Award-winning animation studio LAIKA is expanding into live action. The studio will adapt John Brownlow’s upcoming novel Seventeen.

LAIKA put out the animated features Coraline, ParaNorman, The Boxtrolls, Kubo and the Two Strings, and Missing Link. In fact, all five of their films received Academy Award nominations for Outstanding Animated Feature.

Now, after an intense bidding war, LAIKA secured the rights to Brownlow’s debut novel.

“For the past 15 years, LAIKA has been committed to making movies that matter,” said Travis Knight, LAIKA President and CEO.  “Across mediums and genres, our studio has fused art, craft, and technology in service of bold, distinctive, and enduring stories.  With Seventeen, LAIKA is taking that philosophy in an exciting new direction.”

Brownlow’s work includes a number of acting and screenwriting credits. He wrote the Gwyneth Paltrow feature Sylvia, as well as the BBC limited series The Miniaturist, for which he also served as executive producer. He also wrote the limited series Fleming, based on James Bond author Ian Fleming. His debut action thriller Seventeen will publish in 2022.

“Seventeen is a stiff cocktail of wicked wit, exhilarating action, and raw emotion,” Knight said.  “John has such a wonderfully unique voice. He’s crafted a brilliant universe with its own powerful identity. Seventeen is a thriller with soul, a sinuous adrenaline-fueled actioner with a sincere heart beating underneath its rippling pectorals.”

Brownlow also expressed his excitement to work with LAIKA.

“As a long-time fan of LAIKA’s movies for their vision, heart, craft, intelligence and ambition, I couldn’t have hoped for the novel or the universe it inhabits to have found a better or more exciting home. I’m beyond honored to be part of their plans for the future,” said Brownlow.

The studio is also currently working on its sixth animated feature.

So, are you excited to see LAIKA leap into live action? Which of their animated features tops your favorites list? Let us know in the comments.

Meanwhile, check back to THS for more updates.

Source: LAIKA