Garnering a reputation for taught, fascinating and tricky thrillers, Alex Garland is heading in more of a family-friendy direction for a new script he's working on. Sony's TriStar label has just flashed the cash to buy The Toymaker's Secret.
But unlike Ex Machina and Annihilation, this is only a writing and producing job for Garland, with BAFTA winner Paloma Baeza directing. The Toymaker's Secret sees an American family moving into a Victorian house in London, and starting to think it might be haunted. It turns out there's more to it than that thanks to some items created by the title character...
"The Toymaker’s Secret is an original movie with such heart and humour and magic that it is sure to become an instant classic for the whole family,” says TriStar president Hannah Minghella. "We are thrilled to be working with Paloma on her debut feature and with Alex and Andrew (Macdonald) who are both long-time friends and creative partners."
"We couldn’t be more delighted to begin this adventure with TriStar. Hannah’s enthusiasm and insight are the perfect fit for an exciting collaboration," says Baeza. "This project will join my love of animation with a live-action world, and it’s fantastic to be bringing this story to life."
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