Sky adapts Prachett’s The Amazing Maurice
November 5, 2020
Sky has announced a new co-production with Ulysses Filmproduktion and Cantilever Media, The Amazing Maurice, a Sky original. This animated family film is based on one of Terry Pratchett’s popular Discworld novels and will star Hugh Laurie as Maurice, Emilia Clarke as Malicia, David Thewlis as Boss Man, Himesh Patel as Keith, Gemma Arterton as Peaches and Hugh Bonneville as The Mayor. More cast announcements will follow.
Coming to Sky Cinema in 2022, The Amazing Maurice follows Maurice, a streetwise ginger cat who has the perfect money-making scam. He finds a kid who plays a pipe, and he also befriends his very own horde of strangely educated, talking rats – so Maurice can no longer think of them as ‘lunch’. When Maurice and the rodents reach the stricken town of Bad Blintz, they meet a bookworm, Malicia. Their little con soon goes down the drain as something very bad is waiting for them in the cellars.
Sarah Wright, Director of Sky Cinema and Acquisitions at Sky UK & Ireland, said: “The Amazing Maurice is a fantastic story from a legendary author, and I couldn’t think of a better tale to bring to life as an animated film for all the family. I’m excited to work with Ulysses Filmproduktion and Cantilever Media to bring this exclusive new movie to Sky Cinema audiences in 2022.”
Emely Christians, Producer and CEO of Ulysses Filmproduktion, added: “When I read The Amazing Maurice, I knew we had to turn this amazing novel into a film. The art and animation departments are working hard to recreate Terry Pratchett’s unique vision and I can’t wait to see this on screen!”
The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents was first published by Doubleday in 2001 and has sold nearly 90 million books worldwide. It was the 28th novel in the Discworld series, but the first written for children.