Photo credit: WENN)
