The Weinstein Company will be inaugurating a new animated features label, Mizchief, with the August 25 release of Leap! (trailer). The new branch will also serve as a nesting ground for future animated productions, according Weinstein co-chairman Harvey Weinstein.
“I named the label Mizchief because that’s how my son pronounces mischief,” Weinstein explained. “Animation is a playful new direction for us and I’m thrilled to expand the TWC repertoire into a whole new category of films for our kids to enjoy and for us to enjoy with them. All of these films will share incredible stories that most importantly both inspire and entertain our kids.”
Leap! is set close to the turn of the 20th century in Paris, where a young orphan girl (voiced by Elle Fanning) uses her wiles to score a place in a prestigious ballet academy, helped by another runaway who wants to be a famous inventor (Nat Wolff). The cast also features Nat Wolff, Carly Rae Jepsen, Maddie Ziegler, Mel Brooks, and SNL’s Kate McKinnon in three different roles.
The second Mizchief release will be The Guardian Brothers, from Gary Wang’s Beijing-based CG studio Light Chaser Animation and Zhou Yu. Previously known as Little Door Gods, the folklore-based buddy comedy will have an English language dub featuring Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman, Edward Norton, Dan Fogler, Bella Thorne and Mel Brooks. Also in development for the label are adaptations of Philip Pullman’s The Firework-Maker’s Daughter and George Selden’s The Cricket in Times Square.
Win 'The Art of DreamWorks Dog Man'! 
.){kind=link}