Sony has released a teaser trailer for its first release from Aardman Animations, the renowned British studio behind Wallace and Gromit. Arthur Christmas marks Aardman’s second CGI feature film after Flushed Away with DreamWorks Animation in 2006. This one’s being made in collaboration with Sony’s animation division, which last produced Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. Sarah Smith (producer on The League of Gentlemen) is the film’s director with Barry Cook (Mulan) on as co-director. Smith co-wrote the script with Peter Baynham. Michael Giacchino and Adam Cohen are collaborating on the score.
James McAvoy will voice the lead character, Arthur, who is Santa’s youngest son. He’s good-natured and clumsy, and the one member of the family still truly excited by the magic of Christmas. Hugh Laurie plays Steve, the elder son, who has made the holiday a high-tech and military-esque operation. Jim Broadbent will voice Santa Claus. Bill Nighy plays Santa’s father, Grandsanta, who longs for the days of his own reign over the holiday, and when things were simpler. Imelda Staunton voices Mrs. Claus and Ashley Jensen plays an elf in the Giftwrap Battalion named Bryony.
I’m not terribly impressed with this teaser, but it’s just that, a teaser. I can’t imagine this footage having a part in the movie, it’s just designed to get some attention and quickly lay out some of the premise, so I’m not too concerned. It is somewhat disappointing that Aardman’s trademark style doesn’t seem present. Even Flushed Away worked that in, going so far as adding fake fingerprint marks to mimic those occurrences in claymation. I still think one of the bigger questions about this movie is whether it can sufficiently differentiate itself from Disney’s Prep & Landing TV special from last year, which is getting follow-up shorts, since both involve really high-tech Christmas operations.
Arthur Christmas will be released by Sony on November 23rd, 2011.
