Tim Minchin to Direct ‘Larrikins’ for DreamWorks, an Australian Animated Musical

*This is a user-submitted post by Alexander Watson.*

In an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald, Tim Minchin, an British-born Australian comedian, actor and musician, announced that he is set to direct DreamWorks upcoming musical feature, Larrikins. Minchin was previously reported to be linked to the film as songwriter and composer.

After complaining that classic animated musicals were going out of fashion (before the return of Disney with The Princess and the Frog and Tangled), Minchin was put in touch with DreamWorks, who were more than willing to pass on scripts in the hope that one of them would be suitable for transformation into a musical. Four years of waiting later, and Minchin was handed the script to Larrikins by Australian writer Harry Cripps.

“There’s this bilby who finds an egg that’s been dropped and … it’s a bit Star Wars, a bit Gods Must be Crazy, a big road journey,” explains Minchin. “It’s really funny and cheeky and Australian, without being parochially, nationalistically Australian.”

After reworking the script with songs and a distinctly Aboriginal Australian vibe, Cripps and Minchin showed it to DreamWorks, who liked what they heard.

“They started going, ‘Holy [cow], let’s get a producer on this.’ Then they started saying, ‘Why don’t you direct this?’ and I was like, ‘You’re f-ing joking’. And then I realized they were serious.”

According to Minchin, visual development has begun on the feature, and a script reading has occurred, featuring the talents of Jacki Weaver and Rebel Wilson. Though this does not signify their involvement with the movie, it’s worth noting that Josh Gad was present at early readings of Frozen, and later went on to star in the final film.

Source: Sydney Morning Herald

What do you think about this newest DreamWorks film in development? Are you excited for ‘Larrikins’?