Netflix has announced its latest animated musical feature project The Witch Boy will be directed by Oscar nominee Minkyu Lee (Adam and Dog). Based on the New York Times bestselling graphic novel series by Molly Knox Ostertage, the movie will be produced by Vertigo Entertainment (The LEGO Movie) and released on the streaming platform. Three-time Grammy Award-nominated band Haim is attached to write the music.
“It has been a life-long dream of mine to create an animated film that pushes the medium forward, both in content and form. The connection between this dream, my experiences, and Aster and Juniper’s story is what draws me to this film every day. I am grateful to be creating this with the wonderful team at Netflix,” said Lee. “My hope is that this film, by celebrating queerness and ‘otherness,’ will come to audiences around the world as something truly special.”
Synopsis: In a secret, magical community where girls are born to be witches and boys grow into shapeshifters, Aster is surprised to discover his emerging and extraordinary witch powers. When a mysterious danger threatens his world, Aster must embark on a journey to uncover the truth behind himself, his powers, and everything that is magical.
The film is directed by Lee, written by Maria Melnik (American Gods), and executive produced by Vertigo Ent. founder Roy Lee, Miri Yoon and Ryan Harris.
Minkyu Lee is a film director, writer, producer and artist whose animated short film, Adam and Dog was nominated for an Oscar and won an Annie Award for Best Animated Short. His credits include animating on Glen Keane’s Oscar-winning short Dear Basketball, Disney’s Winnie the Pooh and The Princess and the Frog, as well as visual development on Frozen, Wreck-It Ralph, Big Hero 6 and storyboarding on Over the Moon.
The Witch Boy was previously picked up for development by Fox Animation in in 2017.
Netflix’s fast-growing original animated features slate includes Academy Award-nominated Klaus, Kris Pearn’s The Willoughbys, Oscar winner Glen Keane’s Over the Moon; as well as the Fall 2021 comedy Back to the Outback directed by Clare Knight and Harry Cripps, Richard Linklater’s Apollo 10 ½: A Space Age Adventure, Chris Williams’ The Sea Beast, Henry Selick’s Wendell & Wild, Nora Twomey’s My Father’s Dragon, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, Wendy Rogers’ The Magician’s Elephant, and an Aardman sequel to Chicken Run.
