Post by The Ultimate Nullifier on Apr 15, 2014 21:59:04 GMT -6
blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/dreamworks-is-producing-a-3d-computer-animated-post-apocalyptic-feature-w-a-black-girl-at-the-center
DreamWorks Animation studios plans to add a little, shall we say, "color" to its growing, rather *vanilla* portfolio of movies, with its next project, titled Home, a 3D computer-animated feature film set in the future, which is based on Adam Rex's children's book The True Meaning of Smekday, and stars Rihanna (providing the voice for the starring character - an enterprising girl named Tip), Jennifer Lopez, Jim Parsons, and Steve Martin.
It's certainly not often that black girls (or boys) are at the center of 3D computer-animated feature films set in the future, produced by Hollywood movie studios.
Tim Johnson is directing the film which is described as a post-apocalyptic-alien-invasion-buddy-comedy, with a synopsis that reads:
When Earth is taken over by the overly-confident Boov, an alien race in search of a new place to call home, all humans are promptly relocated, while the Boov get busy efficiently reorganizing the planet. But when one resourceful girl, Tip, (Rihanna) manages to avoid capture, she finds herself the accidental accomplice of a banished Boov by the name of Oh (Jim Parsons). Equally stubborn and set in their ways, these two fugitives realize there’s a lot more at stake than intergalactic relations as they embark on the road trip of a lifetime. Good thing they have a flying car.
Jennifer Lopez voices Tip's mother and Steve Martin does the same for Captain Smek, the leader of the Boov race.
Chris Jenkins and Suzanne Buirgy are the producers of the film, adapted by Tom J. Astle and Matt Ember.
To be distributed by 20th Century Fox, the film is scheduled to be released on November 26, 2014.
A 4-minute short prequel called Almost Home was attached to theatrical showings of DreamWorks Animation's Mr. Peabody & Sherman and 20th Century Fox's Rio 2 earlier this year.
The short shows The Boov and their leader Captain Smek in a sequence of unsuccessful attempts at finding a hospitable planet, before they finally come across the Earth.
In addition to her voice role, Rihanna will also reportedly record a concept album featuring original songs from the film.
Not much media is currently available for the film except for the above graphic showing the two main characters - Oh the alien (voiced by Jim Parsons) and Tip the girl (voiced by Rihanna) - and the short prequel to the upcoming feature, which is embedded above.