Henry Selick Talks Wendell & Wild, the Freedom Netflix Gave Him, and Jordan Peele | TIFF 2022
71Stop-motion giant Henry Selick is back in the limelight. The Coraline and Nightmare Before Christmas director came to the Toronto International Film Festival to show off his latest film for Netflix, Wendell & Wild, a blend of fantasy, comedy, and horror in a similar vein to some of his best work. Originally made as an unpublished book by him and Clay McLeod Chapman, Selick joined forces this time around with a modern horror darling in Jordan Peele who brought his skills for terror and humor alike to the table. Following its premiere at the festival, Selick sat down with Collider's own Steve Weintraub at the Collider Supper Suite and Media Studio at Marbl to discuss everything about the stop-motion process behind the film, what it was like to collaborate with Peele, and so much more.
Featuring a reunion of the classic comedic duo Key & Peele, Wendell & Wild stars Keegan-Michael Key and Peele as the nefarious demonic brothers Wendell and Wild respectively. The brothers get the help of a 13-year-old Kat Elliot (Lyric Ross) to summon themselves to the land of the living only to face off against their greatest foe, the demon-busting nun Sister Helley (Angela Bassett). Hijinks ensue as the trio goes on an adventure of fantastical, hilarious, and terrifying proportions all rendered in Selick's gorgeous stop-motion style.
Selick spent much of the discussion breaking down the process behind Wendell & Wild, from the tireless work on animation which featured plenty of nightmarish shots to set up to the second-guessing that inevitably set in as he spent more time on the project. He also hit on the graciousness of Netflix to give him the freedom to create what he wanted, a decision that made the film possible in the first place. In terms of working with Peele, Selick detailed why he chose Peele and his old partner Key to star as well as Peele's overall intrigue with stop-motion. The director also went out of the realm of his latest film, discussing projects he wanted to make, the continued impact of The Nightmare Before Christmas and the prospect of returning to that world, and what he plans to do after the curtain closes on Wendell & Wild.
Check out the full Q&A session above for more on Selick's creative process for Wendell & Wild and a discussion of his previous work, including:
What was Selick's most excited for his fans to see with Wendell & Wild?
How was he approaching the film differently than his previous work?
How did Netflix make the film work?
How did Selick approach the various filmmaking decisions that go into stop-motion?
Which shot gave him and the animators nightmares, and how did they pull it off?
How long ago did he start on the project?
At any point, did he second guess the sequences he made for the film?
What did he take away from working with Jordan Peele?
What character was his favorite to write and animate?
What was the process he went through in terms of test screenings?
Is there a project that he wanted to make but struggled to find financial backers for?
Is there a project that he would make now if the financing was there?
Which of his films does he want viewers who've never seen his work to watch first?
What is it like for him to see the behemoth The Nightmare Before Christmas has become over the years?
Has he ever considered revisiting The Nightmare Before Christmas for a short or a sequel?
Is there an IP that he really wanted to work with?
Has he considered what he'll do next after Wendell & Wild is released?
Special thanks to our TIFF 2022 partners A-list Communications, Belvedere Vodka, Marbl Toronto, COVERGIRL Canada, Tres Amici Wines, Toronto Star, and Blue Moon Belgian White beer.
#WendellandWild #HenrySelick #jordanpeele
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