U.K.’s Magic Light, South Africa’s Triggerfish Team for Animated ‘Rat’
The U.K.’s Oscar-nominated Magic Light Pictures and South Africa’s Triggerfish Animation Studios have announced their third collaboration, an animated adaptation of “The Highway Rat,” a 2011 children’s book by the author/illustrator duo Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler.
Scheduled to premiere on BBC One for Christmas 2017, it marks the third Christmas collaboration in as many years between Magic Light and Triggerfish. Last year’s “Stick Man” from Triggerfish bowed to critical acclaim and won a slew of international awards, including the prestigious Cristal for a TV Production at the Annecy Animation Festival. A highly anticipated adaptation of Roald Dahl’s “Revolting Rhymes” will premiere later this year.
The half-hour animated special tells the story of a greedy rat who terrorizes other animals along the highway by stealing their food. It’s being produced by Magic Light’s Michael Rose and Martin Pope and helmed by Jeroen Jaspaert, who directed “Stick Man.”
“‘The Highway Rat’ is another hugely entertaining story from the unique imaginations of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler,” says Rose, whose company is adapting its fifth book by the talented duo, including “Stick Man” and Oscar nominees “The Gruffalo” and “Room on the Broom.”
“We’re delighted to be working again with Triggerfish Animation Studios in Cape Town to bring it to screen,” he adds.
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