Warner Bros. Is Working On An ‘Emily The Strange’ Animated Feature
Warner Bros. Pictures Animation and J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot are adapting goth merchandising icon Emily the Strange into a theatrical animated feature.
First introduced in the early 1990s as a skateboard graphic, the character has gone to become a popular merchandising figure used on clothing, stationary, and fashion accessories. Emily has also appeared in graphic novels, comics, and other forms of media.
Here is what we know about the project:
- No story has been revealed yet, but the film is being written by Pamela Ribon, who besides working on the story and screenplays for Nimona, Ralph Breaks the Internet, and Moana, was nominated for an animated short Oscar for My Year of Dicks, which she created and wrote.
- Emily (and her four black cats) are described as representing “a raw, punk rock, independent spirit” and the character subscribes to the D.I.Y. philosophy of “think for yourself, do it yourself, be yourself.” According to WB, she encourages people to be all they can’t be, get lost in imagination, and stay strange.
- Bad Robot will produce with Emily’s creator Rob Reger, who is set to executive produce alongside Trevor Duke-Moretz.
- Multiple attempts have been made to bring Emily the Strange to Hollywood over the last several decades, including both live action and animated pitches. The last company to publicly announce that it was attempting to adapt the character was Amazon Studios in 2016. None of the attempts have yet to be produced.
- Creator Rob Reger said in a statement:
Both the creative and executive teams we have in place for the movie are incredible. Everyone shows up with a keen perspective along with an understanding and respect for the unique connection Emily the Strange has with our ‘real world.’ Emily celebrates all that is weird and different, which in turn makes the strange and unusual in all of us, feel a little less alone. Bringing to life Emily’s universe and many mythologies we have created over the years is truly one of Emily’s best nightmares come true.
- Screenwriter Ribon said in a statement:
I’m so excited to be part of the team giving Emily her first feature film! Animation is the perfect medium for her wild and wonderful inventions and adventures, and from the partnership between Bad Robot and Warner Bros. Pictures Animation, she’ll truly get to soar. I’ve always been drawn to Emily’s risk-taking, genre-bending attitude and style. I mean, brains and bangs? There’s nobody cooler. This one’s going to be so much fun.
- Bill Damaschke, president of Warner Bros. Pictures Animation, added:
Emily is an enduring pop-culture icon of individuality and empowerment, and Pamela Ribon has a singular and iconic voice. What an honor it is for us as Warner Bros. Pictures Animation to partner with Bad Robot, Rob [Reger] and Trevor [Duke-Moretz] in bringing Emily the Strange to the big screen.
- John Agbaje, svp of animation at Bad Robot, commented:
At Bad Robot, we are looking to push the boundaries of what’s possible in animation. Emily, a character who refuses to be defined by others, is the perfect opportunity to do just that. We’re thrilled to add her world to our feature animation slate. The team assembled has so much passion for Emily the Strange, what she’s represented so far, and what she will mean to future generations.
Warner Bros. published this social media announcement as well:
