It’s tough to be Henry Selick. The guy has directed two wondrous, critically-praised, and financially successful stop-motion features (and one wondrous, critically-praised failure, but still), and yet he can’t seem to find a home. Disney, who signed him on for several projects, ended up dropping him when he couldn’t make their announced 2013 release date for his first film. How dare he try to take time with his craft, and not be beholden to corporate whims!
Selick’s project was left homeless for a while, but now there’s hope. German distribution company K5 International is going to try to help Selick raise funds for the film, which now has a title: The Shadow King. Additionally, they’ve released this plot synopsis:
Hap Dagger, a nine-year-old orphan, hides his fantastically weird hands from a cruel world. But when a Living Shadow Girl teaches him to make amazing hand shadows that come alive, his hands become incredible weapons in a shadow war against a ravenous Monster who could destroy Hap’s brother and all of New York.
They also have a cast as well, which includes Pamela Adlon, Brendan Gleeson, Jeffrey Tambor, and Catherine O’Hara. They even have 2014 targeted as a release year. Now all they need is money. Cross your fingers that they get it. The world needs more Henry Selick.
