There’s CRIMSON PEAK around the corner, well next year, but before that we’ve got the next project that the prolific del Toro is producing, it’s the Jorge R. Gutierrez-directed THE BOOK OF LIFE from 20th Century Fox.
Gutierrez has co-written the film with Douglas Langdale, it tells the tale of Manolo (Diego Luna), a young chap who’s stuck in that place between achieving the expectations of his father (Hector Elizondo) and grandfather (Danny Trejo) to become a bullfighter, or following his true passion for music. There’s sure to be an adventure ahead and there’s an interesting vibe to these first stills that appear to find a new niche between fantastical and a hand-drawn effect, which I like when comparing it to some of the ‘too shiny’ animation that can appear for the smaller projects. If you’re going to come up with something new, make it unique.
There’s also big Hollywood names among proceedings, with Zoe Saldana, Channing Tatum, Ice Cube, Christina Applegate, Ron Perlman and Opera legend Placido Domingo lending their voice talents to the Fox Animation film. It opens in the USA on 17th October and in the UK on the 24th October.
UPDATED! Here’s the first stunning poster (with a whole lot of Day of the Dead) and those images from earlier today:
For a bit more, plus an interview with Channing Tatum on his role, head over to USAToday.
