Daniel Snaddon: Last News

K.J. Yossman Julia Donaldson’s “Romeo and Juliet”-inspired story “The Smeds and The Smoos” is set to be adapted for a BBC Christmas special starring Oscar-nominee Sally Hawkins (“The Shape of Water”), “Bridgerton’s” Adjoa Andoh and comedian Bill Bailey.Oscar-nominated production company, who have previously adapted nine of Donaldson’s children’s books for the BBC, will once again take the helm on the project, which will also be based on Axel Scheffler’s original illustrations, with Blue Zoo Animation Studio providing animation services.Donaldson and Scheffler are the duo behind iconic children’s stories including “The Gruffalo.”Daniel Snaddon (“The Snail and the Whale”) and Samantha Cutler will direct based on a screenplay by Julia Smuts Louw.

Jazz Tangcay Artisans EditorFilmmakers Max Lang and Daniel Snaddon are no strangers to the world of adapting the vividly illustrated children’s books of Julia Donaldson for animation. They’ve adapted “Room on the Broom,” “The Gruffalo” and “Stick Man,” and this time they’re vying for Oscar short animated film and Annie Awards consideration with another beloved story, “The Snail and the Whale.”Produced in a stop-motion/CG hybrid style, the story is a simple one — a snail yearns to see the world, so it catches a ride on the back of a whale.In one sequence, the snail is looking up at the night sky filled with stars.

Throughout their careers in animation, directors Max Lang and Daniel Snaddon have maintained a strong collaborative relationship with children’s book author Julia Donaldson. After bringing four of her works to the screen—two of which garnered Oscar nominations—they return to the awards conversation this year with The Snail and the Whale, adapting a book written by Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler, which Lang had long been eyeing.