Annapurna Pictureswill soon be adaptingStrayinto an animated film. You know, the game from last year that your cats really liked. Chances are you might have played it too, given it sold millions of copies and became a viral sensation withprobablythe best felines in all of video games.
For some, news of it becoming a movie might seem ridiculous and sudden, but after taking a glance at the announcement and those involved it’s already right atop my watch list. With a success likeNimonaunder Annapurna Animation’s belt and a clear talent for adapting properties, seeing Stray join the ranks not only makes me excited, but more hopeful for animated tie-ins still to come. Adaptations are better than they’ve ever been after all, long beating out the cliché of being cursed because the suits in Hollywood don’t care for or understand video games.
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Speaking toEntertainment Weekly, Annapurna Animation’s Robert Baird said that he hopes to capitalise on the inherent comedy present in a film about a normal cat and a robotic friend who are tied together as an entertaining duo on a much grander quest. No humans are ever seen in the game, with the entire species presumed dead, so this likely presents fun storytelling challenges for the movie too. I hope it gets creative, and doesn’t resort to easy solutions that serve to diminish some of the source material’s strongest qualities.
It will hopefully shine with the involvement of Nimona co-director Nick Bruno and Ice Age director Chris Wedge, both of whom are now working on original projects at Annapurna yet to be revealed. Stray takes place in a fictional world that was deliberately subtle in its design, but still managed to be heartfelt and funny while telling a compelling, melancholic story. This could be expanded on without diluting the original meaning, and might even complement it with the right approach.
“I think it’s one of the reasons why the game was incredibly popular, that you are seeing the world through the point of view of an adorable cat,” Baird says. “How did they pull that off, and how are we going to pull that off in the movie? We will, even though sometimes it feels impossible, but we know that’s the essence of the game and the key to telling the story."
Annapurna has rarely put a foot wrong when it comes to publishing indie titles with amazing stories and characters, with Twelve Minutes being one of its few notable misfires. What Remains of Edith Finch, Kentucky Route Zero, Outer Wilds, Sayonara Wild Hearts, and Neon White are just a few of its biggest hitters — all of which would also rock in animated form, I might add (just leave Twelve Minutes in the bin). Instead of believing itself to be above video games as it finds additional success in the realm of animation, Annapurna is aware of the potential cross-pollination at its disposal, and how an unexpected gem such as Stray can be turned into something complementary, rather than superior purely because it happens to occupy a different medium.
Nimona being the success that Annapurna needs to push its animation division further also warms my heart, especially when the team tried so hard to get the film made after theclosure of Blue Sky Studiosand opposition to its queer themes, which Netflix was happy to embrace after it took ownership of the project. I spoke to original authorND Stevensonandco-directors Troy Quane and Nick Brunoahead of the film’s release, and their passion for telling creative tales like this in animated form was clear to see.
Now, that passion is hopefully the bedrock for a more positive future at Annapurna, where both ambitious adaptations and new ideas can be given life in a medium in dire need of such support. We live in a world of sequels, reboots, and safe bets, and even if Annapurna does entertain some of those in the years to come, willing to balance that with an equal smattering of new offerings could be the inspiration we need.
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