Right on the heels of the production and cast announcement issued in a video yesterday, Fox Searchlight has acquired worldwide rights to Wes Anderson’s stop-motion animated feature Isle of Dogs. The film, which follows a young boy on an epic search for his lost canine companion in Japan, is being produced by Indian Paintbrush in London and due out 2018.
Fox Searchlight previously released Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) and his premiere animated outing, Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009), which received Oscar nominations for Best Animated Film and Best Original Score — composed by Alexandre Desplat, who will again collaborate with the director on Isle of Dogs with fellow Andersonian alums Ian Mackinnon and Peter Saunders (puppets) and Tristan Oliver (cinematography).
The voice cast includes: F. Murray Abraham, Bob Balaban, Bryan Cranston, Jeff Goldblum, Akira Ito, Scarlett Johansson, Harvey Keitel, Frances McDormand, Bill Murray, Kunichi Nomura, Edward Norton, Yoko Ono, Koyu Rankin, Liev Schreiber, Tilda Swinton, Akira Takayama and Courtney B. Vance.
“Wes Anderson is one of the most talented filmmakers of his, or any other, generation. His ability to write smart and unconventional screenplays and then translate them into unique experiences on screen makes him not only a unique voice in film, but one who can truly bridge the gap between independent films and cross-over hits,” said Nancy Utley and Steve Gilula, President of Fox Searchlight Pictures. “We are thrilled to be going on a journey into the newest world from the distinctive imagination of Wes Anderson.”
