Indie film and game studio Annapurna, best known for the recently released Stray, has officially launched an animation division led by industry veterans Robert Baird and Andrew Millstein. Annapurna Animation's first production is slated for release sometime in 2023.Entrepreneur and film producer Megan Ellison founded Annapurna Pictures in 2011 and went on to expand the studio to include video game publishing with Annapurna Interactive five years later. Works of both the film and game divisions have received critical acclaim for their high production quality and bold storytelling. In October, Annapurna's newest film, She Said, premiered at the 60th New York Film Festival. The biographical drama follows two New York Times reporters, Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor, who helped launch the #MeToo Movement.The animation initiative will be headed by former Blue Sky co-Presidents Robert Baird and Andrew Millstein. Baird previously worked as a screenwriter for Walt Disney Animation Studios, with credits on Monsters University and Big Hero 6. Prior to his leadership at Blue Sky, Millstein began as a Production Executive at The Walt Disney Studios in 1997 and went on to serve as President of Walt Disney Animation Studios.
Annapurna Animation's first release will be Nimona, a fantasy adventure based on the Eisner Award-winning graphic novel by ND Stevenson. The tale centers on the titular protagonist Nimona, a shapeshifter who journeys alongside the villain Lord Ballister Blackheart. Production on Nimona began at Blue Sky Studios, but was left in limbo upon the studio's closure in 2021. Earlier this year, Annapurna took on the project in collaboration with Netflix and will release Nimona on the streaming platform in 2023.
In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Baird shared the possibility of turning one of Annapurna Interactive's releases into an animated film. Baird mentioned the emotional exploration game, What Remains of Edith Finch, and first-person shooter Neon White as potential recipients of an animated adaptation. "Those games are so storytelling driven, and it feels like the worlds that have been created are just right in the pocket for us and what we like to make," Baird said.
Several of Annapurna Interactive's titles are nominees for eight categories at The Game Awards 2022. By itself, the studio's cat adventure game Stray is a contender in six categories, including Game of the Year, Best Game Direction, and Best Art Direction. Neon White is nominated for Best Indie and Best Debut Indie, along with Stray, as well as Best Action Game.