Anderson sets foxy toon pic
Revolution Studios and Wes Anderson will turn Roald Dahl’s “The Fantastic Mr. Fox” into a stop-motion animated feature.
Anderson will write the script with Noah Baumbach, his partner on “The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou.” Anderson also will direct. It is the first animated pic for him and for Revolution. The book tells the story of a crafty fox who finds himself and his family targeted for death by the three dumb, plug-ugly farmers who tire of sharing their chickens with the critter. Pic will be distributed by Sony. The film is a departure for Anderson, who is known for smart, eclectic comedies like “Rushmore” and “The Royal Tenenbaums.” When he ran Disney, Revolution Studios chief Joe Roth brought Anderson in to do both of those films; he felt Anderson’s sensibilities would work well in the animation arena. Though Roth is a member of the Pixar board, he hadn’t expected to enter that business. Anderson came to Roth with the idea, and through his UTA reps, has already acquired the rights from the estate of Dahl, whose “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “The BFG” and others are being adapted for the screen. Revolution’s Roth just finished directing “Christmas With the Kranks,” the family comedy adapted from John Grisham’s book “Skipping Christmas.”
