Academy Award nominee Phil Johnston brings the iconic book to the screen in the streamer’s first animated project based on properties acquired in the 2021 Roald Dahl Story Company purchase; Jellyfish Pictures to handle the animation.
Netflix has announced the first animated screen adaptation of Roald Dahl’s book “The Twits,” helmed by Academy Award nominee Phil Johnston (Ralph Breaks the Internet, Zootopia, Wreck-It Ralph). The film is set to hit the platform in 2025.
The iconic book has been translated into 41 languages and sold 16 million copies worldwide. The streamer acquired the Roald Dahl Story Company in September 2021; this adaptation marks Netflix’s first animated release derived from that deal. Its line-up of iconic Roald Dahl stories includes Wes Anderson’s upcoming live-action short film The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, and the animated Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Netflix first announced its slate of Roald Dahl adapatations back in 2018.
In The Twits, Mr. and Mrs. Twit are the meanest, smelliest, nastiest people in the world who also happen to own and operate the most disgusting, most dangerous, most idiotic amusement park in the world, Twitlandia. But when the Twits rise to power in their town, two brave orphans and a family of magical animals are forced to become as tricky as the Twits in order to save the city. A hysterically funny, wild ride of a film (chock-full of the Twits’ beloved tricks–from the Wormy Spaghetti to the Dreaded Shrinks), The Twits is also a story for our times, about the never-ending battle between cruelty and empathy.
“I’ve always been attracted to reprehensible characters,” shared Johnston. “I don’t know what this says about me, and I really don’t want to look into it. Point is, ‘The Twits’ was my favorite book when I was a kid. I love the Twits and their terrible tricks. I love that they lack self-awareness and personal hygiene and any inkling of human decency. And I love this movie because it reminds us that twits like the Twits, whose default emotions are anger and vengeance, can’t be allowed to win in our world.”
Johnston serves as writer, alongside Meg Favreau, and director, with Katie Shanahan and Todd Demong as co-directors. Johnston and Maggie Malone produce with Daisy West as co-producer. The animation is being produced by Jellyfish Pictures (The Boss Baby, The Bad Guys).
Source: Netflix
Debbie Diamond Sarto is news editor at Animation World Network.
