Henry Selick (Wendell & Wild) Podcast Interview
In the latest episode of the Skwigly Animation Podcast we’re enormously delighted to welcome director Henry Selick, the visionary behind such stop-motion feature film classics as The Nightmare Before Christmas, James and the Giant Peach and Coraline. His latest film Wendell & Wild, released this month as part of the platform’s Netflix and Chills slate (alongside other animated projects such as new series Daniel Spellbound and the second season of Dead End: Paranormal Park), marks his first collaboration with Academy Award ®-winner Jordan Peele, who co-wrote the script and stars as the titular Wendell alongside frequent collaborator Keegan-Michael Key as Wild.
From the delightfully wicked minds of Henry Selick and Jordan Peele, comes Wendell & Wild, an animated tale about scheming demon brothers Wendell (Keegan-Michael Key) and Wild (Peele) – who enlist the aid of 13-year-old Kat Elliot – a tough teen with a load of guilt – to summon them to the Land of the Living. But what Kat demands in return leads to a brilliantly bizarre and comedic adventure like no other, an animated fantasy that defies the law of life and death, all told through the handmade artistry of stop motion.
With music by Academy Award ®-nominee Bruno Coulais, the film also stars Lyric Ross (This Is Us) as Kat, Angela Bassett (Black Panther) as Sister Helley, James Hong (Kung Fu Panda) as Father Bests, Sam Zelaya as Raul, Tamara Smart (A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting) as Siobhan, Ramona Young (Never Have I Ever) as Sweetie, Seema Virdi as Sloane, Natalie Martinez (The Twilight Zone) and Ving Rhames (Pulp Fiction) as Buffalo Belzer. Also among the cast in will be Tantoo Cardinal (Dances with Wolves), Gabrielle Dennis, Igal Naor, David Harewood, Maxine Peake and Gary Gatewood.
Also discussed: MAF buzz, new trailers for upcoming animated features My Father’s Dragon and Super Mario Bros., continued excitement for Guillermo del Toro‘s upcoming stop-motion take on Pinocchio, Tonko House‘s new series Oni: Thunder God’s Tale, the mixed fates of Netflix’s animation slate and the online release of Don Hertzfeldt‘s modern classic World of Tomorrow.
Stream below or direct download.
Presented by Ben Mitchell and Steve Henderson
Interview conducted by Laura-Beth Cowley
Edited and produced by Ben Mitchell
Music by Ben Mitchell