Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele are leading a dark fantasy adventure in the first Wendell & Wild trailer. Directed by Henry Selick (A Nightmare Before Christmas, Coraline), the Netflix original film has been in the works since 2015 and is finally gearing up to make its debut. Joining Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele in the voice cast for Wendell & Wild is Lyric Ross, Angela Bassett, James Hong, Tamara Smart, Natalie Martinez, Tantoo Cardinal, Gabrielle Dennis, Igal Naor, David Harewood, Maxine Peake, Ramona Young, Sam Zelaya, Seema Virdi, Gary Gatewood, and Ving Rhames.
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Wendell & Wild focuses on two scheming demon brothers who want to leave their purgatory in the Underworld and enter The Land of the Living, where they can make their dream of creating a Dream Fair a reality. The problem is they need a very specific type of person to bring them there and that person is Kat, a strong-willed orphan girl who may well be what is called a Hellmaiden. However, she will only help Wendell & Wild in exchange for a very specific trade, which may not be quite what she is hoping for, leading to a supernatural journey told in the form of stop-motion animation.
The first Wendell & Wild trailer has been released by Netflix, which highlights more details and characters in Selick's first stop-motion film in 13 years. Key & Peele's unique blend of humor is on display, while the character of Kat is given a front row, introducing the Afro Punk protagonist to audiences for the first time. The trailer also gives a first look at characters like Buffalo Belzer (Rhames), Raul (Zelaya), Father Bests (Hong), and Sister Helley (Bassett), providing a deeper look at what to expect from the stop-motion animated feature. Take a look at the trailer for Wendell & Wild below:
Selick created the concept of Wendell & Wild in the early 2000s, basing the titular characters off his own sons, before later becoming a big fan of Key & Peele on Comedy Central. The director later reached out to the comedians to see if they could work on a project together, deciding that Wendell & Wild would be the best fit. Peele came onboard not only as an actor, but also as a writer and producer, which took place before his first feature, Get Out, was even released. In the time it took to complete the animation for Wendell & Wild, Peele has released three feature films and established himself as a director in his own right, making Wendell & Wild one of his earliest steps in that journey.
Wendell & Wild feels very much like a spiritual sequel to Selick's A Nightmare Before Christmas and Coraline, as it deals with a young, female protagonist and different realms that are traversed throughout. The dark, horror-like aspect is also reminiscent of those works, making Wendell & Wild a perfect addition to Selick's resume. Judging by the trailer and early footage of Wendell & Wild, it appears to be another classic in the making from the esteemed stop-motion director, aided by a great cast and collaboration with Key & Peele. Only time will tell how Wendell & Wild fares against Selick's other beloved works when it hits Netflix on October 28.