‘The Little Prince’ Gets Fresh Animated Adaptation from Stars Collective & El Pajaro

Stars Collective officially announced today a strategic partnership with El Pajaro Pictures Shanghai Co., Ltd. to jointly develop, produce and distribute a new animated film adaptation of The Little Prince, reimagining the timeless classic by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.

Since its publication in 1943, The Little Prince has been translated into more than 300 languages and sold over 200 million copies globally. The 2015 animated adaptation achieved a global box office of $97 million, including ¥158 million in China.

Stars Collective’s unique business model, built to promote the next generation of diverse voices and creative storytellers, connects filmmakers around the globe for joint original IP development. The company has deals with dozens of top directors and producers as mentors and also established cooperation agreements with hundreds of global directors and producers, as well as nearly a hundred well-known international artists.

This new adaptation will focus on Saint-Exupéry’s life between 1940 and 1944. Employing groundbreaking hybrid animation techniques, it will seamlessly blend 2D “expressive” watercolor styles with 3D “realistic” oil painting aesthetics. The 2D animation will depict The Little Prince’s whimsical world, while the 3D animation will vividly recreate the author’s real-life experiences through meticulous realistic rendering.

The project is being directed by Li Jihong, who created the official Chinese translation of the book. Medialink Animation International Ltd. is on board for the film, which is currently in production with the express support of POMASE, the official managing body of Saint-Exupéry’s legacy.

“The Little Prince is a long-lasting beloved fable about the purpose of human life and the true meaning of love. People around the world wrote me numerous emails to share their thoughts and love for the story after reading my translation in Chinese, which has been sold more than 6 million copies since it was published in 2013. But more often than not, people know little about the legend of the author, Antoine de Sanit-Exupéry, who is born an autocrat, a self-made pioneering pilot, and one of the greatest novelists,” said Jihong.

“The new animation movie will tell the entangling and intriguing story of the author and his masterpiece. I’m honored to have the support from Stars Collective, which makes more sense if we are aware of the fact that Saint-Exupéry wrote the work in New York during World War II. We can safely say that The Little Prince is an American story, so it’s great to get Stars Collective, a Hollywood powerhouse, involved.”

As the project’s principal investor and global distributor, Stars Collective will integrate top global resources to achieve technological and commercial breakthroughs. Peter Luo, Founder of Stars Collective, said, “By introducing cutting-edge AI technology and innovative animation aesthetics, we are committed to presenting audiences with an unprecedented visual spectacle. This collaboration will not only expand The Little Prince’s global influence but also open new possibilities for the convergence of culture and technology.”

The collaboration with El Pajaro on The Little Prince follows Star Collective’s recent strategic partnership with Osar and BAFTA-winning VFX/animation studio DNEG to collaborate on the development, production, and operation of immersive experience projects in China.