The Copeland Brothers Tapped To Develop Animated Features For Laika

Filmmakers Chris and Justin Copeland, aka The Copeland Brothers, have been tapped to develop new animated feature projects for the award-winning Oregon studio Laika.

No further details on the pair’s work for Laika has been disclosed. Their work for the studios comes on the heels of a five-year period in which the Copelands have been developing for both the feature and television divisions of DreamWorks.

Previously, Chris has directed on DreamWorks’ Emmy, GLAAD and NAACP-nominated series Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts, with Justin directing on the DC original films Wonder Woman: Bloodlines and Batman: Hush. Together, the pair have also worked as storyboard artists on a slew of titles for the likes of Marvel and DC.

Born and raised in Chicago, The Copeland Brothers most recently wrapped writing and directing a soon-to-be released animated short. They are represented by UTA, Redefine Entertainment, and Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole.

Known for its Oscar-nominated work in stop-motion, Laika’s next animated effort, Wildwood, is due for release next year. On the animated front, the company most recently announced Piranesi, an adaptation of Susanna Clarke’s bestselling novel, to be directed by the studio’s founder, President and CEO, Travis Knight. Recently, the company has also begun expanding into live-action, with the announcement of a sci-fi thriller from Dune franchise scribe Jon Spaihts, Brian Duffield’s Crumble, and other projects.