Pixar Veterans Are Developing An Animated Fantasy Series At Fox

Fox Entertainment has closed a script deal on animated series Hawkmaster as it turbocharges its in-house animation slate.

Details:

• The series, which is in development, will be written and executive-produced by Mark Andrews (image at top, left), one of the two credited directors of Pixar’s Brave. Longtime Pixar animator Andrew Gordon (center) will also exec-produce, as will Israeli producer Oded Turgeman (right).
• The story is set in a fantastical realm where knights ride giant birds of prey. Kess, a young woman who dreams of flying, embarks on an adventure after encountering a riderless bird. Along the way, she learns what it means to be a knight.
• Andrews also served as head of story on Pixar’s The Incredibles and Ratatouille, as well as co-writing Disney’s live-action feature John Carter. He is directing Netflix’s upcoming Super Giant Robot Brothers.
• Gordon animated on Pixar films including A Bug’s Life, Toy Story 2 and 3, The Incredibles, Ratatouille, and Monsters, Inc., for which he designed Mike Wazowski. Other roles he has held since Pixar include head of character animation at DNEG and global animation director for features at Cinesite.
• Turgeman is president and partner of L.A. production company The Operating Room, and is developing projects including Wildbrain Television’s animated series Summer Memories.
• Fox Entertainment is a division of Fox Corporation, the company formed in 2019 out of what Disney didn’t get through its acquisition of 21st Century Fox. Having lost many animation properties, including studio Blue Sky and shows like The Simpsons and Family Guy, to Disney, Fox set about rebuilding its assets in the field. The company acquired animation studio Bento Box Entertainment, which will work on Hawkmaster, and started rebuilding its catalogue. Recently announced shows include Rats of NIMH, Dan Harmon’s Krapopolis, Flintstones spin-off Bedrock (which is a co-production with Warner Bros. Animation), and Cocky, from the creators of The Knick. The slate reveals an emphasis on adult animation.

Deadline first reported the news about Hawkmaster.

Correction: An earlier version of this article misstated the project as a feature film. It is a script deal for a series, not a feature.