Midway Point: Top 10 Most Anticipated Films of 2009: #8. Fantastic Mr. Fox

#8. Fantastic Mr. Fox

Director: Wes Anderson
Writer(s): Anderson and Noah Baumbach
Producers: Anderson, Allison Abbate and Scott Rudin
Distributor: 20th Century Fox…or perhaps Fox Searchlight?

The Gist: The book tells the story about a fox, simply named Mr. Fox. At night, he steals animals from the farms of Bunce, Boggis, and Bean, three mean farmers, to feed his family with. The farmers are fed up with this, and try everything to kill him. They surround the hill he lives in with men armed with guns. After three days of starving, Mr.Fox and his children dig a tunnel to Boggis’ chicken house number one, and steal a few chickens. They also raid Bunce’s storehouse and Bean’s underground cellar of apple cider. They invite everyone to a feast made from the loot and decide never to go above ground anymore.

Fact: Anderson and Noah Baumbach also co-wrote The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou (2004). The film was also the first time Anderson used stop animation – only remember the ‘Jaguar shark’?

Why is it on the list?: I’m looking forward in seeing how Anderson manages to infuse his style in a stop animated film and how he works from a very specific source (Roald Dahl). His dream cast of usual suspects (Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman and Anjelica Huston) and grade A talent in George Clooney, Meryl Streep and Willem Dafoe assure the highest pedigree.

Release Date/Status?: Oddly, this opens in the U.K three weeks before the U.S release of November 13th. Major film festival appearance not a must, but if there is one it will likely be Venice.