Back in 2005, Paul wrote a children’s adventure book called High in the Clouds with author Philip Ardagh, and he’d been developing it into an animated feature since 2009 with Gaumont optioning the rights last year. The project is seeing more forwards movement with The Woman in Black: Angel of Death writer Jon Croker being brought on to adapt Paul’s book.
The book and planned film tells the story of “Wirral the squirrel,” who goes on a journey to find the animal paradise called Animalia after his forest home is destroyed by bulldozers, killing his mother in the process. (So it sounds like Bambie meets Zootopia?)
Paul himself is likely to voice one of the main characters with Lady Gaga writing a number of original songs for the movie, and Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready.
Gaumont will produce the film with Michael Lynn and Bob Shaye of Unique Features, who have been involved with the project for many years.Paul will be producing the film through his MPL Communications along with Shaye, Lynne, Gaumont CEO Sidonie Dumas, vice-CEO Christophe Riandée, and president of animation Nicolas Atlan.