Netflix acquires Sony Pictures Animation’s ‘The Mitchells vs. The Machines’
Sony Pictures Animation’s The Mitchells vs. The Machines, a new and original animated comedy produced by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (The Lego Movie, Spider-Man™: Into the Spider-Verse), has been acquired by Netflix for worldwide distribution (outside of China).
The Mitchells vs. The Machines – (L-R) Maya Rudolph as “Linda Mitchell”, Abbi Jacobson as “Katie Mitchell”, Mike Rianda as “Aaron Mitchell”, Doug the Pug as “Monchi” and Danny McBride as “Rick Mitchell”. Cr: Netflix / © 2021
Previously known as Connected, the film tells the story of “an everyday family’s struggle to relate while technology rises up around the world”. The cast includes Abbi Jacobson as Katie Mitchell, a creative outsider who has been accepted into the film school of her dreams, and Danny McBride as Rick, her nature-loving father who is insistent on the whole family driving her to school together for one last bonding expedition. her plans to meet “her people” at college are upended when her nature-loving dad Rick (voiced by Danny McBride) determines the whole family should drive Katie to school together and bond as a family one last time, alongside Maya Rudolph, Mike Rianda, Eric Andre, Olivia Colman, Blake Griffin and Doug The Pug.
The Mitchells vs. The Machines is directed by Mike Rianda and co-directed by Jeff Rowe, both of whom also penned the screenplay.
Joining Lord and Miller as producer is Kurt Albrecht, with Will Allegra, Louis Koo Tin Lok executive producing.
We are overwhelmed by the enthusiasm Netflix has expressed for this movie with this acquisition and grateful to everyone at Sony for making a great picture with us and finding a big way to bring it to audiences” said Lord and Miller. “We’re really proud of the film we all made together, plus we understand our subscription fees are waived in perpetuity as part of the deal? We’re not lawyers but it does sound right to us.
-Phil Lord and Christopher Miller
This is a very personal movie about my very weird family. I’m so grateful to all the incredible artists that poured their love and passion into this project to make it a reality, and to everyone at Sony who believed in us and were on board to make a different kind of animated movie. I’m so thrilled that everyone at Netflix has been totally in sync with us creatively and are just as excited about the movie as we are! Not only because it’s an original story with a creative visual style that we’re extremely proud of, but also so I can prove to my friends that this five-year journey wasn’t an elaborate delusion on my part.
-Mike Rianda (Director, The Mitchells vs. The Machines)
We want Netflix to be the place where families can come and enjoy stories together. And while we know no two families are the same, we think The Mitchells will immediately endear themselves to yours. It’s an honor to work with Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and Mike Rianda to bring this incredibly special film to members around the world.
-Melissa Cobb (Vice President of Original Animation, Netflix)