Oscar-winner Jordan Peele is reuniting with his Key & Peele co-star Keegan-Michael Key, to lend their voices to the stop-motion animated feature WENDELL & WILD for Netflix with Academy Award nominee Henry Selick set to direct. Selick previously directed Coraline and The Nightmare Before Christmas.
The story follows two scheming demon brothers Wendell (Peele) and Wild (Key) who are forced to face-off against their arch-enemy in order to earn their way out of hell.
In addition to directing, Selick will write the script with Peele and Clay McLeod Chapman, based on an original story by Selick.
Peele will produce through his company Monkeypaw alongside Selic and The Gotham Group’s Ellen Goldsmith-Vein. Sarah Serate will co-produce. Executive producers are Win Rosenfeld for Monkeypaw, Peter Principato and Joel Zadak for Principato Young, and Lindsay Williams and Eddie Gamarra for The Gotham Group.
Pablo Lobato, the world-renowned Argentinian artist known for his brilliant satirical drawings, will be designing all the characters.
The news comes less than two weeks after Peele won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for his film Get Out. His company Monkeypaw has a first-look deal at Universal and he’s already at work writing his next original feature. They’re also developing and producing the TV series Lovecraft Country at HBO and The Last O.G. at TBS, and executive producing a Twilight Zone reboot at CBS All Access. Peele is represented by CAA and Principato-Young Entertainment.
Key has provided his voice to several animated projects including The Angry Birds Movie, Storks, The Lego Movie, Hotel Transylvania 2, and the upcoming Lion King feature from Jon Favreau where he will voice Kamari. Key and Peele’s sketch comedy series, Key & Peele, nabbed the pair Emmy’s for Outstanding Writing and Outstanding Sketch Variety Series. He is represented by UTA.
Selick has previously been nominated for an Oscar for Coraline, as well as a BAFTA and Annie Awards. He is represented by Gotham Group.
Emily J | Managing Editor