Asbury goes live action with 'Thief'
Asbury branded 'Thief'
Feb 7, 2006
"Shrek 2" co-helmer Kelly Asbury is the latest computer-animation director to make the leap into live action.
Asbury has written and is set to direct the live-action screenplay adaptation of Clive Barker's "The Thief of Always" for 20th Century Fox and Seraphim Films.
Asbury spent the past year writing the script, based on the 1992 juvenile dark fantasy novel, after meeting Barker at an authors festival where Asbury was invited to discuss his nonfiction book "Dummy Days." Asbury and Barker were alphabetically seated and struck up a conversation. Barker then pulled "Thief" off the shelf and asked Asbury to write and direct it.
The story centers on a 10-year-old boy who is bored with his ordinary life and ventures into a supernatural house in which all four seasons pass in one day. The fantasy elements of the movie will be enhanced with CGI effects.
"I've worked for a long time in the storyboard process," Asbury said. "My experience on 'Thief' so far has been charmed because the story gets better with each iteration. We've all been really happy with the consensus of ideas and notes on the script."
Barker has looked to make "Thief" into a feature since the late 1990s. It most recently was in development at Universal Pictures with Bernard Rose ("Candyman") directing and adapting the script. Previously, "Thief" was in development as an animated movie with Kennedy Marshall at Paramount Pictures before rights reverted back to Barker.
Asbury directed "Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron" and is a noted animation story artist, having contributed to "The Little Mermaid," "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas," "Toy Story" and "James and the Giant Peach." Asbury is also the author-illustrator of several children's books.
Barker is executive producing "Thief" through his Seraphim Films.
Vanessa Morrison is overseeing for Fox.
Asbury is repped by CAA and attorney Nancy Newhouse Porter.
Asbury joins "Shrek" helmers Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson as CGI veterans who have inked live-action directing deals. Adamson was tapped by Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media to helm "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian," and Jenson was tapped to direct "Four Christmases" for New Line.
Asbury has written and is set to direct the live-action screenplay adaptation of Clive Barker's "The Thief of Always" for 20th Century Fox and Seraphim Films.
Asbury spent the past year writing the script, based on the 1992 juvenile dark fantasy novel, after meeting Barker at an authors festival where Asbury was invited to discuss his nonfiction book "Dummy Days." Asbury and Barker were alphabetically seated and struck up a conversation. Barker then pulled "Thief" off the shelf and asked Asbury to write and direct it.
The story centers on a 10-year-old boy who is bored with his ordinary life and ventures into a supernatural house in which all four seasons pass in one day. The fantasy elements of the movie will be enhanced with CGI effects.
"I've worked for a long time in the storyboard process," Asbury said. "My experience on 'Thief' so far has been charmed because the story gets better with each iteration. We've all been really happy with the consensus of ideas and notes on the script."
Barker has looked to make "Thief" into a feature since the late 1990s. It most recently was in development at Universal Pictures with Bernard Rose ("Candyman") directing and adapting the script. Previously, "Thief" was in development as an animated movie with Kennedy Marshall at Paramount Pictures before rights reverted back to Barker.
Asbury directed "Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron" and is a noted animation story artist, having contributed to "The Little Mermaid," "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas," "Toy Story" and "James and the Giant Peach." Asbury is also the author-illustrator of several children's books.
Barker is executive producing "Thief" through his Seraphim Films.
Vanessa Morrison is overseeing for Fox.
Asbury is repped by CAA and attorney Nancy Newhouse Porter.
Asbury joins "Shrek" helmers Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson as CGI veterans who have inked live-action directing deals. Adamson was tapped by Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media to helm "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian," and Jenson was tapped to direct "Four Christmases" for New Line.
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