Oscar-nominated director Jason Reitman is stepping from live-action to animation to writer and direct Beekle as a feature for DreamWorks Animation.
Beekle is the story of an imaginary friend who is so odd and so unique that no kid could possibly imagine him. So he decides to take matters into his own hands, and sets off on an unimaginable journey to the land of people in search of a best friend.
Based on Dan Santat’s award-winning children’s book The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend, the feature is the first put into development by DreamWorks Animation’s recently appointed co-presidents of feature animation Bonnie Arnold and Mireille Soria.
Reitman has been nominated for four Academy Awards: best director for 2007’s Juno; and adapted screenplay, director and best picture for 2009’s Up in the Air. He’s also directed Thank You For Smoking, Young Adult, Labor Day and Men, Women & Children.
Santat’s book is the 2015 winner of the Caldecott Medal, awarded annually to the most distinguished American picture book for children.
DreamWorks Animation development executive Damon Ross brought the project to the studio, which he, along with the studio’s head of development Gregg Taylor are overseeing.
