Josh Cooley will write and direct Universal’s Little Monsters.

Rather than taking an R-rated horror approach, the film will be family-friendly. The live-action hybrid monster feature will be produced by Todd Lieberman and David Hoberman of Mandeville Films. Concept art from Crash McCreery (Jurassic World, Rango) serves as the artistic direction for the film. McCreery also boards the project as executive producer.

Specific details about Little Monsters are being kept under wraps, but the project has been described as “a love letter to classic Hollywood” and “a story that takes a multigenerational approach to monsters.”

The studio wants Little Monsters to appeal to all ages – hence why Cooley boarded the project. Cooley directed Disney/Pixar’s Oscar-winning feature Toy Story 4. The film grossed over $1 billion at the box office.

Cooley spent 17 years at Pixar. Before directing Toy Story 4, he worked as a storyboard artist on The Incredibles and Cars. Since leaving Pixar, Cooley lined up a number of big projects including the animated Transformers movie.

Universal’s bringing monsters back

Ryan Gosling Wolfman - Universal classic monster movie

Little Monsters is part of the studio’s push to bring back classic movie monsters.

Universal’s classic film legacy includes movie monsters like Dracula, Frankenstein, and the Creature from the Black Lagoon.

Most recently, Universal announced a Wolfman movie starring Ryan Gosling. This one definitely won’t be family friendly. Well-known horror production company Blumhouse (The Invisible Man) will produce.

Previously in 2017, Universal attempted to launch their classic movie monsters program with The Mummy. The Tom Cruise led film underperformed at the box office and flopped with critics and audiences alike.

For more on Universal’s classic monster push, the latest movies, or any other general pop culture, be sure to check back to That Hashtag Show.

Source: Hollywood Reporter