Variety reports that Fox Animation and Blue Sky Studios have a new animated film in the works. Chris Wedge, director of ICE AGE, is directing the animation adaptation of William Joyce’s children’s book “The Leaf Men and the Brave Good Bugs.” Wedge and Joyce have worked together in the past to create animated features such as ROBOTS for Fox and Blue Sky. However, after getting the go ahead from Fox, Wedge shopped around for a new studio for the project and nearly had a taker in Pixar.
Sources said that Disney and Pixar jumped and got as far as thinking they had a deal with Wedge. But when they moved to close with Fox on the project’s underlying rights, Pixar, Wedge and his UTA reps were surprised to discover that Fox wasn’t letting go of “Leaf Men” after all.
LEAF MEN tells the story of a band of bugs terrorized by a spider queen. Desperate for help they call on the mythical Leaf Men help them defeat the queen.
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