The head of character animation of theHow to Train Your Dragontrilogy,Simon Otto, is set to make his feature directorial debut on the upcoming filmThat Christmas(previously titled TheEmpty Stocking) at Locksmith Animation. The film is based on a trio of Christmas children’s books byRichard Curtis, the writer-director behind such films likeFour Weddings and a Funeral, Mr. Bean, Love Actually, andYesterday.
The three children’s books written by Curtis,Empty Stocking, Snow Day, andThat Christmastell different family stories set in the run-up to Christmas. Like what happens when a family breaks all Christmas traditions, or a snow day where you’re trapped at school with your least favorite teacher. The film version will place the three stories in a small English beach town and then interweave them to create what Locksmith Animation is describing as “Love Actuallyfor kids.”
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Locksmith co-founder Julie Lockhart said this in a statement:
“Simon Otto is one of the pre-eminent artists working in the feature film animation arena today. His superb taste and his ability to endow animated characters and stories with heart, humor and pathos is in a class by itself. We are overjoyed that he will be making his feature directing debut on this Locksmith project.”
Lockhart, a former executive at Aardman Studios (Chicken Run), co-founded Locksmith in 2014 together with animatorSarah Smith, who co-directed the (very underrated) animated film,Arthur Christmas, starringJames McAvoy. Locksmith hasn’t premiered a film yet, but their first project,Ron’s Gone Wrong, recently gotits first trailerahead of its October debut.
As for Otto, he started out as an animator with DreamWork’sThe Prince of Egypt, before heading character animation on theHow To Train Your Dragonmovies. He recently directed multiple episodes ofDragon – Race to the EdgeandTrollhunters: Tales of Arcadia, before leaving DreamWorks Animation and directing the “Tall Grass” episode ofLove, Death & Robots, Volume 2for Netflix.
There’s currently no release date forThat Christmas,but Locksmith Animation’sRon’s Gone Wronghits theaters on October, 22
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