Paris- and N.Y.C.-based Good Hero and leading pan- European media group Mediawan announce development has been greenlit on Good Hero’s first animated feature, Wings of Freedom: Operation Rebirth, following their recently announced strategic partnership agreement.
The movie’s sci-fi storyline was written by Good Hero Co-Founder Laurent Zeitoun (Fireheart, Ballerina a.k.a. Leap!) with the company’s Co-Chief Creative Officer Kiel Murray (Cars, Cars 3, Finding Nemo, Inside Out, Ratatouille, Brave, Up and the upcoming Luck). The original idea for the Wings of Freedom Universe was inspired by an idea from Jonathan Keasey.
Zeitoun is co-writing the script for Operation Rebirth with Nick Luddington, who is a co-producer and writer on Arcane — the acclaimed
Netflix/Riot Games series which won nine awards at the 49th Annie Awards last month, including: Best Character Design TV/Media for Episode 2: “Some Mysteries Better Left Unsolved,” one of two episodes written by Luddington.
“Nick is a brilliant world and character creator who shares our passion for story and family entertainment, and will be a great creative partner,” said Zeitoun and Good Hero Co-Founder Gregory Ouanhon. “We are also excited to be moving forward on our first joint development project with Mediawan, who believe in this film and the unlimited potential of the Wings of Freedom Universe.”
Luddington added, “I couldn’t be more excited to help Good Hero bring the first chapter of the Wings of Freedom Universe to life. Their ethos of delivering heart- centered and emotionally rewarding films mirrors my own, and I can’t wait for audiences to see this unique and vibrant story.”
About the Wings of Freedom Universe:
After Humans turn to AI to combat their global warming problem, the plan backfires when AI drones identify mankind as the main enemy to Earth’s survival. By 2340, an army of drones has taken over the planet and humans are nearly extinct. But a new resistance rises up, and courageous birds and animals around the world come together to create humanity’s last hope for survival: The Animal Air Force.
In addition to the Operation Rebirth animated film in development, Good Hero’s Wings of Freedom Universe will encompass a series of original multi-platform worlds that the company has been developing over the last two years since its inception. Good Hero is concurrently working on a graphic novel from the Wings of Freedom Universe, aiming for publication next year prior to the completion of the feature.
Operation Rebirth follows the international release of the critically acclaimed animated feature Fireheart (a.k.a. Vaillante), which was written and directed by Zeitoun (The Intouchables, The Death of Stalin, C’est la vie, Leap!, Aline). Fireheart was released in the U.S. on Hulu, (voiced by Olivia Cooke, William Shatner and Kenneth Branagh, and in France by Alice Pol, Valerie Lemercier and Vincent Cassel) and independently distributed worldwide.
Mediawan Pictures’ Elisabeth d’Arvieu oversees the strategic partnership between the two companies. Under the partnership, Mediawan and Good Hero will co-develop and co-produce original high-end international television series and feature films (live action and animation) adapted from Good Hero’s slate of original content.
Nick Luddington is represented by Independent Talent, APA, Echo Lake, and Gang, Tyre, Ramer, Brown and Passman.
Jonathan Keasey is represented by Michael Prevett at Circle of Confusion and Hirsch Wallerstein Matlof Hayum + Fishman.
