Delivering our highest recommendation of the month was Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud, the Oscar-winning duo behind Persepolis, whose live-action debut Chicken with Plums arrives next week in limited release. Known for their gorgeous artistry and deep emotion, the announcement of what Satrapi’s next film will be is an odd one.
Deadline reports that the director has signed with Mandalay Vision and Vertigo Entertainment to direct a psychological thriller penned by none other than Michael R. Perry of Paranormal Activity 2 script credit. Titled The Voices, the film follows an evil cat and a hero dog who talks to their own Jerry Hickfang, “a lovable but strange bathtub factory worker who yearns for the attention of a woman in accounting.” Our main character is then led down “a fantastical path that ultimately brings him to salvation” by this two talking pets.
Despite that somewhat spoiler, this sounds like an absolutely wild concept that only someone like Satrapi could pull off with her expert magic realist techniques. I initially picture something like a serious version of Tom & Jerry going on here, but the script is said to be “inventive and horrifying.” While Perry’s work has never interested me, this team-up is so peculiar I can’t help but be curious.
Production is set to begin early next year.
What do you think of this concept and Satrapi directing?