Wendell & Wild: Netflix Animated Movie Starring Key & Peele Sets October Premiere

Netflix is set to bring a slew of blockbuster films in the remaining months of the year, from live-action fair to some expertly-crafted animated properties. Among the latter category is Wendell & Wild, a stop-motion animated horror comedy that will be directed by the legendary Coraline and The Nightmare Before Christmas helmer Henry Selick, and will also serve as the latest creative reunion between Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele, following their work on the sketch comedy series Key & Peele. On Tuesday, Netflix announced that Wendell & Wild will debut in select theaters on October 21st, followed by a debut on Netflix on October 28th.

In Wendell & Wild, two scheming demon brothers, Wendell and Wild (Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele), enlist the aid of 13-year-old Kat Elliot (Lyric Ross) to summon them to the Land of the Living. The film also stars Angela Bassett as Sister Helley, James Hong as Father Bests, Sam Zelaya as Raul, Tamara Smart as Siobhan, Seema Virdi as Sloane, Ramona Young as Sweetie, Ving Rhames as Buffalo Belzer, and Natalie Martinez, Tantoo Cardinal, Igal Naor, Gary Gatewood, Gabrielle Dennis, David Harewood, and Maxine Peake in currently-undisclosed roles.

“Jordan and I came in and did a session … against static at recording booths, sitting looking across at Jordan and it’s lots of ideas flowing, cutting each other off to keep that organic feeling. That usually ends up on the cutting room floor as you find the voices and you want a little refinement-some rhythm,” Key explained while doing press for The Lion King in 2019. “We spent a good deal of time with an initial scene that Henry wrote discovering the characters and the framework of the scene. And then he uses that as inspiration to keep writing.”

Wendell & Wild is directed by Selick, who is known for his work on The Nightmare Before Christmas, James and the Giant Peach, and Coraline. The script is written by Selick, and is based on Selick and Clay McLeod Chapman’s unpublished book.

“I reached out to him (Peele) and talked about the idea for the project, and meeting and getting to collaborate with him as well as Keegan Michael Key, has been a dream come true for me,” Selick explained in 2020. “Wendel & Wild was an old idea for me, and Jordan wanted to come on as more than just voice talent. He wanted to collaborate, to be a producer, to work on story and writing, and the project has changed in so many good ways as a result of working with him.”

Are you excited for Wendell & Wild? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

As mentioned above, Wendell & Wild will debut in select theaters on October 21st, and on Netflix on October 28th.