Edgar Wright Will Co-Write and Direct A Shadowy DreamWorks Animation Film

Shaun of the Dead director Edgar Wright has his next live-action project, Baby Driver, all lined up for release on March 17th, 2017, but the English director is about to step into completely uncharted territory for him: animation. Deadline reports that Wright will co-write and direct an untitled DreamWorks Animation movie "centered on the concept of shadows."

“Edgar will spearhead a new approach to this fascinating concept and we’re ecstatic to have him onboard as director along with David [Walliams] as co-writer,” DreamWorks Animation’s Co-Presidents of Feature Animation Bonnie Arnold and Mireille Soria Thursday. “We’ve always been intrigued by a film concept involving shadows, and now with Edgar’s signature comedic style and abilities as a natural storyteller, audiences will be treated to a truly captivating and energetic tale.”

The report stresses that this new project is not DreamWorks' long-delayed Me and My Shadow, a movie that's been in development for years already. This is "something entirely originald dealing with the same basic concept." I wonder if that means Me and My Shadow will be shelved for good now. Wright is developing a movie adaptation of Neil Gaiman's Fortunately, the Milk with Johnny Depp that will be a hybrid of live-action and animation, but this mystery shadow movie will be his first fully animated effort.

“My first endeavors in film-making as a teenager were in animation, so it was hugely intriguing to get a call from DreamWorks Animation about potentially directing,” added Wright in a statement. “When the Shadows concept was suggested to me, I could see the poster, the title sequence and pretty much the whole movie. It's a blast writing this and to have one of my oldest friends in comedy, David Walliams, along for the adventure is a thrill.”

I know DreamWorks Animation isn't as beloved as Pixar or even Walt Disney Animation, but they've made some pretty great movies over the past few years with How to Train Your Dragon and the under-seen and under-appreciated Rise of the Guardians as standout examples. Guillermo del Toro was consulting on a lot of animated projects for the studio a little while ago (I know he was heavily involved with Rise of the Guardians), but I'm not sure if that's something he's still a part of or not. If he is, that'd be really cool to see the results of a collaboration between Wright and del Toro.

Are you looking forward to seeing what Wright can do with animation here?