Glen Keane’s ‘Over the Moon’ – first trailer and production info unveiled
OVER THE MOON – (Pictured) “Fei Fei” (voiced by Cathy Ang). © 2020 Netflix, Inc.
Netflix and Pearl Studio have today announced details about their upcoming project Over the Moon, directed by animation veteran Glen Keane (Duet, Dear Basketball) and co-directed by John Kahrs (Paperman), along with the unveiling of the first trailer. The announcement accompanies the recent addition of a special Work-In-Progress presentation to this year’s line-up at the online edition of the Annecy International Animation Festival.
Due for release this Fall, the film will boast a cast led by newcomer Cathy Ang alongside Grammy winner Phillipa Soo (Hamilton), newcomer Robert G. Chiu, Ken Jeong (Crazy Rich Asians), John Cho (Searching), Ruthie Ann Miles (All Rise), Emmy nominee Margaret Cho , three time SAG winner Kimiko Glenn (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse), Artt Butler and two time Golden Globe winner Sandra Oh (Killing Eve, Window Horses).
Taking on musical duties will be songwriters Christopher Curtis (Chaplin), Marjorie Duffield and Helen Park (KPOP) with the film’s score composed by Oscar® winner Steven Price (Gravity).
Fueled with determination and a passion for science, a bright young girl builds a rocket ship to the moon to prove the existence of a legendary Moon Goddess. There she ends up on an unexpected quest, and discovers a whimsical land of fantastical creatures. Directed by animation legend Glen Keane, and produced by Gennie Rim and Peilin Chou, Over the Moon is an exhilarating musical adventure about moving forward, embracing the unexpected, and the power of imagination.
The film is written by Audrey Wells (The Hate U Give, Under the Tuscan Sun), who tragically passed away in 2018 having been brought on board in 2016 to develop an idea pitched by Executive Producer Janet Yang as part of Pearl Studio’s annual Brain Trust summit, an initiative begun in 2015 by Producer Peilin Chou (Abominable, Kung Fu Panda 3).
Every child grows up in China knowing the tale of Chang’e and believing that she lives on the moon.
There is even a national holiday centered around it — the Mid-Autumn Festival. Janet came up with the idea to tell a modern day version of this legend through the eyes of a little girl named Fei Fei. I loved the idea of bringing the tale of Chang’e to a global audience in a contemporary, fresh and unique way. Our film features a Chang’e that you have never seen before.
I remember vividly that first meeting with Audrey. After I pitched her the idea she said to me: ‘You want me to write the story of a little girl who decides to build a rocket to go to the moon? That’s the most wonderful thing I’ve ever heard’. She felt a big connection to the idea, and of wanting to create a strong female character.
-Peilin Chou (Producer, Over the Moon)
OVER THE MOON – (L-R) “Father” (voiced by John Cho), “Fei Fei” (voiced by Cathy Ang) and “Mother” (voiced by Ruthie Ann Miles). © 2020 Netflix, Inc.
Determined to find a director who could do the late screenwriter’s vision justice, Chou connected with Dear Basketball Producer Gennie Rim and director Glen Keane at the 2017 Annecy International Animation Festival having been inspired by his masterclass entitled Thinking Like A Child.
Walt Disney was always talking about the ‘plausible impossible.’ And I thought, a 13-year-old girl building a rocket to the moon? I don’t know… But as I was reading it, I got to the page where Fei Fei’s rocket launches and then it runs out of power and starts falling back, like they’re going to die. And I thought, Yes! Now I believe it. But you’ve got to save them somehow! I was suddenly invested.
It was when that beam of light hit them and the moon lions leapt onto the page that I knew I had to direct this movie.
-Glen Keane (Director, Over the Moon)
I feel like this movie was made for me. I always wanted to take part in bringing Asian stories to the screen, and I felt so honored to be able to tell this story about a young girl living in modern-day China.
There’s so much about this character that resonates with me,. I was the same age as Fei Fei
when my mother wanted to remarry. My new stepfather had kids from another marriage, so I understood what Fei Fei was feeling when she had to face the idea of embracing a blended family when her father, who’s a widower, meets someone new. I also really loved the portrayal of a family-owned restaurant — how everything about it dictates the daily rhythms of life. But to also be able to talk about grief at this level — for kids and adults alike — and not shy away from the hard parts was incredible. The characters want to give love and be loved, and to have that all shown in the context of Chinese culture was a gift.
-Gennie Rim (Producer, Over the Moon)
Annecy festivalgoers can learn more about the film through a special WIP Presentation that is available from today through to June 30th. Over the Moon will be released globally on Netflix this Autumn.