Cartoon Saloon and Dog Ears’ new animated feature film project Puffin Rock and the New Friends, based on the Irish studios’ International Emmy-nominated preschool series Puffin Rock, is about ready to leave the nest. WestEnd Films has boarded the project as sales agent, and will begin shopping the movie at European Film Market (EFM) in Berlin this week.
The producers have also confirmed that series narrator Chris O’Dowd (My Father’s Dragon) will voice star in the pic, alongside Amy Huberman (A Cat Called Jam), Eva Whittaker (Wolfwalkers) and Beth McCafferty.
Announced in 2019 as “an action-packed story which celebrates the puffins’ magnificent natural environment, and features themes of belonging, courage and friendship,” the movie adventure will follow the show’s puffin stars Oona, Baba, May and Mossy as they team up with new island arrivals Isabelle, Phoenix and Marvin to crack the mysterious disappearance of the last Little Egg of the season, and bring it home safely before a looming storm hits.
Puffin Rock and the New Friends is directed by Jeremy Purcell (Joe and Jack, Puffin Rock; VFX on Song of the Sea, The Secret of Kells), from a screenplay by series head writer Sara Daddy. Producers are Paul Young, Tomm Moore and Nora Twomey for Cartoon Saloon, John McDaid and Fionnuala Deane from Dog Ears. Lorraine Lordan is assistant director, Fran Bravo and Stefano Scapolan are art directors. Icelandic artist Eberg is composing the music.
Marking the first animated feature produced in Northern Ireland (through Dog Ears), Puffin Rock and the New Friends is co-funded by Northern Ireland Screen, Screen Ireland, RTE and BBC Alba. Theatrical distribution in Ireland & Northern Ireland will be handled by Wildcard Distribution.
