Rashida Jones Joins Kate McKinnon in Andrew Stanton Sci-Fi Drama ‘In the Blink of An Eye’ (Exclusive)

Rashida Jones has joined Kate McKinnon to star in In the Blink of An Eye, a sci-fi drama that Andrew Stanton is directing for Searchlight Pictures.

Stanton is known for his animated classics WALL-E and Finding Nemo but is going live-action with a story that seeks to explore no less than the entire history of the world and tackle the nature of life, love, hope and connection.

Colby Day (Spaceman) wrote the script that focuses on three intersecting storylines with Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar and Paul Thomas Anderson’s Magnolia mentioned as touchstones. Jones’ character is an anthropology professor who is taking care of her dying mother.

Jared Ian Goldman, who counts indie Ingrid Goes West and heady TV series Russian Doll among his credits, is producing.

Day is acting as an exec producer. Senior vp of production Taylor Friedman and creative executive Apolline Berty are overseeing for Searchlight Pictures, reporting to heads of production and development Katie Goodson-Thomas and DanTram Nguyen.

Production begins next week in Vancouver. Stanton has delved into live-action before, with the 2012 feature John Carter, and more recently on episodes of Better Call Saul, Stranger Things and For All Mankind.

Jones last starred in a film with Sofia Coppola’s On the Rocks opposite Bill Murray. She is known for her work on Parks and Recreation and The Office. She next appears in dystopian drama Silo as well as dark comedy Sunny, both for Apple TV.

Jones has also carved out a career as a filmmaker, winning a Grammy for helming the documentary Quincy, focusing on her father, music producer Quincy Jones, as well as episodes of #blackAF and Angie Tribeca. Her screenwriting credits include Toy Story 4 and Celeste and Jesse Forever, and an episode of Black Mirror.

Jones is repped by UTA and Schreck Rose.