Laika Announces New Animated Film KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS

Laika Studios, the production company that brought us Coraline, ParaNorman, and The Boxtrolls, has announced their next film project! The fourth film in the studio’s history will be called Kubo and the Two Strings, and it’s based on a very cool and original story that’s described as ”a sweeping, swashbuckling adventure set in a mythical ancient Japan.”

The story comes from ParaNorman writers Marc Haimes and Chris Butler, and it will be directed by Laika founder Travis Knight. The film will be shot and developed using what’s described as a “innovative 3D stop-motion and CG hybrid technique.” That’s basically how they make all of their films.

The voice cast for the movie includes Matthew McConaughey, Charlize Theron, Rooney Mara, Ralph Fiennes, and Brenda VaccaroArt Parkinson, who plays Rickon Stark on Game of Thrones, is providing the voice for the lead role of Kubo. Here’s a synopsis:

In the epic fantasy, scruffy, kindhearted Kubo ekes out a humble living while devotedly caring for his mother in their sleepy shoreside village. It is a quiet existence – until a spirit from the past catches up with him to enforce an age-old vendetta. Suddenly on the run from gods and monsters, Kubo’s chance for survival rests on finding the magical suit of armor once worn by his fallen father, the greatest samurai the world has ever known. Summoning courage, Kubo embarks on a thrilling odyssey as he faces his family’s history, navigates the elements, and bravely fights for the earth and the stars.

Knight said this in a statement:

"Kubo and the Two Strings is a rare gem. It’s a gripping yarn woven from Japanese folktales and mythology, with lost civilizations, mystical origami, noble heroes, star-crossed lovers, and blood-curdling monsters. At once epic and intimate, Kubo is a funny, intense, and ultimately uplifting fairy tale draped in some of the most bizarre and exciting imagery I’ve ever seen. Most importantly, it’s deeply moving. It’s a story that means something, a story that deserves to be told. In short, it’s a LAIKA movie. And with a poetic script, sublime cast, and our freakishly talented artists and craftspeople, Kubo will be a strange, stirring, and altogether stunning film. I can’t wait to share it with the world."

Sounds like a winner to me! Just like all the previous films the studio has made. Kubo and the Two Strings is set to open on August 19th, 2016.

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