‘Household Pests,’ ‘Mean Margaret’ Animated Movies in the Works

December 7, 2015 | Source: Variety | by: Dave McNary

HP-Poster-mSega’s Marza Animation Planet and Pigmental Studios are developing a pair of animation projects —  “Household Pests” and “Mean Margaret” — with IM Global on board to handle sales.

“Household Pests” is based on an original idea by “Despicable Me” co-creator Sergio Pablos about an imaginative boy and his battles with the monsters that lurk under his bed. Pablos of SPA Studios and Marina Martins of Pigmental Studios are producing with pre-production taking place between Spain and Pigmental’s studio in Washington, D.C. and in collaboration with Marza in Los Angeles.

mean-margaret“Mean Margaret” is based on the children’s book by Tor Seidler. Margaret is a cranky human toddler from a family of nine who is chucked out of her home by her beleaguered parents until two woodchucks, Phoebe and Fred, take Margaret in as their own.

Producers are Jay Ahn (“The Nut Job”) and Chuck Williams (“Brother Bear”), who will manage the creative side at Marza. Barry Cook (“Mulan,” “Walking With Dinosaurs”) directed the original development of the project with character designs by Carter Goodrich (“Ratatouille,” “Despicable Me”).

IM Global’s slate includes “Secret in Their Eyes,” “Fifty Shades of Black” and “The Free State of Jones.”

The deal was brokered by Chris Bosco, Michael Rothstein and JR Smith of IM Global and Jay Ahn of Mean Margaret LLC and by Martins on behalf of Pigmental.