Laika Studios, the stop-motion animation studio that brought you Coraline, ParaNorman and The Boxtrolls has a brand new film in production. Laika, partnered with Focus Features will produce their fourth feature Kubo and the Two Strings. The new film, from an original screenplay by Marc Haimes and Chris Butler (ParaNorman) is an adventure story set in a mythical ancient Japan.
The film will be directed by President & CEO Travis Knight, who is making his directorial debut. The all-star voice cast includes Matthew McConaughey, Charlize Theron, Rooney Mara, Ralph Fiennes, and Brenda Vaccaro. Art Parkinson, who plays Rickon Stark on Game of Thrones will provide the voice of Kubo.
Here is the 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.”
“Kubo and the Two Strings is a rare gem,” said Knight in an announcement. “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.”
Kubo and the Two Strings will hit theaters on August 19, 2016.