Warner Animation Group continues down the Yellow Brick Road with a new companion: Alex Timbers has signed on to direct the studio’s animated musical feature based on Toto: The Dog-Gone Amazing Story of the Wizard of Oz, by award-winning British author and former Children’s Laureate Michael Morpurgo. The film has no release date as yet.
Timbers is co-creator and co-exec producer of Golden Globe winning live-action series Mozart in the Jungle. He is also known for directing and executive producing TV’s musical event Ben Platt Live from Radio City Music Hall and comedy special John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous at Radio City. His credits also include stage directing for The Pee-Wee Herman Show on Broadway TV movie. Toto marks his first animation project.
The helmer will be working from a script by previously announced project writer John August, who penned Guy Ritchie’s billion-dollar live-action Aladdin reimagining, was BAFTA nominated for his script for Tim Burton’s fantasy drama Big Fish and earned an Annie Award nomination for writing Burton’s stop-motion feature Frankenweenie. August received a Grammy nod for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory original tune “Wonka’s Welcome Song” (nominated with Danny Elfman) — he also wrote the screenplay.
[Source: Deadline]
