Paloma Baeza is set to make her feature directorial debut. The BAFTA winner will helm fantasy story “The Toymaker’s Secret” for TriStar Pictures. Variety broke the news.
A combination of live-action and animation, the pic centers on an American family who moves to London and fears their old Victorian house may be haunted.
The spec comes from “Annihilation” and “Ex Machina” writer-director Alex Garland, Baeza’s husband. “Several other suitors” were interested in the project before TriStar locked it down, according to the source. Unlike Garland’s other credits, which could be classified as dark sci-fi, this new project is family-friendly. According to The Hollywood Reporter, its “whimsical tone” is comparable to “The Princess Bride.”
“‘The Toymaker’s Secret’ is an original movie with such heart and humor and magic that it is sure to become an instant classic for the whole family,” said Hannah Minghella, president of TriStar Pictures.
Added Baeza, “We couldn’t be more delighted to begin this adventure with TriStar. Hannah’s enthusiasm and insight are the perfect fit for an exciting collaboration. This project will join my love of animation with a live-action world, and it’s fantastic to be bringing this story to life.”
Baeza won a BAFTA and ANNIE Award for her animated short “Poles Apart.” Her other shorts include “The Odds” and “Watchmen,” and she helmed an episode of British anthology series “Coming Up.” Also an actress, she’s appeared in “MI-5,” “The Way We Live Now,” and “Rebel Heart.”
