THOR: RAGNAROK Director Taika Waititi to Helm a Film Based on Michael Jackson's Chimp BUBBLES
Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi has found his next film project. He will be co-directing a stop-motion animated film based on Michael Jackson's chimp, Bubbles. The movie will be called Bubbles, and it will be co-directed by Mark Gustafson, from a Black List script written by Isaac Adamson. The movie will also be produced by Dan Harmon’s Starburns Industries.
According to Deadline, the film is an offbeat coming-of-age story that will be told in the vein of Anomalisa, which was also produced by Starburns. Waititi, who also directed What We Do in Shadows and Hunt for the Wilderpeople, talked about the film project:
“It’s an idea that fascinates me and one I want to develop further. Most people know I’m a huge Michael Jackson fan, so the main thing for me is to make sure it’s respectful of him and his legacy. I’m not interested in making a biopic; I want to focus on telling a story that blends fact and fantasy, about an animal trying to make sense of the world."
He goes on to explain that this movie is not about Michael Jackson, it's about his chimp's journey through life in a human world:
“This film is not about Michael Jackson because that’s not a story for me to tell — or a story I’d be comfortable telling — it’s about a chimpanzee’s fascinating journey through the complex jungle of human life. I think animation is the only way to approach a story like this. I really loved Anomalisa because it was beautiful and authentic in its meditation on loneliness. I’m really excited to be working with Dan Harmon and Starburns as we share similar sensibilities and want to tell human stories in unique and artistic ways.”
This seems like such a perfect project for Waititi to develop, and I can't wait to see what he does with it. I've enjoyed every film that he's made in his career as a filmmaker, and this project seems to fit his storytelling style and personality.