‘Paddington in Peru’ Writers Reunite for AI Animated Feature ‘Critterz’ From Vertigo Films, Native Foreign (EXCLUSIVE)

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James Lamont and Jon Foster, who gained fame as the trio responsible for “Paddington in Peru’s” script, are joining forces once again for the freshly unveiled AI-animated project titled “Critterz.

The project under development is a full-length movie adaptation of the acclaimed short film from 2023, produced by Vertigo Films (a U.K. production company owned by Federation Studios) in collaboration with creative AI talents at Native Foreign. Screenwriters Lamont and Foster, known for contributing to the pre-school series “The Adventures of Paddington” and Channel 4 comedy “Wasted” starring Sean Bean, will write the script for this family-oriented adventure. The story aims to further explore the universe of the popular characters called Critterz.

The writing pair expressed great enthusiasm as they shared that they’re centering storytelling in this innovative undertaking. The creators of ‘Critterz,’ who left us awestruck with their imaginative perspective, have a vision to craft a heartwarming, captivating, and humorous family film that we can’t wait to see.”

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“The writing team is thrilled to focus on storytelling for this pioneering project. The makers of ‘Critterz,’ who left us spellbound with their creative vision, aim to produce a charming, gripping, and amusing family movie that we eagerly anticipate.

In a groundbreaking move, the brief movie titled “Critterz,” produced in 2023 by Chad Nelson, an artist specializing in creativity at OpenAI, made history as the first AI film to merge visuals crafted by OpenAI’s Dall•E system with conventional animation methods. This pioneering production was showcased at various festivals such as Annecy, Tribeca, and Cannes Lions, and it even earned a nomination for a PGA Innovation Award.

Previously this year, Native Foreign unveiled “Critterz: Remastered” featuring OpenAI’s Sora, showcasing two years of technological progress. In April, the production of a full-length “Critterz” is set to begin, with the creators aiming to establish a new standard for AI-assisted storytelling by combining human creativity, conventional animation methods, and cutting-edge AI technology.

James Richardson from Vertigo Films expressed his excitement about being at the forefront of another technological advancement, similar to how ‘Critterz’ demonstrated AI’s potential in filmmaking. He stated, ‘AI tools can assist filmmakers in creating captivating and enjoyable narratives.’ Chad and Nik [Kleverov] had previously created an award-winning short animation two years ago, and now James and Jon are set to apply their storytelling prowess to a full-length feature for global audiences, based on the same concept.

As a creative individual, I’ve always been on the hunt for tools that can turn my ideas into reality. When I started using OpenAI’s Dall•E, I discovered an incredibly unique artistic tool. The AI didn’t take over my creativity, but rather broadened it, enabling me to dream even bigger and work more efficiently. Now, with the rapid technological advancements since the launch of ‘Critterz,’ we can fully materialize these adorable characters and bring our vision to life more accurately.

nativeforeign’s Kleverov expressed gratitude for the warm reception of ‘Critterz’, stating they eagerly look forward to unveiling even more of their fascinating universe, backed by the innovative backing of partners at Vertigo Films.

The extended animated film titled “Critterz” is being developed jointly by Allan Niblo and Richardson, with production handled by Vertigo and Kleverov for Native Foreign, while Nelson takes on the role of consulting producer. Jane Moore serves as executive producer for Vertigo in this project.

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2025-03-06 13:46