Netflix is teaming up with Locksmith Animation (‘Ron’s Gone Wrong‘), director Simon Otto (‘How to Train Your Dragon‘ franchise) and writer Richard Curtis (‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’) for new festive animation ‘That Christmas’.
The film features the voices of Brian Cox as Santa, Fiona Shaw (Ms. Trapper), Jodie Whittaker (Mrs. Williams), and Bill Nighy (Bill) as the residents of a charming seaside town where things turn upside down one Christmas.
‘That Christmas’ is an adaptation of the children’s book series written by Richard Curtis. The project is Curtis’ first animation project as well as the directorial debut for animation veteran Otto. The film follows a series of entwined tales about family and friends, love and loneliness, and Santa Claus making a big mistake, not to mention an enormous number of turkeys!
It also features the voices of Lolly Adefope, Alex Macqueen, Katherine Parkinson, Sindhu Vee, India Brown, Zazie Hayhurst, Sienna Sayer, Jack Wisniewski, Rosie Cavaliero, Paul Kaye, Guz Khan, Andy Nyman, Kuhu Agarwal, Bronte Smith, Freddie Spry, Ava Talbot, and Rhys Darby. The festive feature boasts a score from composer John Powell (‘How To Train Your Dragon’ trilogy).
Director Simon Otto said: “Becoming an animator had been on my Christmas wish list ever since I was a child and watching animated movies was one of the biggest Christmas traditions in my family. But never could I have imagined that one day I would get the chance to direct a Christmas film written by the one-and-only Richard Curtis and collaborate with some of the most iconic voice talents. Watching this cast bring life to these heart-warmingly funny tales and infuse them with the magic of animation is truly a dream come true. I hope That Christmas becomes a cherished tradition for audiences worldwide.”
Writer and Executive Producer Richard Curtis said: “This has been the most amazing adventure, my first animated film. It’s been especially exciting to see the whole world I imagined come to life beyond my wildest dreams – and populated by a dream bunch of actors, their wonderful voices turned into such rich and funny characters.”
‘That Christmas’ will debut on Netflix later this year.
