Richard Linklater is all set to release yet another kid’s fantasy film on Netflix. This time it’s an animation movie called Apollo 10½: A Space Age Adventure that stars Jack Black and Zachary Levi and documents the 1969 mission to the moon.
The project was announced exactly on the 51st anniversary of the launch of Apollo 11 last year which falls on July 16.
Where’d You Go, Bernadette? featuring Cate Blanchett was Linklater’s most recent film. He’s executive producing a CBS All Access animal rescue documentary series and had planned a 20-year endeavor to transform Merrily We Roll Along into a film, similar to what he accomplished with Boyhood.
Linklater has been nominated for five Academy Awards, for producing, directing, and writing the script for the coming-of-age film Boyhood, as well as the screenplays for Before Midnight and Before Sunset.
Director’s Perspective
Linklater wrote and directed the movie, which his Detour FilmProductions will produce with Submarine. It is a hybrid live-action and animated film that merges CGI graphics with live cinematography, similar to his flicks Waking Life and A Scanner Darkly.
Linklater finished the live-action shot in Austin in March, and the animation was finished at Minnow Mountain in Austin and Submarine in the Netherlands.
Apollo 10½ is inspired by Linklater’s childhood in Houston. He attempts to blend the perspectives of astronauts and mission control with that of a giddy child who grew up near NASA but largely watched it on TV. The story revolves around a young boy’s fantasy of being snatched from his mundane suburban life to secretly train for a moon trip.
According to Variety, Linklater stated, “It struck me years ago that this was my film to make, from both a chronological and proximity level – I was there, going into 3rd grade.”
He also added, “Our unique animation style allows both the conjuring of a world long gone, and the flowing, playful expression of memory and imagination. It’s been a fun, creative journey to incorporate things like 3D graphics into a live-action shoot to help bring this story to life.”
Apollo 1/2: A Space Age Adventure Release Date
The movie is set to release on Netflix on April 1, 2022.
Apollo 1/2: A Space Age Adventure Star Cast
Apollo 10½ consists of big consists of few of the big names in the industry. Jack Black, Gwen Powell, Josh Wiggins, Zachary Levi, Lee Eddy, Bill Wise, Natalie L’Amoreaux, Jessica Brynn Cohen, Sam Chipman, and Danielle Guilbot to name a few.