First Look at Animated BOOK OF LIFE Produced by Guillermo Del Toro
Guillermo del Toro has been working on a movie called Book of Life with FOX Animation. He is serving as a producer on the picture, and today we have our first look at the project they've been working on.
The movie is being directed by Jorge R. Gutierrez. It stars Diego Luna as the lead character, Manolo, described as a young romantic who wants to pursue his passion for music, much to his family’s dismay. Channing Tatum and Zoe Saldana also star as Manolo’s childhood friends.
According to USA Today, the story focuses on "the romantic, strong-jawed Manolo, who has big problems besides the growing competition with his best friend. Manolo dreams of breaking away from his family's rich history of bullfighting to play the guitar, much to the dismay of his father, the world's greatest matador (Hector Elizondo) and super-macho grandfather (Danny Trejo)." The director also explains that "much of this is Manolo's magic journey. He has to come to terms with who he is."
Tatum talked about his character in an interview, saying,
"Manolo and my character Joaquin were best friends, we were all like the Three Musketeers. But craziness ensues as the gods wager. Things happen that people won't expect, I can guarantee that. It goes to a place of sour grapes and deep hurt to the point of losing their friendship. But friendship always wins. That's the message of this story: love and friendship and what you're willing to sacrifice for these ideas."
The animation seems to have a very unique style to it, and it's different from anything else that we've seen. I really like it, it's very fresh. The director went on to talk about pitching the story.
"I have been pitching the story and people have been saying, 'This is cool, but you're never going to get it made.' To other cultures it might seem dark, but the Day of the Dead is actually a very positive thing. It's about joyfully remembering the people no longer with us."
I'm sure we'll get a trailer in the near future, but right now I like what I'm hearing and seeing. I'm looking forward to seeing more! Check out the rest of the images below.
