Oscar®-winning filmmaker Bill Joyce announces ‘The Great Gatsby’

DNEG onboard to provide Feature Animation services

An impressive team of industry veterans has come together to produce the very first animated version of classic American novel “The Great Gatsby”!

The project will be helmed by Oscar®-winning filmmaker, writer and illustrator William Joyce, in collaboration with novelist, screenwriter and illustrator Brian Selznick and DNEG Feature Animation. Almost a hundred years after its initial publication, the story still resonates deeply with the public. Talking of the project, Bill Joyce said:

“Gatsby continues to cast a powerful spell over readers unlike any other book in American letters. Much of the power of Gatsby comes from the enchantment of Fitzgerald’s prose. He created a vivid dreamscape that, to some degree, has eluded filmmakers since the silent era. The previous film versions were constrained by live action, but innovative animation could finally realize the elusive quality of the novel.”

Writer Brian Selznick added:

“I’ve been friends with William Joyce for nearly my entire career. I’ve always marveled at his ability to invent indelible worlds and unforgettable characters. When he told me about his dream of making Gatsby into an animated movie, I immediately understood what a magical synthesis this could be. The rich wonderland of William Joyce’s vision is a brilliant match for the shimmering prose of F. Scott Fitzgerald, and I’m thrilled to help him bring this unique cinematic experience to life.”

The DNEG Feature Animation team is looking forward to bringing this new animated ‘The Great Gatsby’ feature film project to life. DNEG SVP Creative Production David Prescott, who joins the project as Producer, said:

“We are in the perfect time for an animated Gatsby. Viewers of all ages are embracing animation as another way to experience different stories. Bill and I have been floating a variety of ideas around over the last few years, discussing ideal stories to bring to the screen, and I really do feel that ‘The Great Gatsby’ is one such story. The style of animation and imagery we are creating for this project are so beautifully married together.”

The team is currently working on an animated short titled ‘Mr. Spam Gets a New Hat’ in collaboration with Bill Joyce, which is due to premiere in the summer of 2021. Headed by DNEG’s Taylor Moll as VFX Supervisor, the short film incorporates revolutionary new techniques, using Unreal Engine technology to push the boundaries of what real-time game engine technology can bring to production feature animation. The same techniques, methodologies and workflows will be brought to the production of ‘The Great Gatsby’.

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