Unified Pictures is developing CG-animated feature titled Noah’s Ark, a reteling of the famous biblical tale from the point of view of the animals. The script is being written by Philip LaZebnik, who co-wrote DreamWorks’ The Prince of Egypt and the Disney favorites Mulan and Pocahontas, and animateion will be handled by ElectroAge.
‘It tells a story everyone is familiar with,’ says Unified co-founder Keith Kjarval. ‘We envision it as a border-crossing project that has yet to be done in animation, in the style of Ice Age, The Incredibles or Open Season.
Unified co-founder Kurt Rauer adds, ‘Our approach to this universal story will be to create a timeless look that is both traditional in its artistry and novel by its use of modern technology and software. In the end, we believe that Noah will be looked upon as a high watermark in the animated genre.’
Noah’s Ark is budgeted at $35 million and will rely on Unified’s private financing. The film is the first animated effort for the company, which has produced a trio of live-action pics. Unified recently completed principal photography on Bob Funk, a romantic comedy starring Rachael Leigh Cook (Nancy Drew, She’s All That), and completed post-production on The Perfect Sleep, a revenge action/drama starring Roselyn Sanchez (Rush Hour 2, The Game Plan). Currently in post-production is the psychological thriller XII, starring Mercedes McNab (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and directed by Michael A. Nickles (This Is Not a Film). Also in the pipeline is Beneath the Shadow, a psychological thriller that is set to go in to production the first of the year.
