The Nut Job writer-director Peter Lepeniotis announced this week he will write and direct the fantasy film, which is being produced by Jay Ahn of Astro-Nomical Entertainment alongside Tristan Barr and David Gim of Continuance Pictures.
“When I was presented with Fleur’s book, I was instantly inspired by the portrayal of a modern girl discovering the secrets of a magical world hidden from humans,” Mr Lepeniotis said.
“Nullaboo will be a fun, magical look at myth through the eye of our ironic times. I am really excited about the team and the unique touch we’re going to bring to this charming story.”
Visual development will be led by Jang Lee, a visual development artist on Big Hero 6 and matte painter on Frozen and Wreck-It-Ralph.
“This is such a delightful, fast-paced story about the magic of fairies,” Mr Lee said.
“But more importantly, it’s a story about community, working together to do the right thing and preserve living creatures and the environment. It’s also about friendship and rising above rivalries when others need help.”
Released last year, Nullaboo Hullabaloo follows Janomi, a fairy who is forbidden to talk to humans.
When her grandfather, the king of the fairy colony, is captured by silver spiders, she places her trust in 10-year-old country kid Gemma and tells her she must keep the fairies’ existence a secret.
But when Gemma’s school rival, Nina, steals the secretly recorded footage of Janomi and uploads it onto YouTube, a media frenzy explodes in sleepy Nullaboo.
Mr Lepeniotis’s 2014 feature The Nut Job, featuring the voices of Will Arnett, Liam Neeson, Brendan Fraser and Katherine Heigl, scored more than $120 million at the box office.
He went on to write a sequel and direct 2017 Netflix acquisition Gnome Alone. The Canadian vet was an animator on blockbuster films including Casper, Toy Story 2 and Dinosaur.
Astro-Nomical Entertainment, co-founded by Chris Henderson and Jay Ahn, has a strategic partnership with Korean firm MBL Media, which optioned the book for film adaption.
MORE LOCAL NEWS
Echuca Foundry set to reopen with Two Birds exhibition
Echuca show will go on, EMTC assures community
13°C