Deepak Nayar and Nik Bower’s Riverstone Pictures, which is behind Global Road Entertainment’s upcoming family title Show Dogs, has partnered with Shrek franchise producer John Williams on a slate of animated features in the $15 million-$20 million budget range.
Two films — Goose Chase, set in the world of Mother Goose characters, and The Silk Road Rally, about a wacky car race in China — have already been greenlighted under the deal, with Nayar’s Kintop Pictures and Williams’ Vanguard Entertainment set to produce. Both titles are being directed by Ross Venokur (Charming), while Silk Road Rally is being co-produced by Peter Seaman, whose writing credits include Shrek 3, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Doc Hollywood and How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
Future projects in the works include Genetapets, the story of a 13-year-old girl and her unique crime-fighting pets; Alien Rock Band; Zorgamazoo; and Brobots.
“I have had a fantastic experience working with Deepak and I am thrilled to be setting this slate together with him and Nik,” Williams said Wednesday in a statement. “Ross and I have worked together on many projects over the past two decades, culminating most recently in Charming.”
Riverstone’s next release is the big-budget effort Show Dogs. The company is currently in postproduction on a number of films, including Michael Winterbottom’s The Wedding Guest, starring Dev Patel; The Corrupted, starring Sam Claflin; Harmony Korine’s The Beach Bum, starring Matthew McConaughey; and At Eternity’s Gate, starring Willem Dafoe as Vincent van Gogh.
A version of this story appears in The Hollywood Reporter‘s May 10 daily issue from the Cannes Film Festival.
