Mark Gustafson, who directed the Oscar-winning Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio with the titular filmmaker, is working on a new project with the film’s animation studio, ShadowMachine. This time, it will be an animated mystery series titled Milepost 88, based on an original concept created by Gustafson, who is executive producing with studio founders Alex Bulkley and Corey Campodonico.
Milepost 88 centers on two brothers who run an old gas station deep in Nevada’s Great Basin desert whose typical lives are disrupted when a traveling stranger unlocks a mystery about their family history. Their current day story will be intertwined with the events of 1969, as a reluctant cosmonaut strives to be the first man on the Moon.
A broadcast or streaming partner has not been announced.
Produced for Netflix, Pinocchio has enjoyed huge critical success and conquered awards season, winning the best animated feature honors at the Oscars, Golden Globes, BAFTAs, Critics Choice Awards, Annie Awards and many critics’ and craft guild prizes.
Prior to the Collodi adaptation, Gustafson made a name in stop-motion as an animator, character designer, writer, director and producer for classics like the Claymation holiday specials, The California Raisin Show and Meet the Raisins!, Mr. Resistor and The PJs. He was also animation director on Wes Anderson’s Fantastic Mr. Fox.
[Source: Deadline]
