Duncan Studio, the California-based animation studio behind the 2D animation sequences in Disney's
Mary Poppins Returns, is launching a new in-house development and production division to develop a slate of animated originals.
Duncan Originals will be headed by Ken Duncan, and will develop animated features, broadcast series, and short-form content. The launch slate currently includes two original projects: Nature's End, an original film combining a live-action, animation, and gaming; and
R.E.D, a six-part sci-fi anthology series.
Nature's End is "a fantasy/science fiction adventure with an ecological ticking clock and starring a female hero who transforms her world without using violence or imitating her male counterparts."
R.E.D. is a humorous detective story inspired by the pulp novels of the 1950s. The series revolves around a machine pondering its value as a "living being."
“Our development division has created a slate of unique, inclusive, gender balanced and visually compelling stories, that will engage and resonate with audiences globally,” Duncan reportedly told Deadline.
“Our mission is to work with culturally diverse established and emerging new talent to expand the creative boundaries of the animation art form.”
Duncan Studio was founded in 2007 and has worked with talented filmmakers, including
Mary Poppins Returns director Rob Marshall, Brad Bird, Tom Hanks, and Katherina Bigelow, as well as leading production companies such as Disney, WB, Universal, and Illumination.