Danny Elfman is set to reunite with director Tim Burton on the upcoming stop-motion animated movie Frankenweenie. The film is based on Burton’s 1984 short film about a pet dog brought back to life by his loyal owner after it is struck by a car. The movie’s voice talent includes several actors who have previously worked with the director, including Winona Ryder, Martin Landau, Martin Short and Catherine O’Hara. John August (Big Fish, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Corpse Bride) is writing the screenplay. The project is the 14th collaboration between the composer and the director and the first one after their first billion-dollar movie Alice in Wonderland. The stop-motion animation film will be shot in black and white and rendered in 3D. While Elfman’s involvement was expected given his relationship with Burton, it has been confirmed to Film Music Reporter by Elfman’s agency that the composer has officially joined the project. Frankenweenie is set for a release in digital 3D on October 5, 2012 by Walt Disney Pictures.
As reported last year, Elfman also has the sci-fi action Real Steel coming out this year. The movie directed by Shawn Levy is set in the near-future where 2,000-pound robots that look like humans do battle and stars Hugh Jackman, Kevin Durand, Evangeline Lilly, Anthony Mackie and Hope Davis. Check out the film’s first official trailer below and visit the official movie webpage for updates on the project. The Dreamworks production will be relased by Touchstone Pictures on October 7, 2011.
Also coming up for Elfman is Gus van Sant’s Restless and Barry Sonnenfeld’s Men In Black III starring Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones and Josh Brolin for a summer 2012 release.
