The streamer drops first look image and casting news for its upcoming animated feature, based on the award-winning graphic novel by ‘She-Ra and the Princesses of Power’ creator ND Stevenson, that had been in production at Fox Animation and then Blue Sky prior to it shutting down last year.
Netflix has named the cast and dropped a first look image for the highly anticipated and quite journeyed animated feature Nimona, slated for release in 2023. The streamer has partnered with Annapurna Pictures on the former Blue Sky Studios film, picking up the project after it was shut down last year - with 10 months left in production - in the unfortunate aftermath of Disney’s 20th Century Fox purchase.
AWN first reported on the film’s development back in 2015; Oscar-winning Feast director Patrick Osborne was then directing the feature at Fox Animation. The film ended up at Blue Sky, with Osborne still directing, as of 2017, with a 2020 release date planned. The film is now back on track for 2023, with animation being produced by DNEG. Helming the project are co-director Nick Bruno and Troy Quane. The duo previously teamed up on Blue Sky’s 2019 animated movie, Spies in Disguise starring Will Smith and Tom Holland. Roy Lee, Karen Ryan, and Julie Zackary are producing with Robert L. Baird, Megan Ellison, and Andrew Millstein serving as executive producers.
The cast includes Chloë Grace Moretz as Nimona; Riz Ahmed as Ballister Boldheart; and Eugene Lee Yang as Ambrosius Goldenloin.
Nimona is adapted from the Harvey and Eisner Award-winning and New York Times bestselling graphic novel of the same name by author ND Stevenson, who announced the news and debuted a first look on Twitter this morning. Stevenson was creator and showrunner on Netflix and DreamWorks Animation’s hit animated series She-Ra and the Princesses of Power.
Nimona’s always been a spunky little story that just wouldn’t stop. She’s a fighter…but she’s also got some really awesome people fighting for her. I am excited out of my mind to announce that THE NIMONA MOVIE IS ALIVE…coming at you in 2023 from Annapurna and Netflix pic.twitter.com/wEZuM2sXTt
— ND Stevenson (@Gingerhazing) April 11, 2022
The graphic novel follows a young shape-shifter who teams up with a disgraced knight in order to reclaim his honor and overthrow a corrupt regime. Published in 2012, Stevenson wrote and drew “Nimona” as their thesis project at the Maryland Institute College of Art.
According to Netflix, the film is set in a techno-medieval world and is a story about the labels we assign to people and the shapeshifter who refuses to be defined by anyone.
Source: Netflix
Debbie Diamond Sarto is news editor at Animation World Network.
