James Leon’s 8th Gear Entertainment and Ted Field’s Radar Pictures are teaming up to bring the famous giant tortoise Lonesome George and his remarkable true story to life on the big screen in a new 3D CGI-animated family adventure movie.
The real Lonesome George was known as the rarest creature on Earth, the last known individual of his Pinta Island subspecies. His life and story continue to inspire and serve as an international symbol for conservation efforts in the Galápagos Islands and throughout the world.
“Lonesome George is a remarkable true story of a one-of-a-kind survivor,” says Leon. “The legend of Lonesome George is a cherished part of Ecuadorian history and beloved by people around the world. This is the first time Lonesome George, and his story, will be brought to the big screen.”
From a story by Leon in collaboration with James Byrkit (writer on the Academy Award-winning animated feature Rango), the movie will follow Lonesome George, the giant tortoise of the Galápagos, who is the last of his kind, as he sets out on an epic adventure with a ragtag team of animal friends to find others like him — and discovers the true meaning of family.
“This will be a brilliant, animated feature that is hugely enjoyable for kids, grownups and everyone in between,” notes Field. “There is something for everyone here and we’re proud that it also delivers an environmental message that everyone can get behind.”
Leon, who runs Miami-based production company 8th Gear Entertainment, is producing Lonesome George alongside Radar Pictures’ Field (Jumanji and Chronicles of Riddick franchises, The Last Samurai), Anthony Tringali, Maria Frisk, and Michael Napoliello, with Byrkit serving both as both producer and screenwriter.
The movie aims to bring to light environmental issues that affect our planet, conservation and the ongoing evolution of ecosystems and its impact on the future of the environment and the world. A percentage of the revenue generated by the film will be donated to the Leaders for Change Foundation, which brings awareness to the necessary protection of the Galápagos Islands and their irreplaceable ecological wonders.
“We have taken careful consideration in supporting a project like this, which expresses the importance of maintaining the ecological homeostasis of this beautiful region and conservation of its endemic species. That is why I, as the President of Ecuador, and the Ministry of the Environment, fully endorse this magnificent project, because we believe in its educational value, in the impact it will have on scientific research, and in the help it will provide in raising awareness of the significance of its existence,” Ecuador President Guillermo Lasso Mendoza asserts.
“Being considered a Natural Heritage of Humanity is a source of pride not only for Ecuadorians but for all those wanting to make an impact on environmental awareness. This movie will ultimately bring the attention it deserves.”
Today, George is preserved at the Charles Darwin Research Station in Ecuador, where he is visited by over a hundred thousand fans every year. As a tribute to George and his legacy, his image is enshrined as the logo of the Galápagos Conservancy and The Charles Darwin Foundation.
In addition to Lonesome George, 8th Gear Entertainment and Radar Pictures are partnering to bring the fast paced sport of FIA ABB Formula E racing to the big screen via a female-centered, racing action-thriller titled Breakneck, which is planned a franchise starter in the vein of Fast & Furious with full FIA ABB Formula E backing and participation.
