Skydance Media To Develop ‘The Fourteenth Goldfish’ As Animated Feature

Skydance Media has acquired the rights to the children’s book The Fourteenth Goldfish written by Jennifer L. Holm.

Its Skydance Animation division plans to develop and produce a feature based on the book with the husband-and-wife team of Theodore Melfi (director/writer, Hidden Figures) and Kimberly Quinn (actress/co-producer, Hidden Figures), who are attached to write and produce through their Goldenlight Films.

Spanish artists Victor Maldonado (Nocturna, Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia) and Alfredo Torres (Nocturna, Trollhunters: Tales Arcadia) from Headless Productions will direct the film, with Alessandro Carloni (Luck, Kung Fu Panda 3) serving as executive producer.

The Fourteenth Goldfish is described as an “animated comedy about a 12-year-old girl whose middle school life is made even more complicated when her estranged grandfather shows up at her door having reversed his age to fourteen-years-old. Together, they must go on an adventure to stop the technology from falling into the wrong hands.”

“We fell in love with The Fourteenth Goldfish immediately and were passionate about telling this story featuring characters of all ages and the unique comedic circumstances that connects a young girl with her grandfather at an important time in both their lives,” said Bill Damaschke, Skydance president of animation and family entertainment. “These incredible filmmakers are the perfect team to bring this story to life, and we couldn’t be happier they chose Skydance as the place to realize their vision.”

Added Melfi and Quinn: “It’s not often a kid’s novel can so elegantly deal with the weighty topics of life and death, getting old, falling in love and moving on, yet somehow, The Fourteenth Goldfish, does all that and more. From the very first read, Kim and I felt this was a special project, a chance to explore humanity’s thickest themes through the eyes of a 12-year-old girl.”

Skydance Media, the film financing/production company started by David Ellison, is getting into animation in a big way. The company has already lined up Alessandro Carloni (Kung Fu Panda 3) and Vicky Jenson (Shrek) to direct its first two features, and recently announced that Tangled director Nathan Greno would also direct an original feature, Powerless.

The company has formed a multi-year partnership with Madrid-based Ilion Animation Studios ((Planet 51, Paramount’s upcoming Wonder Park), where its films will be produced.